5 Signs You're Not Getting Enough Calcium in Your Diet. (Post may contain affiliate links).
I've been getting a lot of questions about the importance of calcium in the diet. Thus, I decided to put together an informative article with a few important facts. I've provided references for further study as well. (You can find the links at the bottom of the article).
5 Signs you're not getting enough Calcium in your diet.
1. You get frequent fractures.
On the surface, this may seem obvious. However, the reason why low dietary calcium can lead to weak bones may not be so obvious. Let me explain.
When calcium in the diet is low, the first thing that will happen is that blood serum levels will drop. As a result, parathyroid hormone, which keeps serum calcium levels stable, will “borrow” calcium from bones. If insufficient calcium is being brought into the body through the diet or supplements, this will eventually result in calcium depletion in the bones. Thus, you will have weakened bones.
This is why having your Calcium blood level checked is not a reliable indicator of healthy calcium status. As long as calcium intake is low, the body will continue to pull calcium out of the bones to use it for other important body processes.
This is because Calcium is not just important for healthy bones and teeth. It is also important for:
Muscle Contraction
Normal functioning of many enzymes
Blood clotting
Normal Heart Rhythm
2. You have symptoms such as muscle spasms, numbness, bone and/or muscle aches.
These are very general symptoms and can mean many things besides calcium deficiency. Thus, it is important to see your doctor when you have symptoms such as these so that together you can determine the root of the problem.
3. When you have a broken bone, it takes too long to heal.
What constitutes too long and what is normal? Well, that depends…The amount of time a bone takes to heal after a fracture varies by
The type and severity of the fracture
The age and health of the person with the fracture
Where the fracture is located.
For example, an athletic high school student with a hairline fracture might only require 3 weeks for the fracture to heal. In contrast, an inactive 50 year old might require as long as 8 weeks for the same fracture to heal.
Your medical doctor will help to explain what is a “normal” healing time. If your fracture is taking much longer to heal, then it might be time for a bone density test to make sure your bone is healthy.
4. Your bone density test comes back low.
A Bone Density Test, also known as a “DEXA,” measures the density of your bone in order to determine if you have osteoporosis.
According to Mayo Clinic:
“A bone density test uses X-rays to measure how many grams of calcium and other bone minerals are packed into a segment of bone. The bones that are most commonly tested are in the spine, hip and sometimes the forearm.”
The thing about bone density is that it is best to get a test before you start getting a lot of fractures. However, if you get a lot of fractures, this is one of the most accurate measures of the status of calcium and the health of your bones.
5. You don't drink milk, or eat cheese, yogurt or other dairy products.
This is a common dietary concern because many people are lactose intolerant or have a milk protein allergy. Also, people are avoiding dairy more often these days because of other health concerns. For example, vegans do not eat any dairy products. If you do not consume dairy products, it is extremely important that you consume alternate sources of calcium.
Click here for free tables to help you determine your calcium needs and for lists of calcium rich foods, both diary and non-dairy.
What if it isn't Calcium that's the problem and it's something else?
For example, insufficient vitamin D, inactive lifestyle, cancer of the bone, brittle bone disease can all result in weakening of the bones. The medical term for brittle bone disease is Osteogenesis Imperfecta.
The most common cause of non-calcium related weakened bones is Vitamin D Deficiency.
Vitamin D deficiency
Vitamin D is absolutely necessary for your body to properly use Calcium. Many people in the world are deficient in this important vitamin. Part of the reason is fear of skin cancer. People are afraid to go into the sun without high protection suntan lotion. And that's understandable. However, when you put on that heavy 30 plus UV protection, you are filtering out important sun rays that help your body produce vitamin D naturally.
Another thing that puts a person at risk of vitamin D deficiency is if you live in a region above 45 degrees Latitude North or South of the equator, the sun isn't as strong. Thus, people living in these regions are more likely to have vitamin D insufficiency and even deficiency.
Many experts agree that 400 IU vitamin D daily isn't sufficient to keep vitamin D status in the normal range. This is why it is important to have your vitamin D serum level checked to make sure you are not deficient. If your doctor determines you are low, he or she will most likely prescribe a higher dose of vitamin D to get you within normal levels.
