Supplements are essential as we take them for our overall health. Since we can’t produce supplements naturally, we make it in pill form or eat whole, nutritious food. When we don’t take our supplements, our bodies will not function properly, and we can have a severe health risk. In the last article, we took a look at what vitamins does to our micronutrients in our bodies to perform functional and healthy. Today we will discuss what some supplement that will help our micronutrients in our bodies.

The Supplements

Since supplements can come in many types of foods and can be found as pills in whole food stores in the vitamin section.  Here are some of the leading supplements to ensure that your body’s micronutrients are getting the essentials to promote a long healthy life.

Vitamin K1 and K2

Vitamin K is known for its role in blood clotting. With vitamin K1 and K2, they can provide the health benefits that will help you from getting a blood clot. Vitamin K was accidentally discovered in the 1920s and 1930s after researchers found that animals having a restricted diet leads to excessive bleeding.

Vitamin K1 (phylloquinone) is found in plants foods like leafy green vegetables. With K2, it is found in fermented foods and animal products. Vitamin K2 (menaquinones) can be produced by gut bacteria and help promote a healthy gut. These two vitamins are fat-soluble that share the same chemical structure and have different effects on your health.

Vitamin K1 can be absorbed quickly than vitamin K2 and can stay in the bloodstream for hours. Vitamin K1 is transported primarily to and used by the liver. Even though vitamin K1 is mostly found in plant foods, here are some of the food sources that are caulked filled with this vitamin and amazing when cooked.

• Kale
• Collard greens
• Spinach
• Turnip greens
• Broccoli
• Brussel sprouts

Vitamin K2 is mostly found in animal products that contain fat. Even though it provides fatty compounds, vitamin K2’s long side-chain allows it to circulate the blood longer than K1 can remain in the blood for days.  Here are some fermented food sources and animal products that vitamin K2 as MK-10 and MK-11.

• Natto
• Pork sausage
• Hard cheeses
• Porkchop (with the bone)
• Chicken (leg/thigh)
• Soft cheeses
• Egg yolk

Calcium

Calcium is one of the most essential supplements that is for all living organisms. It is found naturally in many foods and added to certain products like supplements. Calcium promotes bone health, and without it, bone density can happen when we don’t take in the supplement. It also helps regulate muscle contractions, including the beating of the heart muscle. When that happens, calcium helps the proteins in the muscle to carry out the work of the contraction. Here are some of the foods and drinks that are richly filled with calcium.

• Milk
• Cheese
• Yogurt
• Seaweed
• Beans
• Figs
• Tofu

Manganese

Manganese is an essential supplement for your brain and nervous system as well as many of your body’s enzyme system. Our body stores up to 20 mg of manganese in our kidneys, liver, pancreas, and bones. In a 2011 study, manganese helps form an antioxidant enzyme called SOD (superoxide dismutase). It helps break down one of the most dangerous free radicals called superoxide; into smaller components that are not harmful. Researchers also suggested that SOD is beneficial as a therapeutic agent for inflammatory diseases. Small amounts of manganese are present in these food sources.

• Raw pineapple and pineapple juice
• Pinto beans
• Spinach
• Black and green teas
• Sweet potato
• Almonds
• Instant oatmeal

Copper

Copper is an essential trace supplement that is necessary for survival. It is found in all the body tissues and plays a vital role in making red blood cells, maintaining nerve cells and the immune system. When you have sufficient copper in your diet, it may help prevent cardiovascular diseases and osteoporosis. Copper deficiency is a rare case, but low levels of copper can lead to anemia, loss of skin pigmentation, thyroid problems, and the rare disease Menkes disease. Since copper is found in a wide variety of foods, here are some excellent food sources that contain it.

• Oysters and other shellfish
• Whole grains
• Cocoa
• Black pepper
• Organ meats (liver and kidneys)
• Potatoes
• Dried fruit

Chromium

Also known as chromium picolinate, this supplement does serve several vital functions in the body. Chromium can improve your body’s blood sugar by impacting on the hormone insulin. Several studies indicate that people with diabetes take the chromium supplement to improve their blood sugar. While another study researched that people who are overweight or obese, taking the chromium supplement can lose weight.

Iron

Iron is one of the essential supplements that are vital to the human body. It helps hemoglobin function properly by transporting oxygen in the blood. Iron also plays a huge role as it functions in a variety of other vital processes in the body. With iron’s health benefits, the supplement can promote a healthy pregnancy, regulate body temperature, preserve universal energy and focus, help the gastrointestinal process, and support the immune system.

When we don’t get enough iron in our system, we do suffer from anemia, which causes fatigue, heart palpitations, pale skin, and breathless. So it is crucial that when we eat iron-rich foods so that way, we won’t have that deficiency. There are two types of dietary iron that we consumed, and they are known as heme and non-heme. These two forms are both animal source food and plant food, and here are what the food sources contain.

• Canned clams
• Cooked Pacific oysters
• Beef liver
• Lean ground beef
• Cooked spinach
• Dark chocolate
• Firm tofu
• Medium baked potato

Magnesium

Magnesium is an essential mineral that is found in the earth, sea, plants, animals, and humans. In our body, there is about 60% of magnesium in our bones. While the rest is in the muscles, soft tissues, and fluids, including blood. Magnesium helps to prevent problems with our bones, the cardiovascular system, diabetes and fights depression.

The recommended intake amount to take magnesium is 300-420mg per day for men and 310-320mg per day for women. We can get it from both food sources and supplements, here are some of the food sources that contain magnesium.

• Dark chocolate (70-85% cocoa)
• Cashews
• Quinoa, cooked
• Avocado
• Spinach, boiled
• Mackeral

Selenium

Selenium is an essential supplement that can help contribute thyroid hormone metabolism, process a healthy immune system, and protect against oxidative damage and infections in the body. Selenium deficiency is rare, but the supplement can be found in whole grains and animal products than fresh fruits and vegetables. Here are some of the food sources that contain selenium.

• Brazil nuts
• Tuna
• Brown rice
• White bread
• Egg
• Halibut

Omegas

The Omega supplements are very well known, especially Omega-3; which can help us with our brain, eyes, and immune health. Without the supplement, it can lead to reduced energy, loss of attention and concentration, dry, irritated skin problems, and many more symptoms. It is mostly found in fish and seafood as well as some vegetables and seed oils. Here are some of the omega supplements to help promote a healthy body.

• DHA (docosahexaenoic acid): This omega supplement helps with muscle growth.
• DPA (docosapentaenoic acid): This omega supplement is the most influential on reducing inflammation and helping people who are profiled for cardiac risk.
• EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid): This omega supplement is vital to boost the brain and moods.
• LA (linoleic acid): This omega supplement can’t be synthesized in the body, but does help fight cancer. It is needed to help out with omega 3 and is primarily found in beef.

Conclusion

Granted that these are only some of the supplements here that can help your body function properly. There are many supplements and vitamins out there in the world that are in both pill and food form to help our bodies grow and overall makes us healthier. These supplements and vitamins help us by making sure that our bodies don’t get sick and suffer from chronic diseases that we may encounter. So go out there and enjoy some whole, nutritious food that oozing with beneficial vitamins and supplements.

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