Typically, in the world of nutrition you will hear people talk a lot about macronutrients, which as we have discussed in previous posts are your proteins, carbohydrates and fats. Every once in a while, someone will mention micronutrients.
So, what are these micronutrients and why don’t we track them like we do macronutrients?
Micronutrients are the vitamins and minerals our bodies need to be healthy. They do not provide us with energy like macronutrients, but they help assist in all metabolic processes to help transfer energy, repair and build our bodies, immune systems, etc. Vitamins include but are not limited to, Vitamin A, B, C, D and so on. Examples of minerals are calcium, iron magnesium, potassium, etc.
These micronutrients sure do sound important, but why don’t we track them like we do macronutrients?
Micronutrients are important, but we don’t need as much of them as we do our macronutrients, which is why we do not track them like macronutrients. The best way to make sure you are getting your micronutrients is to make sure you are having a variety of lean meats, fruits, vegetables, dairy, whole grains and beans/legumes. When you look at your plate, is it colorful? Are you mixing up your meals? Don’t leave anyone out!
If you really want some micronutrient rich foods…
have some organ meats and mushrooms!