5 Must-Haves for a Healthy Diet

Feeling exhausted while climbing up the stairs even though you’re physically fit, or feeling drowsy after having your meals, can be a sign of lack of essential vitamins and minerals in your diet.

The main source of nutrients your body needs come from the diet that you consume. Keeping your food patterns balanced and rich in essential nutrients will help you sustain a good health. Find out about the 5 must haves for a healthy diet.

Energize your Body with Vitamin E

Vitamin E is a fat soluble compound packed with antioxidants. It is involved in immune functions and helps prevent chronic diseases. Vitamin E is one of the chief nutrients required for the proper function of many organs in the body such as preventing heart disease and protecting against cancer. It also helps improve the texture of your skin, hair and nails.

Major Sources: Vitamin E is found in many foods including cereals, meat, poultry, fruits, vegetables and vegetable oils. A bowl filled with cereal/ oat meal for breakfast will deliver you your vitamin E intake of the day.

Eat Iron Rich Foods

You might not think of iron as being a nutrient, but you may be surprised to learn that low iron is the most common nutritional deficiency. Iron is an essential mineral that carries oxygen from lungs to other parts of the body and iron deficiency may lead to anemia, cause fatigue and other health ailments such as brittleness of nails and skin problems.

Major Sources: Iron is found in Legumes, lentils, green leafy vegetables, beef, whole grains, bread, cereals and dry fruits too have good iron content. Iron, when consumed in balanced amount provides a number of benefits such as hemoglobin formation, regulation of body temperature, promote muscle function and brain function.

Zinc for Immune System

Zinc is a powerful antioxidant and is found in every body tissue. It helps prevent cancer and regulate metabolism. Zinc is vital for fertility, immune system, used to treat anorexia and also improves cardiovascular health. Zinc deficiency can make both men and women infertile.

Major Sources: The chief sources of zinc are red meat, poultry, sea food, dairy products and cereals. You can also have beans for a healthy zinc supply to your body.

Get Potassium from Fruits & Veggies

Potassium is one of the must-have nutrition crucial for your body and is vital for heart, kidneys, bones and other organs of the body to function properly. A diet low in potassium will lead to higher risks of arthritis, heart disease, high blood pressure and digestive disorders. Potassium deficiency is more common in people who are athletes, have physically demanding job, eating disorders and smoke.

Major Sources: You can get potassium naturally from fruits such as banana and avocados; almonds and peanuts, green leafy vegetables, potatoes and citrus fruits. Eating diet rich in fruits and vegetables is a good way to get enough potassium for your body. You can also eat dairy products, meat, fish and whole grains since they are best sources of potassium and a part of a healthy diet.

Improve your Muscle Function with Magnesium

Magnesium is another crucial mineral to stay healthy and has multiple health benefits. It aids absorption of calcium in the body, regulates protein synthesis, promotes muscles and nerve functions, controls blood glucose levels, prevents osteoporosis, constipation and insomnia.

Major Sources: You can get enough magnesium from green leafy vegetables, fish, whole grains and wheat germ. You can also munch on almonds since they are a rich source of magnesium.

Nutrients are essential to our body and deficiency of any of these may lead to serious health issues. So to obtain an optimal health, balanced and healthy diet is the key.