There’s a lot of misunderstanding as to the kind of nutrition men actually need to have.
A diet of just eggs and meat won’t cut it. To fully keep your body and mind active and healthy, you need a few particular nutrients in your diet every day.
Here are some nutrients that are missing the most from men’s diets.
1. Antioxidants
One of the most important nutrients men need to eat more of is antioxidants.
They’re often lacking in men’s diets because men don’t always eat the type of food that contains antioxidants.
These nutrients are effective at removing free radicals floating in the body. Free radicals cause damage to your cells.
Some may even lead to cancer. The more antioxidants that you eat, the more likely those free radicals will be destroyed.
You can find antioxidants in several different food types. Grapes, for example, carry a lot of antioxidants.
Any blue, red, or purple grape will do. Grapes make a great snack before or after hitting the gym because they also have high water content.
It can help restore your hydration after a good workout.
You can also find antioxidants in several types of berries. Blueberries are often a favorite of many men.
They make for a great snack or side to a dish. Acai and maqui berries are also rich in antioxidants.
Even raspberries and strawberries have a high content of antioxidants. The sweeter berries can make a great, and healthy, dessert.
Dark green vegetables contain antioxidants. Filling your salad bowl with kale, lettuce, and leeks is a great way to take in more of them.
You can even sprinkle in some berries to give yourself a fruit salad.
Finally, certain orange vegetables also contain antioxidants. Carrots are one of the more popular options.
Cooked the right way, they can also become a meal in themselves. Other orange vegetables include acorn squash and sweet potatoes.
Even tea is rich in antioxidants.
All of the examples above work great as additional snacks if you don’t want to sacrifice your normal diet.
They can flood your body with antioxidants and make you feel great.
2. Fiber
There’s a reason that there’s a stereotype of older men needing to drink prune juice to help with their digestion.
They’re not getting enough fiber. That’s true of younger men, too. Their normal diets just don’t contain enough fibery foods.
Fiber does a lot more than just help your digestive health, however. It can also help you lose weight and stay healthy.
When you eat fibery foods, you feel fuller faster. That’s because fiber forces the body to slow down its digestive process.
It tells your body that it’s full even if it may not be entirely so.
As a result, you don’t overeat. This helps you burn more calories in the gym and maintain a healthy weight.
When you’re at a healthy weight, the rest of your health is easier to maintain, too.
There are tons of different fibery foods out there. You’ll find them in fruits and vegetables.
Leafy greens are a great example. Since they’re also rich in antioxidants, you can get both your fiber in and your free radicals removed in a single meal.
Legumes and whole grains are other great examples of fibery foods. Whole grains, especially, work great as breakfast cereals or dessert cereals at the end of the day.
Certain foods have more fiber than others. These foods include examples like carrots, apples, black beans, bananas, peppers, and oats.
They can be eaten as they are or prepared in a meal or shake. To add just a little extra dose of fiber to your diet, you can even add a few seeds to your normal fitness shakes.
Flaxseeds, psyllium husks, and chia seeds are all fibrous ingredients that make your shake taste incredible.
Eating enough fiber when you’re young can help you maintain your health when you’re older.
It can ensure your digestive system stays strong even in old age. Adding these food types to your diet as a snack or meal can get you the missing nutrient you need to stay healthy and fit.
3. Omega-3 Fats
There’s often a lot of discussion over Omega-3 fatty acids. The reason they’re so important is that the body doesn’t naturally produce them.
Diet is the only way to add them to your nutrition is to eat them through a meal or use supplements.
Omega-3 fatty acids play an important role in your health. They help keep your brain sharp and boost your memory.
They also help with joint health. If you want to fight off arthritis later, then consuming the right amount of Omega-3 fatty acids every day is crucial.
Finally, they’re also helpful in promoting heart health.
The main source of Omega-3 fatty acids is found in the consumption of fish.
Pacific fish, in particular, have a high number of Omega-3 fatty acids. Examples include Pacific salmon, rainbow trout, sardines, Atlantic mackerel, and mussels.
If you prefer to follow a plant-based diet, then you can find them in certain vegetables and seeds, too.
Walnuts, leafy greens, and flaxseeds are all great staples of plant-based foods that have Omega-3 fatty acids in them.
Receiving Omega-3 fatty acids through your diet is the best way to obtain them. It ensures you receive enough.
However, if you’re not sure you’re receiving enough for your nutrition or you just can’t make a meal with walnuts in it every day, then you can always use a supplement.
Fish oil supplements contain a ton of Omega-3 fatty acids.
Speak with your doctor to ensure you know how much you need to take to support your health.
4. Magnesium
Magnesium is another important nutrient that too few men receive in their diet. If you want to gain more muscle, then you need magnesium.
