A growing number of young women are suffering with nutrient deficiencies, which leave them feeling tired, run down and at risk of illness, data shows
YOUNG women are missing out on essential vitamins and minerals thanks to trendy new diet fads, new research suggests.
A growing number of young women are suffering with nutrient deficiencies, which leave them feeling tired, run down and at risk of illness, data shows.
Most Brits now lack vital minerals including potassium, magnesium and copper and women aged in their 20s and 30s are deficient in nutrients like iron, calcium and iodine.
According to the new research, published in the journal Frontiers in Nutrition, a quarter of women had iron and potassium intakes lower than the bare minimum recommended.
Other nutrients falling short of the mark in both women's and men's diets included magnesium, copper, selenium, iodine and calcium.
Around one in ten women ate far less magnesium, iodine and riboflavin as they should.
The report, based on data from 3,238 adults who took part in Public Health England’s National Diet and Nutrition Survey, found most women are falling short on seven out of eight key minerals.
Men are also falling short too, but not as badly.
The most notable problem for men is a rise in zinc deficiencies, a nutrient that plays a vital role in male reproductive health.
Researchers blame fad diets for the drop in nutrient levels, particularly ones that encourage people to cut out entire food groups.
The most obvious being vegetarian or vegan diets, but there are plenty of others that encourage people to go dairy-free, sugar-free, gluten-free and grain-free.
WHY THESE MINERALS ARE SO IMPORTANT
OUR body needs a certain amount of nutrients and minerals to function normally, so if we aren't getting those you will see some unpleasant side effects.
Iron: Iron helps our red blood cells form. It also helps our brain function and stops us feeling fatigued. It's found in foods like meat and eggs.
Potassium: This helps keep the muscles and nervous sysmtem functioning normally. It also regulates your blood pressure. make sure you're eating grains, meat, milk and legumes.
Magnesium: Another one that helps your muscles function properly. It also regulates your eletroyes to keep you well hydrated and promotes cells health, bone health and the nervous system. Fill your diet with green vegetables, milk and nuts like cashews.
Copper: This helps us use the energy from our food. It also transports iron in the body and boosts the colour of our hair and skin. It's also vital for your immune system. Try eating liver, nuts and beans.
Selenium: This will help keep your hair and nails healthy. It's also important for men's reproductive health, boosting sperm. It's most commonly found in seafood.
Zinc: Vital for fertility in both men and women. It also boosts your immune system, hair, skin and nails. Look at eating more nuts, poultry and red meat.
Calcium: Without enough calcium your bones become weka and brittle. It also helps nerve and muscle function. Eat more dairy and gree veg.
Iodine: Important for healthy hormone functioning, especially for the brain and nervous system. It's found in seafood and milk.
The general advice from the NHS and doctors is that unless you have a recognised medical condition that requires you to stop eating a certain food group, or you suffer with allergies, it's not healthy to cut entire food groups from your diet.
Dietitian Helen Bond told The Sun Online: "The common ones people cut out are starch and carbohydrates and also dairy and it;s dangerous for lots of reasons.
"Perhaps the most common one is starch and carbohydrates because people associate them with being fattening, but it's not that they're fattening and more about portion sizes.
"A tennis ball portion of rice or pasta is all that you need, the thing that you will miss in the diet if you cut this out are things like B vitamins, magnesium and fibre.
"With new guidelines that you need 30g of fibre everyday it's very difficulty to achieve if you remove all carbs from your diet."
Helen also warned against relying on expensive supplements to make up your nutrient levels.
"People cut things out and then spend more money on supplements to replace those nutrients, but it's always better to get it from food," she added.
Prof Louis Levy, head of nutrition science at Public Health England, said: "Some people may not be meeting vitamin and mineral requirements, however for most nutrients this will not necessarily have a negative impact on their health.
"Overall it is better to get our nutrients from a variety of foods within a balanced diet than from individual or multiple supplements."
WHY WE NEED TO EAT A BALANCED DIET
Eating a balanced diet is an essential part of maintaining a healthy weight, which is an important part of overall health.
The more unbalanced our diet is the more likely we are to be obese.
In the UK about one in four adults are considered obese as are about one in five kids.
Being obese comes with a range of health risks including:
- type 2 diabetes
- heart disease
- some types of cancer
- stroke
- high blood pressure
- liver and kidney disease
- high cholesterol
- asthma
The best way to treat obesity is a healthy, reduced-calorie diet with regular exercise.
Source: NHS
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