Micronutrient Deficiency Diet: 7 Types of Vitamins You Must Add To Your Diet To Fight Tiredness and Lack of Sleep

Are you suffering from Micronutrient Deficiency? Here is what may happen inside your body when you lack essential vitamins and minerals. Read on to know everything.

World Health Organization (WHO) defines 'Micronutrients' as nutrients required in very small amounts, <100 mg per day. These are vital to produce hormones, enzymes, and other substances that manage the growth and development of our body and our well-being. The absence or deficiency of these micronutrients can lead to a myriad of health issues. Deficiencies of vitamins are associated with fatigue, weakened immunity, impaired cognitive function, and even chronic diseases. Likewise, inadequate mineral intake can result in weakened bones, muscle cramps, and compromised bodily functions. A biodiverse, well-balanced diet is expected to be adequate in providing sufficient micronutrients.

In this article, Dr. Vilas Shirhatti, Technical Director and Nutrition Consultant, Naturell India Pvt. Ltd. (RiteBite's MAX Protein), tells us the importance of understanding mindful eating when trying to lose weight.

What Happens Inside Your Body When You Lack Essential Micronutrients?

Improving economic conditions, rapidly changing lifestyles, dietary habits, and increasing pollution, are causing a significant rise in micronutrient deficiency often referred to as 'Hidden Hunger' which is becoming a foremost public health concern in India. Unfortunately, many government initiatives like micronutrient supplementation, food fortification, mid-day meals, and other strategies have been only partially effective. The problem still exists in a large segment of the population and unfortunately is continuing to rise. A recent meta-analysis of the available data has shown that 61% of Indians are deficient in Vitamin D, 54% in Iron, 53% in Vitamin B12, 37% in folic acid, and 17% in Iodine.

Biodiverse grains, pulses, nuts, vegetables, and fruits provide a different spectrum of micronutrients. A balanced diet is key to obtaining these micronutrients in adequate amounts. Incorporating a diverse range of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, seeds, and lean proteins into our daily diet ensures a steady supply of micronutrients. Since different foods contain different spectrums of micronutrients it is very important to have maximum biodiversity in your daily diet. Processing and preserving foods for a long time leads to the destruction of micronutrients.

Thus, it is important to avoid highly processed and preserved foods. Your daily diet must consist of largely freshly prepared foods. The inclusion of uncooked nuts, vegetable salads, fruits, and germinated pulses provides a high density of micronutrients. There are several fortified foods and food ingredients available in the market like iodized salt, Vit A and D enriched milk, edible oils enriched with Vitamin A, wheat flour enriched with iron and folic acid, and many double-fortified staples, snacks, protein bars, breakfast cereals containing multivitamins and minerals. Do choose them as part of your daily diet.

As per the guidelines of "My Plate" by the National Institute of Nutrition of India half of your plate must be filled with fruits and vegetables. Ideally, your daily diet should include 5 platters of fruit and vegetables per day. This amounts to almost 500 gm of fruit and vegetable consumption per day. Providing health education to the population at large and making them aware of these deficiencies and their symptoms can go a long way in combating these deficiencies.

However, factors like poor dietary choices, increasing stress levels, lack of sleep, restricted diets, lack of availability, accessibility, and affordability of foods, and even environmental factors can sometimes make it challenging to attain these micronutrients solely through food. In such cases, your diet could be supplemented with various supplements available in the market. The market is flooded with a choice of supplements to address deficiencies of all vitamins and minerals individually and in combined forms like Calcium and Vitamin D, Iron and Folic acid, B complex, Zn and Vitamin C, etc. Dietary supplements should be taken under the professional guidance of medical experts.

Are You Suffering From Micronutrient Deficiency?

Micronutrient deficiency can be detected by medical doctors and proper diagnostic tests including blood tests. However, the absorption of vitamins and minerals by the body is optimum when they come from natural food. Regular medical checkups also reveal one's micronutrient deficiency status. Adequately addressing micronutrient deficiencies through changing diets and proper supplements is a vital step in ensuring preventive health. Special conditions like pregnancy where in requirements micronutrients go up significantly must be addressed appropriately to ensure the health of the mother and baby.