Nutrient-Rich Food : Path to improved health

Nutrient-Rich Food

In today’s day and age, where immunity plays an important role in shielding us from novel viruses and diseases, the need to focus on diet and fitness is more important than ever. And a healthy diet must consist of nutrient-rich foods. However, nutrient-rich foods don’t just refer to iron-rich foods or calcium-rich foods. Nutrients refer to both macronutrients like proteins, carbohydrates, and fats, as well as micronutrients like vitamins and minerals. So, it is important to know why different nutrients are important, why a deficiency can hamper your wellbeing, and how you can include nutrient-rich foods in your daily diet.

What Does Nutrient-Rich Mean?

Nutrient-rich food is food that contains low levels of sodium, fat, and starch. Instead, it contains a lot of vitamins, minerals, complex carbohydrates, lean protein, and few calories. Also known as nutrient-dense foods, fruits and vegetables, whole grains, fat-free milk products, lean meats, eggs, seafood, and nuts are rich in nutrients. Increasing the consumption of nutrient-dense food ensures that the body absorbs the vitamins and minerals properly, reducing the risk of chronic diseases.

Protein

• Benefits - Builds and maintain muscle mass, aids in weight management, keeps you full for longer, lowers the risk of cardiovascular diseases, boosts immunity.
• Foods rich in lean protein - Greek yoghurt, beans, lentils, peas, skinless white meat, tofu, white-skinned fish, low-fat cottage cheese, egg whites.
• Deficiency symptoms - Slower metabolism, reduced muscle mass and body stability, slow-healing injuries, increased susceptibility to sickness.

Fats

• Benefits - It is important for proper functioning of organs, maintains physical and mental stability, and maintains proper hormonal function.
• Foods rich in Healthy Fat - Avocados, cheese, whole eggs, dark chocolate, nuts, chia seeds, fatty fish.
• Deficiency symptoms - Hair loss, dry rashes, weakened immune system.

Carbohydrates

• Benefits - Keeps you full for a long time, controls spikes in blood sugar levels, controls cholesterol levels, promotes bowel regularities.
• Foods rich in Carbohydrates - Fibre-rich fruits like apples and bananas, fibre-rich vegetables like broccoli, carrots, and green leafy vegetables, whole grains like quinoa, buckwheat, and whole-wheat pasta, beans.
• Deficiency symptoms - Heart disorders, fatigue, drop in blood sugar levels, headaches, weakness, nausea, bad breath, constipation.

Vitamins

1. Vitamin A

• Benefits - Boosts immunity, protects the body against infections and illnesses, necessary for proper bone growth, maintains a healthy reproductive system.
• Foods rich in Vitamin A - Carrots, eggs, milk, sweet potato, green leafy vegetables like spinach, kale, and broccoli.
• Deficiency symptoms - Night blindness or reduced vision in low light, dry skin, throat and chest infection, poor wound healing.

2. Vitamin B12

• Benefits - Maintains healthy nervous system, makes red blood cells, prevents tiredness and fatigue.
• B12 rich foods - Beef liver, breakfast cereals, meat and poultry, fish, milk products.
• Deficiency symptoms - Weakness and fatigue, heart palpitations, shortness of breath, appetite loss, constipation, diarrhoea, mental problems.

3. Vitamin C

• Benefits - Contains antioxidants, reduces the risk of chronic diseases, reduces blood pressure, lowers the risk of heart diseases.
• Vitamin C-rich foods - Citrus fruits like oranges, kiwis, limes, strawberries, potatoes, broccoli.
• Deficiency symptoms - Bumpy skin due to lack of collagen, easy bruising, dry and damaged skin, weak bones, bleeding gums, painful and swollen joints.

4. Vitamin D

• Benefits - Maintains healthy and strong bones.
• Vitamin D-rich foods - Oily fish like salmon, sardines, and mackerel, egg yolk, red meat, breakfast cereal.
• Deficiency symptoms - Weak bones, bone pain, bone deformity.

5. Vitamin E

• Benefits - Keeps the skin and eyes healthy, strengthens immunity.
• Foods rich in Vitamin E - Nuts and seeds, plant oils like soya, sunflower, olive, corn, and vegetable, wheatgerm which is found in cereals.
• Deficiency symptoms - Loss of muscle, ache in arms and legs, vision problems, increased risk of falling sick.

