Potassium in Foods

Potassium is essential for good nutrition and health. It works with sodium to maintain the body's water balance. Potassium is involved in nerve function, muscle control and blood pressure. A diet low in potassium and high in sodium may be a factor in high blood pressure. Increasing potassium in the diet may protect against hypertension in people who are sensitive to high levels of sodium.

One possible explanation for potassium's protective effect against hypertension is that increased potassium may increase the amount of sodium excreted from the body. The kidneys regulate the level of potassium in the body. Eating equal amounts of sodium and potassium is recommended. The recommended daily potassium intake is 4.7 grams a day. Persons involved in prolonged, hard exercise may need more potassium a day. 

The DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diet is higher in potassium, calcium, and magnesium, and lower in sodium, total fat, and saturated fat. It may be useful for people who have hypertension to lower blood pressure.

Lack of Potassium May Result from Excess Losses due to:

• Hard exercise 

• Low-calorie diets (less than 800 calories per day) 

• Severe diarrhea 

• Chronic alcoholism 

• Poor diabetic control 

• Some diuretics and laxatives

Foods Rich in Potassium

Fruits (and Grain)	Vegetables
Custard Apple (Anonas)	All dark, green and leafy like:
Apple	Malbar night shade leaves (Alugbati)
Apricot (dried)	Green snap beans (Baguio beans)
Star Fruit/Carambolla (Balimbing)	Bamboo shoots
Banana (esp. latundan)	Banana blossom
Cantaloupe	Sweet potato (Camote) leaves or tops
Cereals (Whole grain)	Cabbage
Soursop (Guyabano)	Cauliflower
Aztec kwamachilli (Kamatsili)	Chayote fruit
Cashew (Kasoy)	Chayote leaves
Jackfruit (Langka)	Cucumber
Lanzon (Lanzones)	Eggplant
Ebony (Mabolo)	Swamp cabbage (Kangkong)
Orange	Horse radish (Malunggay) leaves
Papaya (ripe)	Mushroom
Pineapple (juice)	Mustard leaves
Prunes (dried)	Okra
Raisins (dried)	Papaya (green)
Santol	Spong gourd (Patola)
Strawberry	Chinese cabbage (Pechay)
	Radish
	Jute (Saluyot)
	Spinach
	Squash fruit
	Tomatoes
	Bottle gourd (Upo)
	Other succulent vegetables

Other Foods Rich in Potassium:

• Meat 

• Milk

In order to maintain the recommended ratio of sodium and potassium in our bodies, it is very important to eat potassium-rich foods specifically fresh fruits and vegetables with less consumption of processed foods. A moderate increase in dietary potassium, in addition to a reduction of excess sodium, may be beneficial, especially for people at risk for hypertension.

References:

Healing Wonders of Diet Effective Guide to Diet Therapy p.243 © 2003 Philippine Publishing House ISBN 971-581-013-6

http://www.extension.colostate.edu/jackson/Nutrition%20Resources/potassium.shtml Benefits of Potassium J. Anderson, L. Young and E. Long1 (Revised 8/08) Retrieved on April 29, 2011

Iodine in Foods

Iodine is a trace mineral and an essential nutrient found naturally in the body. Iodine is needed for the normal metabolism of cells. Metabolism is the process of converting food into energy. Humans need iodine for normal thyroid function, and for the production of thyroid hormones.

Lack of enough iodine (deficiency) may occur in places that have iodine-poor soil. Deficiency happens more often in women than in men, and is more common in pregnant women and older children. The iodine deficiency disorders are a group of diseases that result from a relative lack of iodine in the diet. They are found throughout the world, in countries at all stages of development, although they are commoner in remote and deprived communities.

Iodine Deficiency can Lead to the Following Disorders:

• Goiter (a swelling of the thyroid gland in the neck) 

• Cretinism (mental retardation with physical deformities) 

• Reduced IQ 

• Miscarriages 

• Birth defects 

• Deaths around the time of birth

Foods Rich in Iodine

For Vegetarians	For Non-Vegetarians
Iodized Salt	Ribbon-finned nemipterid (bisugo)
Vegetables grown near the sea	Anchovy (dilis)
Seaweeds (dried & fresh)	Malabar red snapper (Maya-maya, dried)
	Salmon
	Banded cavalla (Talakitok)

Other Food Sources:

Aside from iodized salt (table salt with iodine added) as the main food source of iodine and seafood as naturally rich in iodine, other sources like cod, sea bass, haddock, and perch are also rich in iodine. Kelp is the most common vegetable seafood that is a rich source of iodine. Dairy products also contain iodine. Other good sources are plants grown in iodine-rich soil.