How to be sure you are getting enough Calcium in Your Diet.
Exercise to help your body better utilize the calcium in your diet
Can exercise help?
Yes! Weight bearing exercise in particular helps the body re-build bone. In fact, the way it works is similar to the way weight lifting strengthens muscle.
Examples of weight bearing exercise include:
Walking
Jogging
Hiking
Climbing stairs
Playing tennis
Dancing
Weight-lifting
Jumping rope
Step aerobics
Anything that requires you to be on your feet, “bearing your own weight” is considered weight bearing exercise.
No matter what, if you suspect that you or anyone in your family might have a calcium or vitamin D deficiency, seek your health professional immediately.
Vitamin D deficiency is an epidemic in the world today. This is because very few people understand how important it is. This is also because most people aren't getting enough through their diet or through sun exposure. There are at least 10 reasons why vitamin D is important to the overall health of you and your kids (Post contains affiliate links).
Vitamin D is important for bones and helps prevent rickets
Rickets is a disease of the bones that most people recognize as related to vitamin D deficiency. This disease causes bowed legs and soft bones. Prior to fortification of cow's milk, rickets was much more common. Since many people drink non-dairy milk substitutes, it should be a relief to know that most non-dairy milks today are also fortified with vitamin D. As a result of fortification, rickets is rare in developing countries, such as the US.
In addition to Rickets, Vitamin D is important for treating and preventing an enormous amount of other health issues. These diseases include, but are not limited to acne, autism, eczema, multiple sclerosis, various cancers, both Type I and II Diabetes, the flu (influenza), respiratory infections, and depression.
Vitamin D and Acne
Evidence abounds that vitamin D has a therapeutic effect on the severity of acne. For example, a study in 2016 showed that vitamin D treatment of 1000 IU/day significantly decreased the acne severity of the participants. Furthermore, when vitamin D levels were checked, nearly 50% of the participants (those with acne) were vitamin D deficient prior to the start of the study, compared to only 22% of the controls (those without acne).
Founder and Medical Director of the Vitamin D Council, Dr. John Cannell, wrote,
“When I was a teen, my acne almost disappeared in the summer. I thought it was the salty water I swam in-but not so. It improved in the summer regardless of any saltwater exposure.”
As a result of professional experience with patients with acne, Dr. Cannell at the Vitamin D Council website recommends the following:
“If you are a teenager or adult with acne, the Vitamin D Council recommends supplementing with 5,000 IU (125 mcg) to 10,000 IU (250 mcg)/day of vitamin D, depending on your weight (higher weight individuals may require more vitamin D). In 2 months, have your vitamin D levels tested. If your levels are below 60 ng/ml, increase your vitamin D intake by small increments until your vitamin D blood level is around 70 ng/ml. It may take about 2-3 months to begin to experience an improvement. However, maximum improvement may not occur for 5-6 months.”
Reduced Risk of Autism
Because of the increased incidence of autism in the past 20 years, much research is being done. Some of the research done is specifically to determine if there is a connection between low vitamin D levels and autism. This research has shown interesting results.
For example, several studies going back to 2008 have shown connections including:
Low maternal blood levels of vitamin D are associated with children developing autism by 8 years old.
Children diagnosed with autism tend to have lower blood levels of vitamin D
Therapeutic effects of vitamin D supplementation during pregnancy and after been shown to be effective for both mother and child.
Vitamin D reduces oxidative stress associated with autism.
For further research on vitamin D and autism, see the following articles and visit the Vitamin D Council Website.
Eczema, also known as, “atopic dermatitis,” is associated with low vitamin D levels. There are many studies showing a relationship between low vitamin D levels and eczema. Though not many of these studies have researched the role of vitamin D in the prevention of eczema, many have shown a role of vitamin in reducing the severity of symptoms.
Part of the reason for this is that vitamin D is important for a healthy immune system, and eczema is associated with impaired immunity.
The most common groups of people who develop eczema are infants and young children, though adults develop it as well. 10-25% of children and about 3% of adults develop eczema.
