To lose weight, you need to eat right and balanced. We asked nutritionist Elena Morozova to tell us what micronutrients should be present in a healthy diet for those who want to lose weight.
Calcium
In the dietary ranking, he takes first place. Calcium activates some enzymes that are involved in fat burning. If this trace element in the diet is enough, the process of losing weight is fast.
Daily rate: 1000 mcg for men and women 25-50 years old, for people over 65 years old – 1500 mcg.
Where is contained: Dairy products (450mg cup low-fat yogurt, 300mg cup milk, 30g homemade cheese 155mg), most fresh vegetables and fruits (300mg cup fortified orange juice, 170mg cup rhubarb, 135mg cup spinach , half a cup of turnip – 100 mg, medium orange – 50 mg), nuts and seeds (30 g of sesame seeds – 280 mg, 30 g of almonds – 80 mg), tofu (in 90 g – 190 mg).
It is important to know:
- Calcium is well absorbed along with vitamin C. Drinking orange juice enriched with this trace element is a good habit.
- Foods rich in calcium should not be consumed together with foods rich in phosphorus (meat, poultry, corn, buckwheat, potatoes). This can shift the correct ratio of micronutrients towards higher phosphorus, which will reduce the absorption of calcium.
- Please note that prolonged stress and lack of physical activity significantly reduce the absorption of calcium. Reduces its absorption and sweet carbonated water containing phosphoric acid – 200 ml of this drink deprive the body of 100 mg of calcium!
Hardware
This trace element is part of the hemoglobin in the blood, which carries oxygen – without the latter, metabolic processes are basically impossible. About 23% of iron entering the body is spent on the formation of enzymes that are involved in metabolic processes. Moreover, foods rich in this trace element significantly reduce sugar cravings.
Daily rate: 0,2 mg per 1 kg of weight for adults and 0,3 mg for pregnant women.
Where is contained: offal (chicken liver 120 g – 10 mg, beef 120 g – 3,5 mg, dark chicken meat 120 g – 1,6 mg), seafood (half a cup of oysters – 8 mg, clams 120 g – 3 mg, shrimp 120 g – 2 mg), vegetables (one potato – 2,5 mg, half a cup of beans – 2 mg, sauerkraut 120 g – 1,7 mg).
It is important to know:
- A well-known fact is that iron is absorbed better and faster, which is contained in animal products (from 15 to 35% of the trace element). Even if cereals, fruits or vegetables contain more iron, only 2 to 20% of this amount is absorbed from them.
- Iron is better absorbed in the company of vitamin C. It is good if you add tomato sauce to the meat, serve a cabbage side dish to the chicken, and add fresh fruit to the porridge.
- Don’t neglect iron-fortified foods. This trace element is added mainly to cereals, juices and dairy products.
Iodine
The trace element is necessary for the synthesis of thyroid hormones, which stimulate many processes in the body. Lack of iodine can lead to hypothyroidism, which often causes problems with being overweight.
Daily rate: 170–210 mcg.
Where is contained: seafood (in 100 g of seaweed – from 5 to 300 mcg), river fish (in 100 g – 70 mcg).
It is important to know:
- The iodine content is most stable in river fish. By using this product, it is much easier to track whether you have enough trace element or not.
- The ideal iodine-enriched food to have on your table is iodized salt. Give preference to salt with the addition of iodate (a more stable compound) over iodide. Store such salt on a closed shelf, and salt food after its heat treatment (in the light and when heated, iodine compounds are destroyed and iodine evaporates).
Magnesium
He is loved by nutritionists and fitness enthusiasts alike. Magnesium takes an active part in the construction of muscle tissue – as you know, the more muscles, the more actively the body burns calories. It burns fat, participates in the absorption of glucose, activates the metabolism and generally controls the energy of the body.
Daily rate: 300–400 mg.
Where is contained: bran (in 100 g – 700 mg), nuts and seeds (100 g of cashews – 270 mg, in 100 g of pistachios – 200 mg), cereals (in 100 g of buckwheat – 250 mg, in 100 g of millet, oatmeal – 130 mg) , legumes (in 100 g of beans, peas – 100 mg).
It is important to know:
- Excess salt in the diet inhibits the absorption of magnesium. In your daily menu should be no more than 5 g of salt per day.
- Magnesium, like calcium, is more actively involved in metabolic processes with moderate physical activity. This element is very poorly absorbed in a state of complete rest.
About the Developer
Elena Morozova – nutritionist, general director of the Elena Morozova Weight Loss Clinic.