5 critical nutrients Americans fall short on

If you eat a typical Western diet loaded with saturated fats, refined sugars and processed foods, chances are good you aren’t getting all the nutrients you need.

But what if you pop a multivitamin or have a bowl of cereal fortified with vitamins and minerals every day? Turns out, many of those supplements and breakfast cereals don’t have nearly enough of the daily nutrients you need.

In fact, research shows there are five specific nutrients most Americans aren’t getting enough of from their diet…

The 5 nutrients we need the most

A healthy body needs a variety of nutrients, including carbohydrates, fats, proteins, water and vitamins and minerals. Carlene Starck, a nutrition scientist and biochemist at the nutrition research and communications company FOODiQ Global, tells ScienceNews Americans’ diets often have tons of high-energy foods but are light on other essential nutrients.

“We know that what we eat affects the prevalence of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and cancer,” Starck says.

An Australian team led by Starck analyzed data from the U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) on people’s intake of 24 essential nutrients. It identified where the participants weren’t meeting recommendations. The analysis also took into account the health benefits of each nutrient based on scientific evidence.

Results narrowed the list to five priority nutrients Americans need to get more of: calcium, fiber, magnesium, and vitamins D and E. Optimal amounts of these nutrients are key for disease prevention. For instance:

• Calcium protects bone health and could help prevent osteoporosis.
• Fiber helps control blood sugar and can lower your risk of diabetes and heart disease.
• Magnesium improves bone health, regulates blood sugar, balances blood pressure, plays a role in heart rhythm and supports nerve and muscle function.
• Vitamin D supports bone health and can lower your risk of certain types of cancer and autoimmune diseases.
• Vitamin E has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties and bolsters your immune system.

No nutritional ‘magic bullet’

Because the nutrients span different food groups, no one food will give people everything they need, Starck says. “There’s no superfood; there’s no magic bullet,” she tells ScienceNews.

And that includes supplements, according to Sander Kersten, a nutrition scientist at Cornell University. For example, several studies of supplemental vitamins D and E haven’t shown clear benefits.

Instead of focusing on individual nutrient levels, both Kersten and Starck tell ScienceNews people should think more holistically.

“We need nutrients, but ultimately we eat foods,” Kersten says. The results of the study can point to foods that make our diets better, he adds.

Starck recommends thinking in terms of meals that pull a few key nutrients together at one time, like avocado and salmon on whole-grain toast. Avocado has plenty of vitamin E and fiber. At the same time, salmon is rich in vitamin D. The whole-grain toast contributes additional fiber, and all three ingredients add magnesium to the mix.

The diet that covers all the bases

One thing is clear from this research: supplements are no substitute for a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains and lean protein. One diet that covers all these bases is the Mediterranean diet, which has plenty of foods that contain one or more of the five nutrients mentioned above.

Servings vary by food group, but generally include:

• 2-3 servings of fruit and 4 or more servings of vegetables per day.
• 3 or more servings of legumes or beans per week.
• 4 servings of nuts or seeds per week (1/4 cup equals one serving). 
• Grains, including whole grains, should be consumed 3 times daily.
• Fish and seafood: 3 or more servings per week.
• Replace butter and refined oils with extra virgin olive oil. 

But, as good as the Mediterranean diet is, it’s not perfect…

One nutrient that’s a little tougher to get from the largely plant-based diet is calcium. Leafy greens like spinach contain calcium, but because your body has a hard time absorbing the calcium from greens, you would have to eat a bucketful to get your daily recommended dose.

The solution? Add some low-fat dairy, like plain yogurt mixed with fresh fruit, for breakfast or a snack. One serving of yogurt contains nearly double the calcium of spinach, and your body absorbs that calcium more easily.

If you need to supplement your calcium, stick to the RDA, and remember the importance of vitamin D3 to boost absorption and K2 to get it to your bones.

Sources:

These 5 nutrients might be lacking in your diet — ScienceNews

Identification of Priority Nutrients in the US: Targeting Malnutrition to Address Diet-Related Disease Across the Lifespan — Nutrients

Food Sources of Calcium — Dietary Guidelines for Americans

Calcium: Fact Sheet for Health Professionals — National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements