Extra Easy Days Lack of Vitamins & Minerals

[kingleds]

I have been using My Fitness Pal to record my food intake, mainly to keep myself on track (If I fancy something naughty I will chekc it on their ,and that usually cures all desire for it)

I have noticed that according to the nutritional info for the day I am always below where I should be for some vitamins & minerals.

First one os Sodium (but not worried too much about that)
Potassium - am always at about 1/3rd of recommended daily intake
Vitamin A - at about 60% of recommended daily intake
Calcium - about 20% of intake
Iron - about 40% of intake

So, my question is - should I just take multi vitamins, or are there some foods I can eat that are free & superfree which can make sure I get these vitamins. I'm most concerned about the Calcium as I don't drink milk and so use my HEA for cheese. I don't really like yogurt too much either.

 

[dirtydancing]

hope this helps

Kale, turnip greens, collard greens and other dark green vegetables are all excellent sources of absorbable calcium. Kale has 200 mg per cooked cup, collard greens boasts 300 mg, and turnip greens contain a whopping 450 mg.

bananas contain pottasium as does having a glass of orange juice. also orange juice helps in the absorption of iron



vitamin A-rich foods:

• liver
• sweet potatos
• carrots
• mangoes
• spinach
• cantaloupe
• dried apricots
• milk
• egg yolks
• mozzarella cheese

 

[ermintrude]

Id be a bit wary as on MFP nutrients often aren't filled in on any particular item, it's very variable, often being just carbs, fat, protein and sometimes sodium. So unless you're typing everything in yourself diligently it may be saying youre under purely because these values havent been included on the entry for the food that youre eating so is recorded as zero.

 

[kingleds]

Id be a bit wary as on MFP nutrients often aren't filled in on any particular item, it's very variable, often being just carbs, fat, protein and sometimes sodium. So unless you're typing everything in yourself diligently it may be saying youre under purely because these values havent been included on the entry for the food that youre eating so is recorded as zero.

Ah. That actually makes sense tbh. I thought it was a bit strange that i was so under on my calcium when i was having my full HEA

 

[kingleds]

Interesting fact for you. There is more calcium in a 30g serving of catherdral city light than in a 30g serving of normal catherdral city. A hea of the lighter version is 50% of your rda, whilst normal is 28%.

Will be swapping i think.

 

[Shirleen]

I was a bit worried as my Iron intake was only 7% over a month! As I'm anaemic anyway it's a bit rubbish!
I'm prescribed iron and folic acid (Pregaday but I'm not). I take a vitamin B complex and calcium and Vitamin D, as well as chewable vitamin c which is gross!

 

[Silva]

Making sure your diet is rich in iron

Vitamin C helps your body to absorb more iron from your food - especially when you combine it with vegetable foods containing iron. Therefore, it is wise to include a food containing Vitamin C with your meals e.g.

* Fortified breakfast cereal with milk and an orange
* Sardine sandwich, followed by an orange

N.B.Drinking tea with your meal will reduce the amount of iron absorbed, so it is best to avoid it. Instead, have a Vitamin C-rich drink such as fruit juice, or fortified squashes. Also, if you are taking iron supplements it is important not to drink milk, or eat a milk-based product (e.g. milk puddings), for one hour before or after taking the tablets. This is because milk can interfere with the action of the the tablet. Iron is available from both the food groups shown below, but is more easily absorbed from animal foods.

Animal Foods Rich in Iron
Eggs - especially the yolk
Oily fish e.g. tuna, sardines, pilchards, cockles and mussels
Kidney, liver, heart
Lamb, game, beef
Black pudding, corned beef, faggots
Oxo, Bovril

Vegetable Foods Rich in Iron
Wholemeal bread and flour
Iron-fortified cereals - Bran, Branflakes, Weetabix
Beans and pulses e.g. lentils, chick peas, haricot, kidney, pinto, baked, butter, peas
Nuts - almonds, cashews, Brazils, walnuts
Dried fruit - apricots, figs, dates
Green vegetables - watercress, spinach
Rich fruit cake, gingerbread, ginger biscuits
Curry powder
Cocoa, chocolate, black treacle

 

[kingleds]

Does anyone know if berocca has syns? I'd prefer to take one a day instead of using syns on orange juice to get my vitamin c hit as orange juice is very synful.

 

[Shirleen]

A berocca tablet is only 5.2 cals each so syn free!

 

[kingleds]

Excellent! Will be having one of those a day then.
So, plan is to
Replace normal with light cheese to increase my calcium.
Replace part of the berries i was having for brekkie with a banana to increase my potassium.
Have ff yog with brekkie (had stopped doing this recently) to up calcium even more
Have veggies high in iron with main meal each night.

 

[Shirleen]

Cool! I made chicken pie which was in a mag from 2010
It was topped with mashed potato and watercress. So iron and vitamin c in one!
I'm going to try and add Kale to more meals I already eat liver and eggs so my iron intake I think is ok no matter what MFP says lol!