Taking care of yourself includes ensuring you eat the right combination of nutrients, including carbohydrates, proteins, and fats, but those are only the tip of the iceberg. You could have the right combination of these categories in your daily diet and still not get all the nutrients your body needs. That’s because different foods have their own nutritional profile, so the benefits you receive depend on the sources you use.
If you ever counted calories, you know how tedious a chore it can be, so you can imagine how difficult it would be to track every vitamin and mineral. The good news is you don’t necessarily have to keep track at that level because eating a wide variety of foods will likely yield what your body requires. That said, you should at least know the breakdown of what to feed your body for optimal health and that starts with macronutrients.
What Are Macronutrients?
Put simply, a macronutrient is an element that your body needs a lot of to stay healthy, which breaks down into proteins, carbohydrates, and fats. Good sources of protein include beans, nuts, seeds, and peas, while healthy fats in your diet can come from vegetable oil as well as oils found in other foods and nuts.
When most people think of carbohydrates, their first thoughts probably rest on bread, and while whole grains are a good way to get your carbs, fruit also adds this macronutrient to your diet.
But macros are only part of what you need, and if you only concentrate on the big picture, the smaller micronutrients might get lost in the shuffle. That’s especially true if you don’t eat a wide variety of macronutrients because you might neglect some micronutrients you need that aren’t inside what you feed your body on a daily basis. But what are the micronutrients we need to stay healthy?.
What Are Micronutrients?
Micronutrients are the vitamins and minerals your body needs to stave off disease and keep your body healthy. You have to remember that with the exception of Vitamin D, you must consume these micronutrients through the food you eat or the drinks you consume. So, if you eat the same things over and over, you probably won’t get all that you need to stay healthy.
Instead of tracking each vitamin and mineral to ensure you’re ingesting all that you need, concentrate on consuming a wide variety of foods in all the colors of the rainbow. By eating broadly, you’re more likely to get everything your body requires without having to break down the nutritional content of everything you eat and drink.
Some examples of micronutrients you need include iron, Vitamin A, iodine, Vitamin B6, Vitamin B12, Vitamin B17, folate, magnesium, and zinc.
If you suspect a deficiency in a micronutrient, check with your doctor because they can do a blood test to determine any areas your nutrition is falling short. For example, increasing a micronutrient like iron without knowing you need extra iron could end up doing more harm than good, so talk to your doctor for specific advice.
Variety Is the Spice of Health
Barring any specific advice from your physician, eating a diet rich in color and variety should give your body everything it needs to survive and thrive. Also, hitting all the major food groups set out by the CDC, which is full of fruits, vegetables, grains, dairy or dairy alternatives, proteins, and oils, will ensure you cover all the macronutrients and micronutrients necessary in your everyday life.
