Our body needs minerals and vitamins to work properly. They help assimilate or produce certain vital substances. In the long run, a deficiency can lead to trouble, and illness. Therefore, it is important to ingest them through our food. Here is a list of the most important minerals and vitamins that will keep you healthy, and some interesting facts about them.
Minerals
Calcium
Calcium is indispensable for the bones, muscles, nervous system and blood clotting. Although everyone will think about milk when it comes to calcium, it is better assimilated when consumed from a vegetable source (green vegetables, nuts etc.).
Copper
Copper has a bunch of properties, including stimulation of the immune system, helping red cell and hormone production, protecting blood vessels, reducing inflammatory processes, and slowing down the aging process. The best sources of copper are seafood and dried vegetables.
Iron
Iron is one of the main metals present in the organism. Being in charge of oxygen metabolism, it determines your energy level. Make sure you have enough of it, as a lack of iron can also lead to muscular loss, lack of focus, and insomnia. Good sources of iron are red meat, beans (red beans, chickpeas, etc.), nuts and some dried fruits.
Magnesium
Magnesium helps regulate the nervous and digestive systems. It is famous as an antistress and laxative. You can find it in citrus, cereals, bananas and chocolate. The vitamins from the B-group foster its assimilation.
Selenium
Selenium is super important in reinforcing immunity. It slows cells aging, reduces anxiety, and increases sperm production. It also has anti-inflammatory properties. You can find Selenium in animal products mainly (meat, fish, seafood, eggs), but also in cereals or wheat germ.
Silicon
Silicon is essential for the skeleton construction. It also helps fight atherosclerosis, skin issues and aging. You can find Silicon in mushrooms and olives.
Zinc
Zinc takes part in over 200 chemical reactions in our organism. It acts on growth, skin, hair, sexuality, prostate, hormones,... Despite its importance, many people do not consume enough zinc. It is found in seafood, whole bread, nuts and egg yolk.
It is a good idea to regularly check your mineral levels, at your doctor or in a laboratory. If you lack some of them, it can be tempting to use supplements in the form of pills. That can help you in some cases but consult your doctor to make sure you do it well. Beware that some supplements are not compatible with each other… for example iron and copper slow down the assimilation of zinc. The best way is often to adapt your diet, as the mineral balance naturally present in food makes their assimilation possible. Mother nature knows what she’s doing!
Vitamins
Vitamin A
Vitamin A helps your vision and cicatrization. A lack of it can lead to repetitive infections, kidney stones, and a rough, dull skin. You can get it from butter, milk, egg yolk and fish oils.
Group B vitamins
Those vitamins are very useful in the metabolism of nutrients and substances circulating in the body. For instance, vitamin B1 transforms sugar into energy and stimulates brain functions. Vitamin B3 takes care of hormones and blood. Vitamin B6 promotes antibodies production, and vitamin B12 is necessary to red cell production and DNA synthesis. A lack of group B vitamins can induce tiredness, poor cicatrization, memory loss, headaches,... Those vitamins are found in eggs, fruits, vegetables, fish, poultry and cereals.
Vitamin C
This is the queen of vitamins! It stimulates immunity, reduces bad cholesterol, prevents some cancers, eliminates fatigue,... A lack of it can lead to muscular loss, stress, tiredness, infections,... Most fresh vegetables contain vitamin C, so a well balanced diet should do it.
Vitamin D
Vitamin D fosters calcium and phosphorus fixation, and improves the nervous system. The best way to get it is from sunlight. 10-15 min of daily exposure is enough, and preferably in the morning or late afternoon, to avoid getting burnt! Unless you live in a country with little sunlight, lack of vitamin D is pretty rare.
Vitamin E
Vitamin E is a powerful one. As an antioxidant, it slows down aging, protects the heart and diminishes fatigue. A lack of it can lead to sterility or premature aging… so make sure you get enough of it! We find it in a variety of fruits and veggies, it shouldn’t be hard to find a few that you like.
Dietary Fibers
Although not considered vitamins or minerals, it is important to mention the fibers, as they play a vital role in our body. They are complex structures that help regulate the gut. They are not digested by our organism, they pass through the intestine transporting the waste that has to be evacuated from the body. Therefore you can expect a poor transit if you have a low fiber intake… On top of that, they help improve the intestinal flora, which enhances digestion and nutrient assimilation. There are lots of fibers in beans, whole grains (including whole wheat bread and pasta, brown rice etc.), dried fruits, berries, broccoli, and many other fruits and veggies.
At the end, it's all a matter of consuming a wide variety of food. At Casa Marimba, we are using a selection of fresh and nutrient dense ingredients in order to provide you with all the vitamins and minerals that your body needs. And on top of that, our food is so delicious that it will be a pleasure to stay healthy! Check out our menu to decide what will be your next meal...