10 Essential Nutrients The Body Needs To Improve Health

What essential refers to, is the body isn’t capable to producing any of the following nutrients on its own, so what’s needed is consuming them externally, which are a variety of vitamins and minerals. Nutrients from different foods gives us the necessary materials needed for stronger healthier bodies.

There are various types of nutrients that are needed, and what each of them plays is a specific purpose for maintaining better health.

What knowing each of the key essential nutrients that the body needs and the reasons why, is the first step towards improving and maintaining overall health, while preventing disease.

10. Protein


What protein does is helps the immune system function optimally, while contributing towards maintaining healthier skin and hair, while helping the body produce enzymes.

Protein is considered one of the key building blocks in the body, this because it’s needed for maintenance and repair.

Protein is important to support proper growth and development, this especially during childhood, adolescence, and while pregnant.

Some foods that are high in natural protein includes meats such as grass fed beef, chicken, lamb, and turkey, seafood such as cod, tuna, salmon, shrimp, halibut, scallops, and sardines, as well as asparagus, spinach, tofu, mustard greens, soybeans, cheese, eggs, mushrooms, summer squash, and garbanzo beans.

9. Calcium


What the essential mineral that is calcium does is plays a key role, when it comes to maintaining healthy teeth and bones. What it also does is promotes proper nerve and muscle functioning, while regulating pH levels in the blood.

What calcium does is helps the body convert food into energy more efficiently. Adequate calcium intake also controls weight, while lowering blood pressure.

The best sources of natural calcium-rich foods include, Greek yogurt, cheese, tofu, milk, black molasses, sardines, scallops, sesame seeds, spinach, collard greens, and turnip greens.

8.Omega-3 Fatty Acids


Omega-3 fatty acids is essential because of their ALA, DHA, and EPA content, which helps in building cells, while regulating the nervous system. It also strengthens the cardiovascular system, while helping the body absorb other nutrients better.

Omega-3 can prevent obesity, while improving the ability to respond to insulin.

Some of the best natural sources of omega-3 fatty acids, include flaxseeds, walnuts, red meat, seafood such as salmon, sardines, halibut, shrimp, and scallops, canola and olive oil, linseed, tofu, and soybeans.

7. Magnesium


What magnesium does is contributes to bone strength, increases energy, while boosting the immune system. It also regulates nerves, muscle, and heart functioning.

This is an essential mineral which plays a prominent role in keeping the heart beating smoothly. Foods that are high in fiber, are also usually high in magnesium.

Some excellent health foods that contain magnesium includes, almonds, bananas, broccoli, cashews, legumes, whole grains, squash, spinach, peanuts, soy milk, black beans, brown rice, oatmeal, pumpkin seeds, and sesame seeds.

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6. Iron


What essential iron does is helps make red blood cells. What it also does is pumps oxygen through the body, while supporting proper metabolism for muscles, along with other active organs.

What a lack of iron in the body can potentially lead to, is cause iron-deficiency anemia, which can result in fatigue and irritability.

Iron-rich foods include red meat, chicken liver, seafood, soybeans, fortified cereal, lentils, pumpkin seeds, spinach, nuts, brown rice, dried apricots, watercress, kale, thyme, asparagus, turmeric, tofu, black pepper, blackstrap molasses, basil, and turnips.

5. Vitamin B9 Folic Acid


Folic acid is an essential water-soluble vitamin. What it does is supports the production of red blood cells, which prevents anemia and homocysteine buildup in the blood.

It also helps the nerves to function properly, while preventing osteoporosis fractures and dementia, such as Alzheimer’s disease. The body isn’t able to produce folic acid, so it needs to be consumed daily.

Some excellent food sources include asparagus, beets, broccoli, romaine lettuce, spinach, turnip greens, parsley, mustard greens, collard greens, cauliflower, lentils, cabbage, egg yolks, and lettuce.

4. Dietary Fiber


What’s defined as fiber, is they’re complex carbohydrates that the body isn’t able to digest or absorb. What it does instead, is passes through the stomach, the small intestine and colon relatively intact.

What a high-fiber diet does is regulates routine bowel movement, lowers cholesterol, helps control blood sugar, and helps maintain weight.

Foods that have high fiber content includes barley, black beans, chickpeas, cinnamon, collard greens, cracked wheat, eggplant, flaxseed, millet, mustard greens, navy beans, oats, quinoa, raspberries, turnip greens, whole grain crackers, and wild rice.

3. Vitamin E


Vitamin E is a collective result of 8 essential fat-soluble compounds, which all provides distinctive antioxidant activities. What it does is protects the skin from ultraviolet light, while preventing cell damage from free radicals.

It also helps in the better communication between cells, while protecting against prostate and Alzheimer’s disease.

Some foods which are especially rich in vitamin E includes, almonds, asparagus, chard, spinach, turnip and mustard greens, cayenne pepper, wheat germ, sunflower seeds, bell peppers, and whole grain cereals.

2. Vitamin C


This is a water-soluble vitamin that’s an antioxidant, which helps protect the cells from free-radical damage, which in turn lowers the risk of major illness.

It also regenerates vitamin E while improving iron absorption. It’s capable of keeping the gums healthy, heals wounds quicker, while boosting the immune system.

Vitamin C is essential, as the body can’t store or produce it, so what’s needed is external consumption on a daily basis.

The best foods that are rich in vitamin C includes Brussels sprouts, broccoli, oranges, kiwi, strawberries, red peppers, cantaloupe, guava, grapefruit, lemon juice, cauliflower, and kale.

1. Vitamin A


This is an important essential vitamin, because of the role it plays in the body’s growth and development, including better vision, healthier teeth, stronger bones, and vibrant glowing skin.

What vitamin A also does is protects the body from a variety of infections, while regenerating cells and tissues. There are two forms of vitamin A, retinoids and carotenoids.

Some natural foods that are rich in vitamin A includes apricots, broccoli, carrots, cantaloupe, sweet potatoes, eggs, pumpkin, spinach, kale, watermelon, papaya, peaches, tomatoes, red peppers, dried beans, lentils, guava, milk, and fortified cereals.