Micronutrients consist of minerals and vitamins and are required in minimal amounts in the anatomy to support physiological processes. These nourishments can enhance the metabolism of the anatomy as well as growth. They also promote the physical well-being of people.
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Vitamins
These are organic nourishments, and the anatomy cannot produce most of them. As such, you have to consume nutriments rich in nutrients for you to get their benefits. Where you do not eat enough nutriments rich in nutrients, you get a deficiency which results in various conditions such as night blindness.
The good thing is that you require these nourishments in minimal quantities and eating the right nutriments will get you there. They are significant in ensuring that you do not become malnourished and they contribute significantly to your health.
We have thirteen nutrients that are necessary for our standard anatomy functions, and these include A, B1, B2, B6, B12, C, D, E, K, beta-carotene, biotin, folic acid, niacin and pantothenic acid. There are additives available for nutrients and if you choose to go down that route, be sure to consult your doctor first.
Minerals
These nourishments, on the other hand, are inorganic. They play crucial roles in ensuring that the anatomy functions properly and they comprise of elements such as copper, iron, iodine, zinc, and selenium. Also in the list are calcium, potassium, magnesium, and sodium. Like is the case with nutrients, you can find some small quantities of minerals available in the anatomy, but since they are not adequate for your anatomy requires, you require to consume nutriments rich in these nourishments.
You should note that no food will give you all the micronutrients that you require and because of this, it is necessary to follow a balanced diet which will provide you with what you require.
Main Groups
Vitamin A
You will come across this vitamin in various nutriments such as eggs and carrots, and it is necessary for ensuring the health of your eyes. People who lack this nutrient are at a risk of suffering from night blindness or some other form of eyesight loss. The vitamin also plays a vital role in the reproduction system as well as the making of white blood cells.
A survey conducted showed that about five million children under the age of five suffer from xerophthalmia which is an eyesight problem triggered by the lack of this vitamin. It is vital that you consume this vitamin in adequate amounts.
Folate/ folic acid
Folate is the term used to refer to nutrients in the B group, and it includes folic acid as well as any other natural folates. Folic acid is a synthetic folate that gets used in additives as well as nutriments that contain nutrients because it has a stable nature that other B nutrients do not. You can find these nourishments in nutriments such as oranges, eggs, leafy vegetables and beans amongst others.
These nourishments are significant in the making of amino acids as well as the creation of proteins. The production of nucleic acid and the making of blood cells also rely on these nutrients.
Pregnant women are advised to take nutriments rich in such nourishments to prevent birth problems such as premature deliveries, low birth weight and malformation of vital anatomy parts of the baby.
Iodine
At least two billion people in the world suffer from some form of iodine deficiency. Iodine is a nutrient that occurs in water and soil, and its concentration varies. You can get this nutrient from seaweed and fish, but some countries have iodized salt as their primary source of this nutrient.
This nutrient is significant in brain development in fetuses and the making of hormones. Lack of the nutrient causes diseases such as goiter and poor cognitive development. It is crucial that pregnant women consume adequate amounts of this nutrient.
Iron
Iron carries oxygen from the lungs to all the anatomy tissues, and it carries out this role in the form of hemoglobin. It also takes part in reactions involving enzymes. The lack of this nutrient causes problems such as anemia where the anatomy lacks adequate red blood cells to carry oxygen which can lead to death. You can find this nutrient in leafy vegetables, red meat, and lentils amongst others.
Zinc
There are many sources of zinc which include but are not limited to eggs and seafood. Lack of zinc leads to problems such as anemia, poor healing of wounds and increased severity of diseases such as pneumonia. It is necessary for the enhancement of the resistance to infections and is significant in the growth of children.