Nutrition Made Easy

We get our energy from carbohydrates, protein, and fat, but our body needs more than just energy to function and grow properly, it needs vitamins and minerals. These essential compounds boost our immunity, aid wound healing, strengthen our bones, support healthy eyesight, and can aid the absorption of energy from food, among other things. Many people go through life feeling sluggish, tired, and just a little flat, this is likely because they don’t get enough vitamins and minerals in their diet. There are a whole array of vitamins that we should include in our diet, so we want to make your life easy by explaining which foods contain these vitamins, and how you can include them in your diet. So we’ve highlighted 11 of these essential vitamins, and some of the foods that contain them.

Vitamin A: This group plays a crucial part in immunity, reproductive behaviours, and especially vision. The highest concentration of Vitamin A can be found in sweet potatoes, and you’ll be pleased to know that they are delicious and easy to incorporate in your diet. Try a baked sweet potato with some chilli con carne for lunch, or have some sweet potato wedges with your dinner in the evening.

Vitamin B6: an essential group of compounds, vitamin B6 helps the body to metabolize foods, help form haemoglobin (part of your red blood cells), stabilize blood sugar, and make antibodies that fight disease. The food richest in Vitamin B6 is chickpeas, which are a great thing to include in your diet. Try adding them to a salad, having them on toast, adding chickpea mash to your dinner as a replacement for mashed potato, or making them into some delicious hummus!

Vitamin C: this vital antioxidant is necessary for our bodies to carry out key functions, such as protein metabolism, healing wounds and the synthesis of neurotransmitters. Most of us would immediately think of citrus fruit or orange juice when it comes to Vitamin C, but contrary to popular belief red peppers contain more Vitamin C than any other food. To get two vitamin hits in one, try dipping red pepper sticks into hummus, or you could have red pepper and lentil soup for lunch. They also make a great addition to any evening meal, you could roast them, or include them in a healthy stir fry.

Calcium: this is the most abundant mineral in our bodies, and it is used for all sorts of things, like fortifying teeth, muscle function hormone secretion, and cell communication. Now I know what you’re thinking, drink milk, but there are a lot of other ways to include calcium in your diet. For example, you can actually get calcium from dark leafy greens like kale, which are incredibly good for us. They make a great accompaniment to salads and dinners, so there’s no excuse to miss out on your daily dose of calcium!

Vitamin D: Vitamin D is something our body generates on its own when our skin is exposed to the sun, and it helps bone and cell growth. The fact that we can get it from the sun is great if you live in a warm climate, but here in England it tends to be grey and overcast, so many people are deficient in Vitamin D. A great way to boost your intake of this important compound is by eating plenty of oily fish, like mackerel, salmon, and swordfish. Have oily fish for dinner 2/3 times a week and you’ll be set!

Vitamin E: for all my beauty queens out there Vitamin E is vital as it is incredible for your skin, nails, and hair, which is why there are so many beauty products that include Vitamin E. It protects our cells from harmful molecules called free radicals, and aids immunity and blood vessel function. To get more Vitamin E in your diet make almonds or sunflower seeds your new snack of choice. In addition, you could add them to your morning cereal for a good hit of Vitamin E.

Iron: Iron is essential, and is something a lot of women are deficient in, which can lead to lethargy and general tiredness. In our body it is used to transport oxygen, and grow cells. There a two types of Iron we can get from foods: heme iron (found in meat, fish and poultry) and nonheme iron (found in plant based foods). Eating things like red meat, lentils, beans, and dark leafy greens will give you a good source of iron. Add some beans or lentils to a lunch time salad with some kale or spinach, alternatively you could have some steak in the evening with some peas.

Vitamin K: this one is extremely important as it plays a vital role coagulation (blood clotting), and without it your body would not be able to stop bleeding when you cut yourself. It can be found in kale and spinach. These two powerhouse foods are rich in vitamins, so eating them every day is a great idea, and they don’t have to be boring. Why not try making your own pizza and dressing it with spinach, or making a healthy fruit smoothie with kale and kiwi? You can also add them to salads, dips, and sandwiches.

Magnesium: your body uses magnesium for a whole host of things, like muscle and nerve function, keeping a steady heartbeat, and maintaining strong bones. Wheat bran is an excellent source of magnesium, and makes for a tasty breakfast when added to cereal with some chopped banana. In addition, you can put it in muffin mix, for a healthy treat! Also, it can be found in cashews, spinach and almonds.

Omega-3 fatty acids: we all know these days that there are good fats, and bad fats, so try and include good fat in your diet in the form of oily fish. Fish like tuna, mackerel, and salmon are packed with omega-3 fatty acids, which are incredibly important for brain function. Have an oily fish two or three times a week for lunch or dinner, and they don’t have to be fresh either. Tinned tuna, sardines, or canned mackerel, are all excellent sources of healthy fat, so have them on toast for lunch, or on a baked potato for dinner!

Potassium: Bananas, bananas, and more bananas, I bet that’s what you’re thinking. But, there are actually better sources of potassium you can include in your diet, for example, potatoes and sweet potatoes. Potassium is vital for a healthy heart, and it helps the body to build muscle.

If you would like to learn more about diet and nutrition, and there is certainly a lot more to be learnt on the subject, click here to view out nutrition courses!