References:

Healing Wonders of Diet Effective Guide to Diet Therapy p.245 © 2003 Philippine Publishing House ISBN 971-581-013-6

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/002421.htm Retrieved on April 28, 2011
http://nora.nerc.ac.uk/8355/1/CR03058N.pdf Retrieved on April 28, 2011

Vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid) in Foods

Vitamin C is a water-soluble vitamin, meaning that your body doesn't store it. We get what we need, instead, from food. You need vitamin C for the growth and repair of tissues in all parts of your body. It helps the body make collagen, an important protein used to make skin, cartilage, tendons, ligaments, and blood vessels. Vitamin C is essential for healing wounds, and for repairing and maintaining bones and teeth.

Vitamin C is an antioxidant, along with vitamin E, beta-carotene, and many other plant-based nutrients. Antioxidants block some of the damage caused by free radicals, which occur naturally when our bodies transform food into energy. The build-up of free radicals over time may be largely responsible for the aging process and can contribute to the development of health conditions such as cancer, heart disease, and arthritis.

Signs of Vitamin C Deficiency:

• Dry and splitting hair

• Gingivitis (inflammation of the gums) and bleeding gums

• Rough, dry, scaly skin

• Decreased wound-healing rate, easy bruising

• Nosebleeds

• Decreased ability to ward off infection

Smoking cigarettes lowers the amount of vitamin C in the body, so smokers are at a higher risk of deficiency. A severe form of vitamin C deficiency is known as scurvy.

Low Levels of Vitamin C can be associated with the following Conditions:

• High blood pressure

• Gallbladder disease (see Gallbladder Inflammation, Gallstone Formation)

• Stroke

• Some cancers

• Atherosclerosis (the build-up plaque in blood vessels that can lead to heart attack and stroke)

Vitamin C can Help You Protect Against:

• Heart disease (See Atherosclerosis, Myocardial Infarction [Heart Attack])

• High blood pressure

• Common cold

• Cancer

• Osteoarthritis

• Age-related macular degeneration

• Pre-eclampsia

• Asthma

Other Benefits of Vitamin C:

• Boosting immune system function

• Maintaining healthy gums

• Improving vision for those with uveitis (an inflammation of the middle part of the eye)

• Treating allergy-related conditions, such as asthma, eczema, and hay fever (called allergic rhinitis)

• Reducing effects of sun exposure, such as sunburn or redness (called erythema)

• Alleviating dry mouth, particularly from antidepressant medications (a common side effect from these drugs)

• Healing burns and wounds

• Decreasing blood sugar in people with diabetes

Foods Rich in Vitamin C

Citrus Fruits and Juices	(especially)
	Grapefruit
	Oranges
Fruits	(especially)
	Guava
	Papaya
	Pineapple
	Blueberries
	Melon
	Cantaloupe
	Honeydrew
	Strawberries
	Mango
Root Crops
	Potato (cooked, unpeeled)
	Sweet potatoes (cooked, unpeeled)
Vegetables
	Especially green and leafy

Other Excellent Sources of Vitamin C: 

• Green peppers

• Watermelon 

• Kiwi

• Raspberries 

• Blueberries

• Cranberries 

• Juices fortified with Vitamin C

• Tomatoes (canned and fresh tomatoes)

• Broccoli

• Cauliflower

• Cabbage 

• Brussels sprouts

• Raw and cooked leafy greens (turnip greens, spinach) 

• Red and green peppers

• Winter squash

Vitamin C is sensitive to light, air, and heat, so you'll get the most vitamin C if you eat fruits and vegetables raw or lightly cooked.