Minerals

1. Calcium

• Benefits - Maintains bone and teeth health, regulates heartbeat, regulates muscle contractions.
• Calcium-rich foods - Green leafy vegetables like broccoli, turnip leaves and kale, dairy products like milk, cheese and yoghurt, sardines and salmons, nuts and seeds, legumes and grains.
• Deficiency symptoms - Memory loss, muscle spasms and cramps, weak nails, easy breaking of bones.

2. Iron

• Benefits - Aids the production of red blood cells that carry oxygen to different parts of the body.
• Iron-rich foods - Liver, red meat, chickpeas, kidney beans, nuts, dried fruits, soybean.
• Deficiency symptoms - Fatigue and tiredness, heart palpitations, pale skin, shortness of breath.

3. Iodine

• Benefits - Important for the proper functioning of the thyroid gland, supports brain development, improves cognitive functions.
• Iodine-rich food - Seaweed, fish, dairy, eggs.
• Deficiency symptoms - Unexplained weight gain, shortness of breath, development issues in kids.

4. Magnesium

• Benefits - Regulates the risk of heart diseases, manages osteoporosis, regulates blood sugar levels, reduces the risk of type 2 diabetes.
• Food rich in magnesium - Pumpkin seeds, almonds and cashews, green vegetables like spinach and kale, dark chocolate.
• Deficiency symptoms - Migraines, muscular cramps, Fatigue and tiredness, irregular heartbeat.

How to Include Nutrient-Rich Foods in Your Diet?

It is easy to include nutrient-rich foods in your daily diet without wasting a lot of time on prep or spending a lot of money. And once you experience their benefits, your urge to have junk food will reduce significantly. Here are some simple recipes to try:

Recipe 1:

Coat sweet potato slices with coconut oil and put them in the air fryer (30 minutes at 400 degrees) or the oven (50 minutes at 425 degrees). Once cooked, you can top the slices with berries, peanut butter, and almonds.

Recipe 2:

Take a slice of multigrain bread, and add a chicken breast, 1 slice of cheese, and spinach. Season it with salt and pepper. Either grill the sandwich or have it as it is.

Recipe 3:

Take boiled chickpeas, tomatoes, onions, cucumber, lettuce, and capsicum in a bowl. Mix olive oil, lemon juice, crushed garlic, salt and pepper, and mixed herbs in a separate bowl, for the salad dressing. Toss it together to make a nutrient-rich and high-protein salad.

Recipe 4:

Combine boiled chickpeas, onions, capsicum, rolled oats, and a small potato. Mash it to make a paste and add coriander powder, jeera powder, salt, and pepper. Make tikkis out of this paste, and roast them on a pan with a little oil. Have them with coriander chutney.

Recipe 5:

Make a high fibre chilla by combining rolled oats, buckwheat flour, curd, green chilli, onions, carrots and lettuce. Season with salt. Blend the above ingredients and make chillas. Serve with coriander chutney.

Nutrient-Rich Foods and Weight Loss–The Connection

Paired with exercise, nutrition plays a key role in weight loss. Nowadays, it is not recommended to starve yourself to lose weight. Instead, you just need to eat the right items in the right proportions. Here are some nutrient-rich foods that contribute to healthy weight loss.

• Proteins like green peas, lentils, nuts, seeds, milk, legumes, and eggs keep you full for longer, reducing the overall calorie intake.
• Fibre also plays a crucial role in keeping you satiated for long. Additionally, fibrous foods regulate bowel movements. Fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, beans, and salad greens are rich in fibre.
• Carbohydrates help in weight loss too, contrary to popular belief. Carbs keep you full for longer, thereby discouraging snacking between meals. Oats, quinoa, brown rice and barley are some healthy carbs to include in your diet.

Conclusion

Nutrient-rich foods keep you healthy and prevent the occurrence of diseases like rickets, osteoporosis, anaemia, and general tiredness. Skipping even one of the nutrient types can lead to problems as every one of them has a unique role to play in your body. However, it is advisable to consult your doctor for more clarity and detailed guidance, especially if you suffer from any ailment or have special dietary needs.

Source: HealthLine, EatMightlyMeals, FamilyDoctor, NHS.UK, NDTV