Role of vitamins and minerals in aging
No matter how young or old you may be, the importance and role of vitamins and minerals for your body never decrease. Getting the right amount of nutrients can be challenging as you grow older. With age, the number of calories your body needs begin to decline. It becomes unavoidably important for you to consume nutrition-packed calories in order to fulfill the vitamins and minerals requirement in your body.
Studies have found that our body becomes less efficient in absorbing the required nutrients as we grow older. With age, one might also experience a decline in the ability to taste the food, leading to a reduction in appetite.
Vitamins and minerals are called micronutrients. Read below to understand the benefits, role, and sources of micronutrients.
WHAT ARE THE HEALTH BENEFITS OF VITAMINS AND MINERALS?
An adequate amount of vitamins and minerals help lessen the risk of various health problems, including heart diseases, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, diabetes, etc.
Vitamins are essential organic compounds that help the body grow and function the way it should. Minerals also help in the normal functioning of the body. Read on to know more about the benefits of vitamins and minerals.
Vitamins and minerals are essential for the normal functioning of your body. Consuming the right amount of different vitamins and minerals is important as various micronutrients serve different body functions. Eating a diet rich in micronutrients may help you maintain optimal health and also helps in fighting diseases.
Various micronutrients can also function as antioxidants, which can help protect against cell damage. Certain call damages can lead to diseases like Alzheimer’s, heart health issues, cancer, etc.
WHAT ARE SOME OF THE KEY MICRONUTRIENTS FOR THE ELDERLY?
1. Vitamin D
Vitamin D helps the body to absorb calcium, maintain bone density, and prevent osteoporosis. Studies have found that vitamin D also helps the body to fight against chronic diseases like cancer, arthritis, type 1 diabetes, etc.
The natural way to fulfill the vitamin D requirement in the body is to get exposed to sunlight. In the elderly, the deficiency of vitamin D is linked to an increased risk of falling.
2. Vitamin B12
Vitamin B12 is essential to maintain healthy nerve function and for the generation of red blood cells and DNA. It is recommended to eat foods rich in vitamin B12, including fish, meat, milk, and milk products.
Researchers have found that getting enough B12 may be a challenge for the elderly as they cannot absorb it from food than younger people.
3. Calcium
Calcium plays a major role in the body. It helps in building bones and strengthening them. Surveys claim that as we age, calcium consumption in our body reduces.
Calcium deficiency can lead to an increased risk of brittle bones and fractures.
4. Potassium
Potassium helps in keeping the bones strong, reducing high blood pressure and risk of kidney stones. In order to fulfill the potassium requirement of the body, it is suggested to consume the intake of bananas, plums, and potatoes with their skin as they are rich in potassium. Consuming an adequate quantity of fruits and vegetables can help fulfill the potassium requirement.
5. Fiber
Fiber is good for digestion and helps by taking food down through the digestive tract. Foods rich in fiber help protect against heart diseases. Fiber-rich foods include whole grains, beans, fruits, and vegetables.
Consume more pumpkin seeds, blueberries, nuts, fruits, and vegetables rich in fiber and never get fiber deficiency.
To keep the body healthy, it is important to consume a nutrient-rich diet. Our body needs micronutrients in specific amounts to complete certain body functions normally.
Taking in too much or too few vitamins and minerals can be harmful to your health. Therefore, it is important to understand the roles and importance of various micronutrients in order to stay healthy. The most effective way to consume adequate vitamins and minerals is to have a diet rich in vitamins, water, calcium, potassium, iodine, fluoride, zinc, copper, iron, manganese, and selenium. The functions and importance of each vitamin and mineral vary.