References:

Healing Wonders of Diet Effective Guide to Diet Therapy p.245 © 2003 Philippine Publishing House ISBN 971-581-013-6

http://www.umm.edu/altmed/articles/vitamin-c-000339.htm Retrieved on April 26, 2011

Vitamin B Complex in Foods

Vitamin B complex is a compound containing several or all of a group of vitamins and nutrients that the body needs in very small amounts to function and stay healthy. The B vitamins in the vitamin B complex include thiamine, riboflavin, niacin (nicotinic acid), niacinamide (nicotinamide), the vitamin B6 group (including pyridoxine, pyridoxal, pyridoxamine), biotin, pantothenic acid, folic acid, and vitamin B12. Aminobenzoic acid, inositol, and choline are sometimes included as part of the vitamin B complex.

The vitamin B complex is water-soluble (can dissolve in water), vitamins only found in components of the body that store water. This means that there is no long-term storage of these vitamins in the body and they need to be provided in the diet daily, therefore they are essential vitamins. Vitamin B unlocks the essential fuels, carbohydrates, fats and proteins, into conversion for muscular energy in the body.

Vitamin B nutrients are essential in the energy metabolization process. When an individual exercises, the B vitamins in muscle cells are used to convert the body’s fuels into energy. Thus after use of these B vitamins the body needs replenishing. It is important to remember that vitamins are not used as fuels and differ from the fuel the body uses in the following three ways.

Structure - Vitamins are individual units; they are not linked in long chains such as carbohydrates, fats and proteins.

Functions - Vitamins do not give the body energy when broken down. Vitamins assist enzymes that release energy from carbohydrates, fats and proteins.

Food Contents - The amount of vitamin people ingest daily and the amounts they require are measured in micrograms or milligrams, rather than grams.

Foods High in Vitamin B Complex

Bread (whole wheat)

Cereal (whole grain)

Cheese

Corn

Cornmeal

Egg

Legumes like mung bean (mongo) and other beans

Milk

Mushroom

Nuts like pili, peanut, cashew

Rice (enriched, unpolished)

Seaweeds

Wheat germ

Vegetables (dark, green. leafy)

Vitamin B complex is also found in yeast, seeds, liver, and meat. Members of the vitamin B complex are being studied in the prevention and treatment of some types of cancer. 


References: 

Healing Wonders of Diet Effective Guide to Diet Therapy p.244 © 2003 Philippine Publishing House ISBN 971-581-013-6
http://cancertrials.nci.nih.gov/dictionary/?CdrID=556402 Retrieved on April 20, 2011
http://www-unix.oit.umass.edu/~excs597k/sacco/ Retrieved on April 20, 2011

Vitamin A in Foods

Vitamin A is a fat-soluble vitamin. It is also known as Retinol and/or Carotenoids.  Vitamin A helps form and maintain healthy teeth, skeletal and soft tissue, mucous membranes, and skin. Vitamin A promotes good vision, especially in low light. It may also be needed for reproduction and breast-feeding.


Retinol is an active form of vitamin A. It is also known as retinol because it produces the pigments in the retina of the eye. It is found in animal liver, whole milk, and some fortified foods.

Carotenoids are dark colored dyes found in plant foods that can turn into a form of vitamin A. One such carotenoid is beta-carotene. Beta-carotene is an antioxidant. Antioxidants protect cells from damage caused by unstable substances called free radicals. Free radicals are believed to contribute to certain chronic diseases and play a role in the degenerative processes seen in aging.

What’s So Great About Beta-Carotene?

• Our bodies turn beta-carotene into vitamin A.

• Beta-carotene helps prevent certain cancers and eye diseases and makes our immune system strong.

We need Adequate Vitamin A for:

• Good vision

• Healthy skin

• Normal growth

• Preventing infection

(See other important roles of Vitamin A)

Foods Rich in Vitamin A and Beta Carotene (Provitamin A)

For Vegetarians	For Non-Vegetarians
Butter	Fish liver oil
Fruits (yellow like ripe mango, papaya)
Egg yolk
Margarine (fortified)
Vegetables  (dark, green, leafy) (yellow like carrots, squash)

 

Side Effects

Inadequate intake of Vitamin A (Vitamin A Deficiency) can make individual:

• More susceptible to infectious diseases and vision problems

Excessive intake/large doses of Vitamin A can:

• Cause individual to get sick

• Cause birth defects

• Cause acute vitamin A poisoning (usually occurs when an adult takes several hundred thousand IU); chronic vitamin A poisoning (may occur in adults who regularly take more than 25,000 IU a day) 

Babies and children are more sensitive and can become sick after taking smaller doses of vitamin A or vitamin A-containing products such as retinol (found in skin creams).

