Want to Increase Your Vitamins and Minerals? Eat These Nutrient Dense Foods
Have you ever had a craving for a type of food? Maybe chocolate or a juicy burger or something salty?
Your body instinctively knows what it needs, however it can be easy to misinterpret the signs and symptoms. A sugar or salt craving may be a warning that your blood sugar or hydration levels are low and usually isn’t an invitation to open a candy bar.
Fortunately, a diet high in the most nutrient dense foods can help to minimize cravings, support bodily function and balance your vitamins and minerals. Want to know what nutrient dense foods to include in your diet? We’ll give you the full rundown and also talk about:
- Symptoms of a nutrient deficiency
- Nutrient dense foods and their vitamins + minerals
- How to unlock ALL the nutrients in your food
If you’ve been feeling like your diet isn’t fueling you for your day, here’s a guide to creating a more balanced diet with nutrient dense foods. You’ll be able to get through the day without yawning and get your vitamins and minerals from real food, without relying on supplements!
So, What Are Nutrient Dense Foods?
Let’s quickly break down what nutrient dense foods are before jumping into the rest of the article.
Nutrient dense foods are rich in essential nutrients like vitamins A, B12, C, D, E and K. They’re also full of minerals like iron, zinc, calcium and magnesium. Plus, they’re not loaded with sugar, refined carbs or inflammatory oils.
Think less ‘low-fat granola bar’ and more wild salmon, eggs, leafy greens and bone broth. And yes, nutrient dense foods are also perfect for medical weight loss diets!
What Do Nutrient Deficiency Symptoms Look Like?
Nutrients are important when it comes to health and help your body thrive, not just survive. Nutrient dense foods help your body stay energized, prevent illness and heal quickly. Eating nutrient dense foods in your diet is a crucial aspect of holistic treatment and goes hand in hand with living a healthy lifestyle.
If nutrient dense foods are not a part of your diet, you might be experiencing symptoms like fatigue, anxiety or headaches.
Iron
Symptoms of low iron include fatigue, brain fog, pale skin and shortness of breath. Iron is important for energy levels, oxygen transport and brain function. If you are low in iron, try eating more of these nutrient dense foods:
- Red meat
- Fish
- Lentils and kidney beans
- Spinach and other leafy greens
Vitamin B-12
Vitamin B-12 helps with nerve function, red blood cell formation and energy production. If your diet is lacking in B-12, you may have frequent mood swings, memory issues, weakness or even numbness. To increase B-12 in your nutrient dense foods diet, include more:
- Eggs
- Seafood
- Grass-fed organ meats
- Fortified plant milks and cereals and nutritional yeast
Magnesium
Magnesium is often taken before bed to help your body relax before sleeping. It’s also great for stress, as high cortisol levels deplete your body of magnesium. If you’re low in magnesium, you might be feeling anxious, experiencing muscle cramps and trouble sleeping. Try eating more nutrient dense foods like:
- Leafy greens
- Nuts and seeds
- Dark chocolate
Hot tip: if you do take magnesium as a supplement, look for magnesium glycinate. Magnesium oxide is generally cheaper and used as a laxative.
Vitamin D
Vitamin-D deficiency is incredibly common, especially during winter so it’s vital to prioritize it in your diet. Fatigue, a struggling immune system and muscle weakness and cramps are common symptoms of a deficiency. In addition to getting sun, try adding more vitamin-D and nutrient dense foods into your diet like:
- Egg yolks
- Fatty fish like salmon, mackerel, tuna
- Mushrooms
Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Turns out that the omega-3 fatty acids trend was spot on when it came to nutrient dense foods. It’s important for brain health, hormone production and also helps to reduce inflammation. This helps you avoid symptoms like joint pain, dry skin, mood swings and having trouble concentrating. To get more omega-3 into your nutrient dense foods diet, try including:
- Fatty fish
- Walnuts
- Pasture-raised meats
- Chia and flaxseeds
Zinc
Zinc levels can impact immune function, hormone levels, wound healing and reproduction and are vital for everyday health. Without it, you can catch frequent colds, experience brain fog and trouble concentrating and PMS symptoms. Nutrient dense foods with zinc include:
- Oysters
- Shellfish
- Red meat
- Nuts and seeds
These deficiencies are common and a slight tweak to your diet can yield big results. However, it’s important to remember that all vitamins and minerals play a role in your overall health. Eating a diverse and varied diet of fresh foods is key.
Unlocking the Nutrients in Your Food
If you’re looking to maximize your nutrient intake from nutrient dense foods, you can boost absorption through a number of ways. Not all nutrients are easily absorbed straight from food so unlocking more vitamins and minerals at every meal can be a game changer.
Light Cooking
Cooking some foods lightly can help make them more digestible and easier on your stomach instead of consuming them raw. Light cooking can also help to release vital nutrients.
Try cooking spinach, kale and leafy greens to reduce oxalate (which blocks mineral absorption) and increases iron, calcium and magnesium absorption.
Other vegetables to cook lightly – carrots, sweet potatoes, squash, cruciferous vegetables and legumes.
Fermentation
Fermenting can help make nutrient dense foods more digestible and support your gut through the increase of probiotics and the breaking down of anti-nutrients.
Try adding plain yogurt, sauerkraut or kimchi to your diet and choosing sourdough bread over regular bread.
Hot tip: If your body tolerates gluten, try eating gluten products free from glyphosate and choose flour and pasta produced in Italy.
Pairing Foods Together
You might already be eating nutrient dense foods as part of a healthy diet. But if you’re looking to take it to the next level, pairing specific foods together can help you maximize your nutrient intake.
Iron + Vitamin C – vitamin C helps the absorption of iron. Some examples include meals with both spinach and lemon juice, lentils and bell peppers, oats and strawberries and beans and salsa.
Fat Soluble Vitamins (A, D, E, K) + Healthy Fats – increases the absorption of those vitamins. Some pairings include sweet potato and olive oil, kale and avocado, eggs and sauteed spinach and salmon with a little butter.
Turmeric + Black Pepper – unlocks turmeric’s anti-inflammatory properties and increases its absorption by about 2000%. Try making a turmeric latte with a pinch of pepper or adding both turmeric and pepper to your curry.
Learn About Nutrient Dense Foods in Oak Park
Including nutrient dense foods in your diet can change your overall health for the better. Your body is made of what you eat and nutrient dense foods are responsible for building your cells, fueling your brain, balancing your hormones and repairing damage.
If you’ve been lacking energy, experiencing brain fog or craving sugar and processed foods, your body may be in need of better fuel. Forget masking your symptoms with caffeine or sugar and book a discovery call at Synergy Integrative Health and Wellness.
Our nurse practitioner and registered dietitian nutritionist can customize your diet and make a habit of reaching for nutrient dense foods that help you feel amazing every single day. We can also help you find the right nutrient dense foods for weight loss and nutrient dense foods for pregnancy. Book in a consultation today!