10 Essential Nutrients You May Be Missing

Why Nutrients?

Whatever your mother told you to get you to drink your milk, eat your carrots and finish those lima beans, her motives had merit. Wholesome foods like these provide the nourishment your body needs for growth, development and all-around good health, from infancy through the golden years. But if you eat like most Americans, you’re not getting enough calcium, vitamin D, fiber or potassium in your diet. And people with food restrictions or special health needs may be missing out on other vitamins, minerals and nutrients vital to good health. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), dietary deficiencies like these are linked to risk of cardiovascular disease, stroke, cancer and other conditions.

Make sure you’re giving your body what it needs to stay well. Here, we cover 10 nutrients your diet might be missing, how much you need and where to find them.

Elizabeth Carey is a Denver, Colorado-based writer and editor. She fuses a passion for journalism with health, fitness and outdoor activity.

Reviewed by Elaine Brown, MD on January 14, 2014