References:

Healing Wonders of Diet Effective Guide to Diet Therapy p.244 © 2003 Philippine Publishing House ISBN 971-581-013-6

http://www.floridahealthfinder.gov/healthencyclopedia/health%20illustrated%20encyclopedia/1/002400.aspx Retrieved on April 18, 2011

http://www.cdph.ca.gov/programs/wicworks/Documents/NE/WIC-NE-EdMaterials-VitaminA.pdf Retrieved on April 18, 2011

Iron in Foods

Iron, a mineral, is an essential micronutrient. It is in all cells of the human body and is known to have many vital functions. It is the major component of hemoglobin in red blood cells and of numerous enzymes. It carries oxygen from the lungs to all parts of the body and facilitates oxygen use and storage in muscles. Every cell in the body needs iron to produce energy. Inadequate intake and absorption of iron leads to depletion of iron stores and iron deficiency anemia.

Adequate iron intake through a varied diet of iron rich, bioavailable foods and /or iron supplementation significantly reduces iron deficiency and iron deficiency anemia (microcytic hypochromic anemia), in which the size and number of red blood cells are reduced. 

Benefits of Iron

Adequate iron intake:

• Decreases fatigue and apathy

• Increases work capacity and economic productivity

• Increases ability to fight infection

• Maintains body temperature

• Decreases pica

• Improves pregnancy outcomes

1. Decreases risk of death from hemorrhage, spontaneous abortion, stress of labor and other delivery complications
2. Decreases chance of preterm delivery, low birth weight and mortality

• Improves fetal / infant health

1. May improve iron status for first 6 months
2. Decreases susceptibility to lead poisoning
3. Decreases cognitive impairment and developmental delay

Foods Rich in Iron

There are two types of iron in the foods we eat: heme and non-heme. Non-heme iron is not absorbed well by the body as heme iron. However, the absorption of non-heme iron is greatly improved if foods rich in Vitamin C are included in the meal.

For Non-Vegetarians	For Vegetarians
Heme Iron	Non-Heme Iron + Vitamin C-rich Foods
Meat Poultry Fish	Eggyolk
	Whole wheat bread
	Whole grain cereals
	Green leafy vegetables
	Nuts
	Seeds

Recommendations for Iron

The Dietary Reference Intake (DRI) for iron varies with age and reproductive status, including menstruation, pregnancy and lactation. It also depends on the type of iron consumed, i.e. heme or non-heme iron. The requirement for iron is 1.8 times higher for vegetarians.

Dietary Reference Intake (DRI) (2) DRI Dietary Reference Intake	Reproductive Status	Milligrams of Iron Per Day For 14-18 Year Old Females	Milligrams of Iron Per Day For 19-50 Year Old Females
EAR Estimated Average Requirement	Nonpregnant, menstruating Pregnant Lactating, non menstruating	7.9 23 7	8.1 22 6.5
RDA Recommended Dietary Allowance	Nonpregnant, menstruating Pregnant Lactating, non menstruating	15 27 10	18 27 9
UL Tolerable Upper Intake Level	Nonpregnant, menstruating Pregnant Lactating, non menstruating	45 45 45	45 45 45

Consequences of Excessive Iron

The Tolerable Upper Intake Level (UL) of iron is the highest level of daily iron intake, likely to have no adverse health effects on most healthy individuals.

• Acute iron toxicity can result from overdoses of medicinal iron. 

• Excessive intake of iron supplements reduces zinc absorption. Women need 15 mg zinc and 2 mg copper daily when daily intake of iron exceeds 30 mg of elemental iron (3).                              

• Excessive intake of iron may also result in gastrointestinal effects such as constipation, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.

• Researchers are studying cardiovascular and cancer risk associated with increased body iron stores. Hereditary hemochromatosis is characterized by excessive absorption of iron.

References:

Healing Wonders of Diet Effective Guide to Diet Therapy p.239 © 2003 Philippine Publishing House ISBN 971-581-013-6

http://www.cdph.ca.gov/healthinfo/healthyliving/childfamily/documents/mo-agb-ironhandout.pdf Retrieved on April 18, 2011