10 minutes agoAuthor: Gaurav Tiwari
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According to a study published in the global health journal ‘The Lancet’, people in India are deficient in iron, calcium, folate and magnesium. Apart from this, there are many other essential nutrients which are lacking in their body. This deficiency is due to the lack of sufficient nutrients in their diet.
In this study, researchers from Harvard University of America have analyzed the global dietary database available about the population of 185 countries of the world for 10 years. It has come to light that about 70% i.e. more than five billion people in the world are not consuming enough iodine, vitamin E and calcium. Most of the people in the world have a deficiency of some essential nutrient in their body.
Today we’rehealth reportIn this article we will talk about the five nutrients which are found to be lacking the most in the people of India. Along with this we will know that-
- Why are these nutrients so important and critical for good health?
- What happens if there is a deficiency of these in the body?
- What should be eaten to fulfil this deficiency?
Let’s start with iron, the most important mineral for our body.
Iron
- Iron is so important for our body that it keeps advance storage for the next several months to several years.
- About 1000 milligrams of iron is stored in advance in the body of a healthy man. This is enough for use for the next 3 years.
- Similarly, about 300 milligrams of iron is stored in advance in the body of a healthy woman. This is sufficient for use for the next 6 months.
- Despite this, data from the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation says that around 2 billion people around the world suffer from anemia.
Now see in the 3 graphics below what role iron plays in our body. What kind of problems can be caused by its deficiency and what things should we include in our daily diet to fulfil this deficiency.
Now let’s talk about our body’s favorite mineral, calcium.
Calcium
- According to the National Institutes of Health, the most abundant mineral in the body is calcium.
- A healthy adult’s body contains about 1,200 grams of calcium. The amazing thing is that more than 99% of it is found in our bones.
- Calcium helps maintain better heart functioning by relaxing the muscles around the heart’s blood vessels. It also keeps blood pressure under control.
Now see in the 3 graphics below what calcium does for our body. What kind of problems can be caused by its deficiency and what should be eaten to overcome this deficiency.
Now let us talk about folate, a nutrient which is very important for the development of children before their birth.
Folate
- Folate is the natural form of vitamin B9. It is naturally found in food items. When we are unable to fulfill the required amount of folate from food items, then doctors recommend eating folic acid.
- Folate plays an important role during pregnancy. Not getting enough folate can increase the risk of neural tube defects in the baby. This means that these children may have a defect in the brain or spinal cord at birth.
- Due to this, the possibility of premature delivery can also increase. Due to this, children are not able to develop fully and they remain underweight.
Now see in the 3 graphics below what folate does for our body. What kind of problems can be caused by its deficiency and what should be eaten to overcome this deficiency.
Now let us know about Zinc, an essential nutrient for our taste, smell and immune system.
Zinc
- After iron, zinc is the second most important mineral for our body.
- Zinc is present within every one of the billions of cells in the body.
- Zinc is needed for the functioning of many important enzymes involved in the body’s metabolism, digestion, nerve function, etc.
- Zinc is also very important for the growth and functioning of cells in the immune system.
- It is very essential for our skin health, DNA synthesis and protein production.
- If we are able to taste and smell anything, it is possible only because of zinc.
- Due to zinc deficiency the immune system becomes weak. This increases the chances of infection.
Now see in the 3 graphics below what zinc does for our body. What kind of problems can occur due to its deficiency and what should be eaten to overcome this deficiency.
Now let’s talk about magnesium, which is called the master mineral.
Magnesium
- We have read about magnesium only in science books, but it is not an ordinary mineral. Due to its qualities, scientists call it a master mineral.
- It ranks fourth among the most abundant minerals found in the body.
- There are trillions of cells in the body and surprisingly, magnesium is present in all cells.
- No cell can function properly without the presence of magnesium.
- Nearly 600 essential cellular reactions in the body, including the creation of RNA and DNA, cannot be completed without magnesium.
- Despite being so important, about 60% of people in India are not able to meet the daily requirement of magnesium in their diet. When these figures came out in a report of Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College, the researchers were shocked.
Now see in the 3 graphics below what magnesium does for our body. What kind of problems can occur due to its deficiency and what should be eaten to overcome this deficiency.