Much more has been written on the subject of vitamin D and eczema. For now, let me just say that there is overwhelming evidence that healthy vitamin D levels reduce the risk of eczema.
Multiple Sclerosis (MS)
When a person develops MS, the immune system attacks the nerves in the spinal cord and the brain. Studies have been unclear about the role of vitamin D in the development of MS. However, epidemiological studies have shown a connection.
Epidemiological studies are studies that compare 2 groups of people who are alike except for one factor. For example, people who have MS, are female, and are Caucasian, but who have a history of low versus high vitamin D status.
These types of studies show a relationship between low vitamin D levels and increased risk of developing MS. Other epidemiological studies have shown that persons with the highest exposure to sun are the least likely to develop MS. These studies show promise. However, by themselves, are not conclusive.
Various Cancers
Breast, endometrial, cervical, colorectal, esophageal, renal, and gastric cancer, and other cancers are all positively related to low vitamin D status. This means that the lower your vitamin D levels, the higher the likelihood you will develop some form of cancer in your lifetime. You can check the Vitamin D Society website for more discussion and references related to specific cancers.
Type 1 and 2 Diabetes (DM)
Type 1 diabetes is an immune disorder. When a person develops diabetes, the immune system attacks cells that are involved in the production of the hormone insulin. As a result of the immune system attacking, a person with type 1 diabetes eventually cannot make their own insulin. Thus, they must take insulin as medicine to digest carbohydrates properly.
There appears to be a connection between low vitamin D levels the first year of life and developing type 1 diabetes, but more research is needed.
The connection between vitamin D and diabetes type 2 appears to be related to insulin sensitivity. People who are type 2 diabetics have reduced insulin sensitivity. This means that when they eat a candy bar, insulin doesn't respond as well as it should, and their blood sugar stays higher for a longer period.
Type 2 diabetes develops slowly and is more common in adults over 40. (As opposed to type 1 diabetes which is usually seen in childhood). Some research is showing that adequate vitamin D levels may help to increase insulin sensitivity for people susceptible to developing type 2 diabetes. This means that people who have adequate vitamin D levels in childhood and early adulthood may have a lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes. More research is needed, however.
Influenza (Flu) (and other Infectious Illnesses)
Numerous studies show the benefits of vitamin D for preventing both colds and flu. The vitamin D council recommends 5,000 to 10,000 IU for adults every day, and 100 IU/kg/day for children to reduce the risk of the flu. Remember the amount of vitamin D considered safe is controversial. So, it is always a good idea to check with your own medical doctor before taking or giving your children therapeutic doses of vitamin D.
With the global pandemic of COVID-19 (Coronavirus) sweeping the world, it is particularly important to remember that Vitamin D strengthens the immune system and is the main reason it reduces risk of contagious diseases. So, if you are living in an area where you can't get direct sunlight, it is necessary for you to supplement with the active form of vitamin D (D3).
This is what my family uses. I take 6000 IU per day; my son gets 2000 IU every other day and my husband takes 2000 IU every day. This has NOT resulted in vitamin D toxicity despite years of taking these doses.
Note that with the doses we use, the drops last about 6 months.
Asthma
Eight people die from Asthma every day worldwide. Some studies have shown short term relief from severe asthma symptoms. Again, more research is needed.
Vitamin D and Depression
Results are mixed on this one. However, I have had personal experience with the amazing effects of consuming adequate amounts of vitamin D. Vitamin D improves mood. For example, when my son was in 1st grade, I spoke with a lady who worked at the public school where he was attending. She stated that at one time her husband was suicidal. They tried everything and nothing worked. Until they tested his vitamin D levels as a last resort. His levels were indeed low. So, his doctor prescribed vitamin D. His depression completely disappeared.
It wasn't until sometime later that I too was diagnosed with vitamin D deficiency. My doctor put me on a 2000 IU dose. I am not kidding you when I say that within 3 days, I could feel a difference. My levels weren't that low, but they were below 30 ng/ml. Like I said in my other post, this doctor wanted my levels above 50 ng/ml, so she put me on 6,000 IU/day during the sunnier times of year and recommended 10,000 IU a day during the winter months. I still take 6,000 IU/day, even with my new doctor, and my last test was slightly below 50 ng/ml.
