Weight Loss - Are You Starving Your Body of These Essential Nutrients?

When you are on a weight loss diet, you may be unknowingly, while cutting down on the calories be also cutting down on essential nutrients.

What Are These Nutrients?

- Calcium
- Fibre
- Magnesium
- Vitamin E
- Vitamin D

Calcium

Calcium is essential for the proper functioning of Muscles, Bones, Teeth, Hair and Nails etc. It could be called the beauty mineral.

Some Other Needs for Calcium.

It also helps to keep the heart beating normally. Plays a major part in the clotting of blood and can lower Blood Pressure. Another plus, Calcium can help with your Weight Loss Diet.

The Institute of Medicine says that the older we get the more we need Calcium.

- 19 - 50 years old need to take 1000 mgs per day
- 51 - upwards need to take 1200 mgs per day

Three servings of dairy food each day will go a long way in ensuring you get enough Calcium to keep your body in good condition.

Fibre

Fibre is needed to keep your Intestines in good working order. It will keep your Bowels regular and also help you maintain overall good health.

Fibre rich foods lower the risk of heart disease, Cancer and Type 2 Diabetes.

A bonus if you are on a Weight Loss Diet, Fibre is very filling and is found in foods with less Calories so that it is important for weight loss.

Men and Women need different amounts of Fibre each day:

- Men 19 - 50 years = 38 grams, 51 and older 30 grams
- Women 19 - 50 years = 25 grams, 51 and older 21 grams.

Magnesium

Magnesium is essential for many of your body's day to day running. To name a few:

- Bone strength
- Boosts the Immune System
- Normalises Muscle, Nerve and Heart function.

Your needs on a daily basis are:

- Men 19 - 30 years = 400 milligrams, 31 and older 420 milligrams
- Women 19 - 30 years = 310 milligrams, 31 and older = 320 milligrams.

Some Magnesium rich foods are:

- Whole Grains
- Pumpkin Seeds
- Beans - Black or White
- Soy as a Protein instead of meat.

Vitamin E

Vitamin E is found in fatty foods, such as nuts, seeds and oils.

If you are on a Weight Loss Diet you will be avoiding fatty foods mistakenly believing that you are helping yourself to lose weight. But Vitamin E is needed to fight pollutants that your body is being bombarded with every day. So Vitamin E is an Anti - Oxidant. Anti - Oxidants help the body fight the invading pollutants.

What Can You Eat To Ensure You Get Enough Vitamin E?

- Sunflower Seeds
- Almonds

Vitamin D

What Have These People Got In Common?

- People with dark skin
- People who avoid the sun
- Older adults

They all may have a deficiency of Vitamin D.

Vitamin D is known as the sunshine vitamin.

It is manufactured in the skin by being exposed to sunlight.

As you get older, your need for Vitamin D increases because even with sufficient sunlight, your body may not be able to manufacture enough Vitamin D.

Unfortunately, Vitamin D cannot be found in food, unless the food manufacturers have fortified their foods with it.

So to make sure you are receiving enough Vitamin D, taking Nutritional Supplements is recommended.

By all means if you are on a Weight Loss Diet, eat foods with fewer calories but do take care not to miss out on the essential nutrients that your body needs.

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