Whether you are thinking about trying to improve your own diet, or you are keen to make sure that you are feeding your children as healthily as possible, you have to know about the most important nutrients and minerals of all. These components are those without which you can’t really expect to have the healthiest body and mind, and which you therefore can’t overlook. But what are they? There are plenty, but in this article we are going to pay particular attention to just four of the most important. Get these into your family’s diets, and everyone is going to be a lot healthier.

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Fiber

Fiber is vital in aiding digestion, ensuring the stool is healthy and keeping food from being used up in the body inappropriately. If you don’t get enough fiber, it can lead to a lot of nasty symptoms, including all of those associated with Irritable Bowel Syndrome: itchiness, pain, constipation, diarrhea, and so on. The best way to get lots of fiber is through the use of legumes, pulses, grains and beans. If your kids start to balk at the idea of eating a lot of these, think of some ways you can make it a little more fun - using black beans as a pork taco filling, for instance.

Protein

You probably know protein as the substance which helps to create muscle. Bodybuilders have to eat a lot of it, and because of this it has this association. However, we all need protein, even if you are not looking to get jacked. Without enough protein in your diet, your hair will be unhealthy and could start to grey, your skin will dry out and become dull, and you won’t have the energy to move around as much. Protein obviously comes from red meats, but if you are vegetarian or vegan you can still get all the protein you need from eggs, beans, grains and so on. If you eat seafood, then many kinds of fish also provide you with protein. You don’t actually need all that much, even if you do want to grow some muscle. Make sure you get enough, though.

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Vitamin C

You can find vitamin C in a wide variety of fruits and vegetables. Famously, there is plenty of it in citrus fruits like oranges and lemons, but that’s not the only good source of vitamin C. It’s also in peppers, strawberries, broccoli, blackcurrants, and even potatoes. Vitamin C is vital for you because your body cannot store it. That’s why you need to eat it every day, and why you can get so unwell if you don’t have any in your daily diet. Make sure that you are getting enough Vitamin C every day if you want to look after your body properly.

As long as you get these, you are going in the right direction with regards to your physical and overall health. Make sure that you are aiming for more of these components in your daily diet.