There are quite a few other diseases that may be improved by sufficient vitamin D or by therapeutic vitamin D doses. Some of these diseases that I didn't discuss include Tuberculosis, COPD, Leukemia, Sepsis/Septicemia (infection of blood), and more.
The vitamin D Council is the best site I have found on the subject: Vitamin D Society
You can find tons of cross references to the research on their site, and the articles are written by medical doctors.
10 Healthy Dinner Ideas (including some tasty desserts and drinks). Post contains affiliate links.
I know how much fun new recipes are. No matter how many cookbooks, how many awesome cooking and food websites I become aware of, I still get excited when I find a new tasty recipe to try. This is especially true when the recipe is healthy and easy too!
As a result of my love for new recipes, and the fact that I know my readers feel the same way. I've decided to round up a few tasty ones for you today.
Below you will find 10 healthy dinner ideas that are perfect for the lengthening days as we dream of warmer weather (well most of us any way)! 😉 Let me know what you think, okay?
Mango-Honeydew Salsa
Caribbean Tacos
Whole Wheat Linguine with Chicken & Vegetables
High Protein Pasta With Vegetables
Pasta Delicioso – with Chicken or Without
Instant Pot or Slow Cooked Meatball Subs
Chicken Avocado & Lime Sandwiches
Healthy Fudgsicles
Homemade Hot Chocolate
Green Smoothie Even Your Kids will Love
Mango-Honeydew Salsa
I don't know if you've ever tasted Mango salsa. But it is surprisingly delicious! Salsa in general, especially if it's fresh, is technically a vegetable. This salsa is a vegetable mixed with a fruit!
Mangos are rich in vitamin C and so is Honeydew. The peppers are also rich in vitamin C, and other important vitamins and minerals, including potassium. Potassium is especially important because most people are not getting enough of this crucial mineral in their diet. Fruits and vegetables are some of the best sources of this important mineral.
So, if your family likes salsa, then this is a great way to sneak in some extra fruits and vegetables into their diets. Fresh, easy and yummy!
2 mangos
1/2 honeydew melon
4 T minced onion
1/3 cup chopped cilantro
1 jalapeno or other pepper, seeded and chopped
Juice of 2 limes
Salt and Honey to taste
Chop fruit into small pieces. Add all other ingredients and chill to allow flavors to blend. Great on fish, pizzas, and chicken.
Mix marinade and toss with cooked and shredded chicken. Take soft corn tortillas and fry a bit to soften or heat if you don't want them fried. Layer the chicken, shredded green cabbage, and mango salsa on tortilla. Delicious!!
Healthy Fudgesicles
You and your kids will not be able to lay off these healthful treats, which will be delicious anytime, especially in the summer. And don't forget that chocolate has a lot of health benefits.
Directions: Mix all ingredients in your blender, then pour into Popsicle molds and freeze for 4-5 hours.
Green Smoothie Even Your Picky Eaters Will Drink!
It’s super easy and fast to make. You can also play around with the fruits you use. And you can use just spinach, mixture of spinach and kale, or just kale. We just started using broccoli, which is surprisingly good. You can also add flax seeds, wheat germ, and any other extras you'd like!
This recipe is super simple. All you need is a blender and the following ingredients:
1-2 bananas
1/2 cup frozen peaches
1/2 cup frozen mango
Couple handfuls of spinach
water – add 1/4 cup at a time until is thin enough to blend; may also use juice or milk of your choice
1/2 cup Nonfat Greek Yogurt (optional)
Whole Wheat Linguine (or other pasta) with Veggies
The beauty of pasta dishes is you don't have to stick to just one type. Depending on your mood or your family's preference, you can use pretty much any shape pasta you want.
I do recommend using whole grain or legume pasta though. This is because white, enriched pasta is missing a lot of the original nutrients naturally available in the whole grain.