It helps regulate muscle growth and nerve function. You may experience fewer sore muscles, or a shorter duration, by increasing your magnesium intake.
It also plays an important role in regulating your blood sugar levels. To stave off diabetes later in life, maintaining a good amount of magnesium in your body is essential.
Along with blood sugar, it regulates blood pressure, too. That’s ideal for men who are already facing heart disease risks.
Magnesium is a part of creating protein, bone, and repairing DNA structure.
Clearly, magnesium is an important nutrient to take every day. You can find it in a few different food types, too.
Alaskan king crab is known for having a good amount of magnesium in it.
You can also find it different seed varieties like pumpkin and squash.
Spinach is another great source of magnesium. You can add it your fruit or veggie salad for an extra dose of nutrients.
Brown rice and lima beans are known for having magnesium. You can add those ingredients to a plethora of different recipes and meals.
Even avocados and bananas are a good source of magnesium.
Those who prefer to get their nutrients through snacks should focus on almonds and dark chocolate.
In order for it to have the correct amount of magnesium, you need to eat dark chocolate that has 85% cacao.
Clearly, there are plenty of different types of food where you can consume magnesium.
After regulating your levels of magnesium, you’ll feel less sluggish and more energetic.
5. Vitamin B-12
Plant-based diets will struggle to find a good source of B-12. That’s because it isn’t generated in plants.
It comes from animals. Men who eat plant-based diets need to find B-12 from supplements.
Those who eat meat can find B-12 in practically any kind of meat.
B-12 is important for several reasons. It helps keep your blood cells healthy as well as your nerves.
A few studies also found that in older individuals, those who didn’t eat a good amount of B-12 lost a large portion of brain volume.
Considering the rise of cognitive diseases like Alzheimer’s and Dementia, you need to do everything you can to protect your brain function.
Supplements is an ideal choice for those who eat plant-based diets. You should speak with your doctor about how much you should take for your specific body weight and age.
Those who do eat meat will have a larger selection. Beef is an ideal source.
Certain types of fish also carry a healthy amount of B-12 in their bodies. Rainbow trout, sardines, and salmon should be your go-to picks.
Milk and eggs also have a lot of B-12 in them. Making a daily breakfast of eggs with milk can start your day off energized and feeling mentally sharp.
You can also find certain fortified cereals that contain B-12 with other nutrients.
You shouldn’t underestimate how important it is to take B-12 regularly. Leaving this nutrient out of your diet could have a serious impact on your health later in life.
6. Vitamin D
Everyone knows you can get vitamin D from spending time out in the sun. However, that isn’t always plausible for people who work a lot.
They may be too exhausted to spend time outside or they may not even get home until after sundown.
It’s important that men receive vitamin D. It’s responsible for protecting bones and reinforcing calcium.
Because bone density is often a problem later in life, fortifying your bones earlier is a great help.
Vitamin D does a lot more than just keep your bones healthy, however. It’s also essential for keeping your immune system up and running. It can even help you lose weight.
On a psychological factor, vitamin D also helps to improve your mood. It can make you feel more motivated and energized to complete tasks and be productive.
Besides spending time under the sun, you can get it through your diet. For men who eat meat, you’ll find vitamin D in salmon and mackerel.
Egg yolk also contains vitamin D. Dairy products like milk and cheese also contain it.
Those who follow a plant-based diet will want to stick to vitamin D supplements. The best amount to take is 1,000-1,400 IU daily.
Consuming a regular amount of vitamin D can improve your mood and health.
Those who live in the Northern United States will want to pay special attention to their levels of vitamin D during the winter months.
You won’t receive as much vitamin D from the sun during that time.
7. Potassium
Potassium is a crucial nutrient for life. It’s responsible for making the heart beat, the muscles contract, and brain function.
Without potassium, you’d basically be a vegetable. The problem with potassium is that its presence is often impacted by the presence of sodium.
When you intake a lot of sodium, then the amount of potassium in your body decreases.
Since sodium can be found in a lot of processed food, men frequently don’t have enough potassium in their bodies.
This could cause serious health problems down the line.
To keep your body’s potassium levels healthy, you need to cut down on the amount of sodium that you consume and increase the amount of potassium.
The recommended amount is 4,700mg a day.
You can find a good amount of potassium in vegetables and fruits. Bananas and avocados are rich in it.
As are cucumbers, mushrooms, and cooked spinach. Peas also contain a fair amount of potassium.
Once you start taking enough potassium, you may find it easier to build muscle. You may also experience more energy.
Final Thoughts
What’s inside of your diet matters. Nutrients are essential for great health now and in the future.
These 7 nutrients can completely change how you feel and perform. Let us know in the comments how including these nutrients into your daily diet has helped you.
Everyone deserves to eat a diet that supports their physical and emotional health.
