Nutrients missing from the average diet

Published: 08 September 2022

Author: Denise McNamara
~ 2 minutes read

Health, Beauty and Lifestyle with Denise McNamara

Nutritionists Ellie Busby and Dr Sarah Cooke recently collaborated with the barbeque advice site FoodFireFriends to find out what nutrients are missing the most from the average person’s diet. Top of that list is zinc. Nutritionist Ellie Busby said if your hair is thinning or dry, you might need more zinc.

“Most people do not get enough zinc, due to our food being over-processed, which strips the goodness out, and zinc suffers the most.

“Other signs of a zinc deficiency are soft nails, dry skin, and getting ill a lot. Foods that are rich in zinc to integrate in everyday diets are whole wheat bread and pasta, whole grains (quinoa, buckwheat, brown rice) and pumpkin seeds.”

A vitamin B6 deficiency could be your downfall if you have regular skin rashes, sore lips and tongue, mood changes and tiredness. Vitamin B6 is important to protect and strengthen the immune system and maintain an optimal amount of amino acids in the blood. A long-term deficiency in B6 can lead to skin inflammation, depression, confusion, convulsions and anaemia. Recent studies also suggest that a diet low in B6 increases the risk of heart disease.

Dr Sarah Cooke explains that optimal sources of vitamin B6 include avocado, floury potatoes, garbanzo beans, yellowfin tuna and nuts.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.

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For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune:

Connacht Tribune Digital Edition App

Download the Connacht Tribune Digital Edition App to access to Galway’s best-selling newspaper. Click HERE to download it for iPhone and iPad from Apple’s App Store, or HERE to get the Android Version from Google Play.

Or purchase the Digital Edition for PC, Mac or Laptop from Pagesuite HERE.

Get the Connacht Tribune Live app

The Connacht Tribune Live app is the home of everything that is happening in Galway City and county. It’s completely FREE and features all the latest news, sport and information on what’s on in your area. Click HERE to download it for iPhone and iPad from Apple’s App Store, or HERE to get the Android Version from Google Play.