Also, try this trick for cooking pasta to serve without sauce:
Boil the pasta/linguine in 1/4 part water and 3/4 part chicken broth. This gives the pasta (especially whole wheat) a much more interesting flavor.
You an also use gluten-free legume pasta for this recipe. Not only is legume pasta rich in protein, but it is high in fiber, magnesium, B6, and iron as well.
Broccoli or other favorite green vegetable such as peas, zucchini, or spinach (or all of the above) 🙂
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 t salt or to taste
1/2 t freshly ground pepper or to taste (we use white pepper because our son doesn't like black pepper)
2 c halved cherry tomatoes
Zest from one lemon (this is what it's called when you grate the skin off of the lemon).
White pasta is usually in a 16 ounce package. However, whole wheat and legume generally come in smaller package sizes. So pay attention to how many servings you are actually getting.
Cook the pasta until al dente or as preferred. (We cook our whole grain pasta a bit longer because our son complains that it is grainy if we don't cook it long enough).
Drain…reserving 1 cup of the pasta water. Transfer the hot pasta to a large bowl and add the ricotta, tossing to combine.
Meanwhile, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet. Add the green beans, garlic, salt & pepper and sauté for 4 minutes.
Add the reserved pasta cooking liquid and cook until tender, about 4 more minutes.
Add the pasta & ricotta to the pan with the beans & toss to combine.
Add the tomatoes and gently toss. Top with the lemon zest. Serves 4
Pasta Delicioso
Ready for another delicious, easy, and flexible recipe your kids will love? Here it is:
This recipe has no exact measurements. You really can't mess it up, so just go with your gut. (Don't you love those kinds of recipes?)
Bring a pot of water to boil. Add chicken stock or chicken bouillon to the water. (This gives the pasta a yummy flavor)
Add your favorite pasta (I like whole wheat or legume spiral, tubes, thin spaghetti or angel hair, and bow tie pasta.
Boil according to directions on box.
Chop up all your favorite veggies and sauté in 2TBSP of olive oil.
I like squash, zucchini, tomatoes, red peppers, green peppers, mushrooms, garlic. Add balsamic glaze and continue to sauté.
Cut up chicken breasts into bite-sized pieces and cook in separate skillet. Add chopped onions (these are a must because they caramelize and give good flavor to EVERYTHING) and garlic. Add balsamic glaze.
Add the chicken mixture and pasta to the veggies and stir. Add parmesan cheese and stir. I also sprinkle parmesan cheese on top when serving.
Vegetarian Style Pasta Delicioso
Just skip the chicken and go with all the veggies!! (This is an ESPECIALLY good time to try to legume pasta because it will supplement the protein and iron that is missing when you don't eat meat).
1 tsp. Real vanilla extract (tastes WAY better than the Imitation stuff)!
Pinch salt
Directions:
In saucepan over medium heat melt water, honey & cocoa. Add vanilla, salt and milk. Heat to desired temperature then remove and serve! Enjoy!
HealthyInstant Pot Ideas – Slow Cooked Meatball Subs
You can use already prepared meatballs from the store for a super easy meal. However, I recommend making a big batch of meatballs and freezing them. That's what my husband does. In fact, he uses part pork and part turkey for his recipe (add recipe) but you can try the chicken/turkey only option if you don't eat pork.
In fact, we eat the meatballs in Swedish Meatball recipe as well as spaghetti and meatballs. I eat them by themselves sometimes! (I love meatballs)! =)
The really cool thing about making meatballs is that they freeze really well, and you can heat up 1 or 2 for a single lunch or enough for the whole family for dinner.
1 lb. frozen meatballs (preferably homemade), chicken, turkey, 10% lean ground chuck, or combination of these ground meats, will all work
1 (26 oz.) jar spaghetti sauce (My favorite is Barilla) – you can also add some fresh cut up vegetables such as bell pepper, onion, garlic, and mushrooms to spruce it up
1 package whole wheat hot dog buns (whole wheat is really important here because when you eat white buns, all of the original vitamins and minerals are stripped away including magnesium and vitamin B6).
