Nutrients that Make You Smile
Top 5 minerals that you need in your diet to make you smile each day.
1. Calcium
- The most abundant mineral in the body
- Plays an important role in maintaining strong bones and healthy blood vessels, and reducing the risk of Type 2 diabetes
- Low levels of calcium may play a role in PMS-related depression in particular
- Calcium deficiency affects more women than men, so women should take special care to meet the daily requirements
RDA: 1,000 mg per day for adults
Food Sources:
- Collard greens (frozen) (1 cup): 357 mg
- Yogurt (plain/low fat) (3/4 cup): 310 mg
- Milk (1 cup, 1%, low-fat): 305 mg
- Kale (1 cup): 179 mg
2. Chromium
- a trace mineral found in small amounts in the body
- helps the body metabolize food
- A lack of chromium hurts the body’s ability to regulate insulin (the hormone that regulates sugar) and may lead to diabetes-related complications like vision loss and high blood pressure
- Chromium plays an important role in increasing the brains’ level of serotonin, norepinephrine, and melatonin, which help the brain regulate emotion and mood
RDA: 25 mcg per day for women; 35 mcg per day for men
Food Sources:
- Broccoli (1/2 cup): 11 mcg
- Grape juice (1 cup): 8 mcg
- Whole-wheat English muffin (1 piece): 4 mcg
- Potatoes (1 cup): 3 mcg
- Turkey breast (1/3 cup): 2 mcg
3. Folate
- helps the body create new cells and supports serotonin regulation (serotonin helps communication between nerve cells)
- Folate deficiency can cause fatigue in addition to lowering levels of serotonin
RDA: 400 mcg per day for adults
Food Sources:
- Spinach (1/2 cup): 131 mcg
- Black eyed peas (1/2 cup): 105 mcg
- Asparagus (4 spears): 89 mcg
- Brussels sprouts (1/2 cup): 78 mcg
- Avocado (1/2 cup): 59 mcg
4. Iron
- Iron transports oxygen to supporting energy levels and aids in muscle strength
- Iron deficiency appears more frequently in women than men
- low levels of iron can cause fatigue
RDA: 18 mg per day for women; 8 mg per day for men
Food Sources:
- Fortified oatmeal (1/2 cup): 11 mg
- Lentils (1 cup): 6.6 mg
- Turkey (dark meat) (1/3 cup): 2.0 mg
5. Magnesium
- Magnesium plays over 300 roles in maintaining the body’s health
- Deficiency can cause irritability, fatigue, mental confusion, and predisposition to stress
RDA: 310 mg per day for women; 400 mg per day for men
Food Sources:
- Almonds (1/8 cup): 79 mg
- Spinach (1/2 cup): 78 mg
- Cashews (1/8 cup): 74 mg
- Peanuts (1/4 cup): 63 mg
- Edamame (1/2 cup): 50 mg