What about micronutrients? What are they and why are they important?

Micronutrients are nutrients that are needed in small (or “micro”) amounts in the body. They’re commonly referred to as vitamins and minerals.

Here are a few, big key takeaways about micronutrients:

Vitamins

• Vitamins are “essential,” which means that your body can’t make them fast enough to meet your daily needs.

• Vitamins are present in very small amounts in foods.

• It is important to get enough vitamins in your diet because they are needed for healthy body functions like growth and reproduction.

• Some vitamins you may have heard of are Vitamin A, C, D, E, K and the B Vitamins (1-6, 9 and 12). These vitamins all play specific roles in your body.

Minerals

• Most minerals are also “essential” and need to be consumed through diet.

• Minerals are also present in very small amounts in foods.

• Some minerals you may have heard of are calcium, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, iron, zinc, fluoride and many more!

Where Can I Get Micronutrients?

Fibrous foods rich with micronutrients include:

Nuts, grains, and seeds

• Dried pumpkin seeds (pepitas)

• Walnuts

• Almonds

• Flax seeds

• Quinoa

• Chia seeds

Legumes and beans

• White beans

• Kidney beans

• Black beans

• Chickpeas

• Lima beans

Whole grains

• Oats

• Brown rice

Dairy

• Whole milk

• Cheese

• Yogurt or kefir

Fruits and vegetables

• Okra

• Turnips

• Broccoli

• Bok choy

• Bananas

• Berries

• Artichokes

• Coconut

• Avocado

• Figs

• Brussels sprouts

With so many different micronutrients how in the world are you ever going to ensure you’re ingesting all of them?

It would take you all day to analyze the exact micronutrient content of your food and we don’t recommend doing that.

Here are tips to ensure you’re getting a well-rounded dose of all of your micronutrients:

1. Hit your fiber goal

We recommend clients to aim for 10-15g of fiber per 1000 cal a day. This is because fibrous foods contain a vast majority of your micronutrients. By eating fiber-rich foods you’re ensuring that you’re getting a big dose of your daily micros.

2. Swap packaged for produce

Processed, packaged foods have little to no micronutrient value whereas fresh produce has plenty! When you’re planning your meals try to make choosing fresh produce over packaged food an easy choice.

3. Replace grains

Cauliflower rice and zucchini noodles are not just a great way to fill your carbs, but they are also an easy way to get your micros in. Try swapping the base of your meals with vegetable alternatives.