8-12 slices provolone cheese (provolone cheese is not only delicious but it's lower in fat and calories than cheddar cheese).
To cook, pour frozen meatballs and spaghetti sauce in slow cooker.
Cook on low for 4-6 hours or high 2-4 hours.
Scoop a few meatballs into a bun (of your choice) and top with cheese. As shown in picture, you can use a small bun and just 1-2 meatballs to help control portion size.
Calorie watching? Here is an option: buy slider rolls and only use 1-2 meatballs per sandwich.
2 Tbsp. mayonnaise (may use light mayo or homemade mayo)
1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
Zest of 1 lime
Juice of 1 lime
Drizzle olive oil on chicken breasts, and season with salt, pepper and season salt. Grill chicken breasts.
Spread dressing on roll.
Put chicken on roll and add Swiss cheese.
Add avocado and tomato slices.
Easy peasy and yummy!
10 Facts About Vitamin B12 (Post may contain affiliate links).
Vitamin B12 was first “discovered” in the 1850s.
Thomas Addison, one of the earliest researchers of vitamin B12, discovered a lethal form of anemia he named pernicious anemia. Symptoms of this disease included:
Glossitis – (inflammation of the tongue)
Macrocytic – (too large) red blood cells
Numbness and abnormal gait.
There was no treatment and so patients afflicted would die.
In the 1920s, Georges Richard Minot, a practicing MD at Harvard, came up with the idea that something in food might help patients. Minot teamed up with two other MDs and they did research on dogs 🙁 to discover a treatment.
The research involved bleeding dogs and then feeding them various types of food until they determined that meats, especially raw liver, were the best treatment. Unfortunately, they did not discover what was in the raw liver and meat. They did however, earn a Nobel Prize in Medicine for their efforts in 1934.
It has taken well over 100 years to understand vitamin B12. And research continues to this day.
During the period 1934 and 1948, Intrinsic factor was discovered. This was seen as a substance in the body that was necessary for absorption of this mysterious food element, that became known as “Extrinsic Factor.”
Intrinsic factor in the stomach is necessary for absorption
Intrinsic factor is most effective when the acid level is higher. As a result, older people and persons taking antacids are at an increased risk for vitamin B12 deficiency.
Animal Products are the only Natural Way to obtain vitamin B12
To make matters worse, this B12 analog in Spirulina also interferes with the absorption of the real vitamin B12.
Thus Spirulina is NOT a source of real vitamin B12.
Non-animal products are often fortified. For example:
Soy, Rice, and Almond Milk
Breakfast Cereals
Vitamin B12 is one of the water soluble vitamins.
As a result, it is easily lost when cooked in water.
Deficiency can result in psychosis
as well as spinal cord demyelination, neuropathy, and death.
Vitamin B12 is more readily absorbed when the stomach is acidic. As a result, antacids lower the absorption, and chronic antacid use can result in deficiency, especially in older persons.
B12 and Folate (Folic Acid) work together to prevent Megaloblastic anemia. As a result, it can be hard for healthcare providers to determine whether the cause is folic acid deficiency or B12 deficiency. Thus, it is important that you don't take excessive amounts of either folic acid or vitamin B12.
This is a quick summary of why you need folate, also known as vitamin B9, in your diet. Folate is important for healthy fetal development. It is important in preventing heart disorders, sperm abnormalities, and birth defects. Folate also helps build muscles, and is needed for red blood cell production. Below are 5 reasons why you need folate. (This post may contain affiliate links).
1. You Need Folate for Healthy Fetal Development
Folate is important for healthy blood in adults as well as unborn babies. Thus, folate sufficiency reduces the risk of folate-deficiency anemia. Macrocytic anemia is another name for this type of anemia. “Macro” means big, “cytic” refers to cells. Thus, “macrocytic” literally means large red blood cells.
2. Red Blood Cell Production and Prevention of Anemia.
Anytime anemia is present, it means there is not enough oxygen being transported through the blood. This results in fatigue for the already born person. Anemia causes mental retardation, learning disabilities, and increased risk of infection and growth retardation. Thus, folate insufficiency during pregnancy increases the risk of birth defects in the unborn child.
