Are You Missing Out on Key Nutrients?

Continued from our Retreat & Renew Daily Tip.

Discovering the Foods to Boost You (and your nutritional health) Up!

Missing out? According to the 2010 Dietary Guidelines we’re falling short on four essential nutrients in our diets: calcium, potassium, vitamin D and fiber. Here are the foods to increase in order to boost your nutritional health!

Calcium: look for low fat or non fat milk, dark leafy greens like kale, collard and mustard greens, almonds and enriched foods like whole grain breakfast cereals or soy / rice drinks.

Potassium: find it in potatoes, bananas, broccoli, tomatoes, cantaloupe and milk. Also in many fruits and vegetables.

Vitamin D: 7 out of 10 aren’t getting enough. Milk makes the greatest contribution to the American diet, though sardines and salmon have more of the vitamin per serving. Egg yolks and fortified cereals and drinks are other sources.

Fiber: whole grains including oats, brown rice, quinoa, whole grain breads and crackers. Ground flaxseed is another nice source and look to increasing fruits and veggies—always a boost to fiber and other essential nutrients.

Think of combinations where you can increase these nutrients in tasty ways morning to night such as starting with whole grain cereal, sliced banana and lowfat milk for breakfast and working toward a dinner of wild salmon, baked potato and broccoli.

Wendy Bazilian is a doctor of public health, registered dietitian and freelance writer in San Diego. She is also the Nutrition Advisor at the renowned Golden Door and Co-owner of Bazilian’s Health Clinic with her husband and business partner, Dr. Jason Bazilian. Dr. Wendy is author of The SuperFoodsRx Diet (Rodale).