For our bodies to function optimally, they need a steady supply of at least 30 vitamins, minerals and ‘dietary components’. While it is theoretically possible to get most of these from food, experts say the typical South African diet is low in several very important nutrients.
Research shows that the following are three of the most commonly lacking vitamins and minerals.
Why Vitamin D is so important
Known as the sunshine vitamin, because direct sunlight triggers our bodies to produce it, vitamin D is essential for strong, healthy bones and teeth. Low levels often go hand in hand with calcium deficiency because our bodies struggle to absorb calcium if they don’t have enough vitamin D.
It’s also vital to our immune systems which need all the help they can get. We have an abundant supply of sunlight for most of the year in South Africa but still, studies show that a surprising number of South Africans are deficient in Vitamin D. Some dieticians believe this is because we’re spending more time indoors, consciously avoiding the sun (for fear of ageing and skin cancer), and applying sunscreen more than ever before.
But, it’s also true that people with darker skin are more prone to deficiency, and that a lack of Vitamin D can be tricky to correct through diet alone (food sources include oily fish, egg yolks, red meat and liver).
Signs you could be lacking vitamin D
Tiredness, frequent infections, bone and back pain.
Why iron is so important
Your body needs this essential mineral in order to produce haemoglobin, the substance in red blood cells that distributes oxygen from your lungs throughout your body. If you don’t get enough iron, your body doesn’t get enough oxygen, which leads to tiredness and impaired immunity (you get sick easily), among a long list of potential symptoms.
Iron deficiency, or anaemia, is one of the most common forms of malnutrition in the world, affecting 25 per cent of the global population. In South Africa, over 20 per cent of pre-school children and up to fifty per cent of pregnant women have dangerously low iron levels, which are associated with maternal mortality.
Organ meats such as liver are a rich source of heme iron, which is easily absorbed by the body. Your body will only absorb non-heme iron, found primarily in plant sources such as beans and lentils, if your Vitamin C levels are adequate – something vegetarians and vegans should thus bear in mind.
Signs you could be lacking vitamin D
Tiredness, weakness, headaches, dizziness, shortness of breath.
Why calcium is so important
Absolutely every cell in your body needs calcium to function properly. Because it’s what’s known as a signalling molecule – which means it transmits information between cells – your heart, muscles and nerves simply would not work without it.
Since it’s so very necessary, your body keeps stores of calcium in your bones. If you don’t get enough from your diet, these stores become depleted, leading to osteoporosis, a condition that causes soft and weak bones.
According to the National Osteoporosis Foundation of South Africa, the average daily intake of calcium in South Africa is between 400 and 500mg per day, which is only half of the recommended daily intake of 1000mg per day.
Food sources of calcium include dairy products, such as milk and yoghurt, and fish, such as sardines and pilchards.
Signs you could be lacking calcium
Confusion or memory loss, muscle spasms and cramps, numbness and tingling in the hands, feet and face.
If you suspect you might be deficient in these, or any other vitamins and minerals, speak to your doctor about the best way to get your levels up.
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