3. Folate Prevents Birth Defects
Studies show that sufficient folate intake during pregnancy reduces birth defects by 50%.
4. Prevents Heart Disorders
Homocysteine is an amino acid that, when it is too high, leads to an increased risk of heart disease and stroke. Sufficient folate in the diet reduces harmful homocysteine levels in the blood. Thus, folate reduces the risk of heart disease and stroke by reducing homocysteine levels in the blood.
Folate has also been shown to reduce the thickening of the arterial wall. This is another way that folate reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD).
5. Folate Fights against Chromosome Abnormalities
Folate fights against chromosome (think “genetic”) abnormalities in sperm. This means that it is possible to reduce the risk of birth defects even before conception by assuring you are eating enough folate-rich foods. This applies to men as well as women.
Originally I only intended to write about 5 Reasons Why You Need Folate. However, I found another good reason. (And there are more, but this is just a quick summary).
6. Folate is important for Healthy Muscles
Muscles are made stronger and bigger with the help of folate, which is required for the conversion of arginine to nitric oxide (NO). So, if you or anyone you know, is trying to strengthen and grow your muscles, a folate-rich diet will help with this process.
Below is a delicious recipe that is rich in folate, vitamin B6, iron, vitamin a, vitamin c, and fiber.
What exactly is vitamin B6 and why is it important? And if it is so important, how do I know which foods are high in B6? If you have asked or are asking any of these questions, you have come to the right place! Here are 6 reasons you need vitamin B6. (Post may contain affiliate links).
Vitamin B6, also known as “pyridoxine,” is an essential nutrient. Pyridoxal phosphate is the name for the active form of vitamin B6.
Vitamin B6 acts as a “co-enzyme” in many reactions in the body.
In case you don't know what an enzyme is, it is a chemical in the body that gets things done. For example, lactase is the enzyme that breaks down lactose, the sugar in cow's milk. Other examples of enzymes are lipase, the enzyme that breaks down fat. (Lipids are the technical term for fats). And amylase, which is in your spit, breaks down starch. Most of the time, if the word ends with “ase,” and it's connected to the human body, it is an enzyme.
So, vitamin B6 is essential for enzymes, such as lactase, lipase, and amylase, to work properly.
Vitamin B6 is also important in the synthesis of neurotransmitters (think transmission of nerves). Low amounts of certain neurotransmitters, including serotonin and dopamine, are implicated in various mental health issues, including depression and ADHD.
B6 is necessary for hemoglobin synthesis. Hemoglobin is the molecule that carries oxygen through your blood. Low hemoglobin leads to anemia.
So, iron is not the only nutrient that is important for healthy red blood cells. Vitamin B6 is necessary as well.
Vitamin B6 is an important co-factor in the body's production of other important nutrients, such as the essential mineral selenium. A co-factor is a “helper” for proteins in the body, and is similar to a co-enzyme.
B6 is important for the conversion of tryptophan to niacin. Tryptophan is an essential amino acid found in turkey and other foods. Niacin is another important and essential B vitamin. (vitamin B3)
Vitamin B6 is important for glucose metabolism.
Gene expression requires sufficient vitamin B6 in order to work correctly. (Think sufficient B6, reduced mutations/problems in the gene).
This is 6 reasons why vitamin B6 is important.
Why is Vitamin B6 inadequacy so common today?
Vitamin B6 is low in the American diet. This is because of low intake of whole grains, fruits, and vegetables.
What Foods are High in Vitamin B6?
Vitamin B6 is found in whole grain breads and cereals as well as fruits, vegetables, and nuts.
Specific examples of foods high in vitamin B6 include:
Bananas, pistachios, chocolate, avocado, whole grain breads, whole grain pasta. (B6 is found in the highest amounts in the germ). Also, green leafy vegetables, milk, fortified cereals, red meat, eggs, and turmeric.
Click here to receive a FREE table on foods high in vitamin B6 as well as a table of foods high in Folate.
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2 mangos
Add the tomatoes and gently toss. Top with the lemon zest.
