Chronic Micronutrient Deficiency Leads to Chronic Overeating.
March 7, 2023
I am sure you’ve heard the advice at some point that you need to be consuming nutrient-dense foods.
What does this mean, and why is it important for you to be eating these types of foods for good health?
Nutrient-dense foods contain high levels of nutrients. Macronutrients such as protein, carbohydrates, and fats. And micronutrients, which are vitamins and minerals. The other feature of nutrient-dense foods is that they have few calories. These foods provide the most bang for your nutritional buck. They are high-quality and generally are minimally processed.
Micronutrients are health-promoting. Good health and wellness cannot be achieved without them. If this is true, and it is, what is the impact of having a micronutrient deficiency?
Micronutrients enable the proper function of every cell and organ in our bodies. If we are deficient in micronutrients, we won’t be functioning on all cylinders (as they say), and we could even be accelerating the path to sickness.
Let me provide a few examples of a few micronutrients and some of the roles they play within our bodies.
Zinc is needed for DNA synthesis and immune function.
Iron has a major role in building our blood.
Potassium is needed to maintain proper hydration and muscle function.
Basically, we need micronutrients for our body and brain to live; they are directly involved in all of our metabolic reactions that determine everything from hormonal responses to immune competence and the body’s detoxification processes.
On to the heading. You may be reading this article due to the heading, in particular the overeating. It is very true, and research has highlighted that having a chronic micronutrient deficiency can lead to overeating.
Your body is super smart, and it will always ensure survival is the top priority. If we are deficient in micronutrients, this will trigger increased appetite as the body will continually seek them out to help us survive. Our appetite will continue in its search until we provide it with the micronutrients it really needs.
If you are eating nutrient-dense foods, then this will help provide the micronutrients and suppress appetite. If you go to the cupboard and eat highly processed foods that provide little to no micronutrients, then the appetite rage will continue as the body seeks what is required. This increases appetite and then leads to overeating and the continuation of feeling hungry if the nutrients are not present in your foods.
This type of overeating will cause the likelihood of weight gain and poorer health. Think of it as the absence of nutrient-dense foods will increase the chance of weight gain, while the presence of nutrient-dense foods in the diet will help with fat loss.
How can nutrient-dense foods help with fat loss? Firstly these foods are lower in calories, and the micronutrients need to be present for fat-burning enzymes to do their job of unlocking fat stores and burning them off for good.
What are some nutrient-dense foods? Some of the most nutrient-dense foods come from our fruits and veggies, nuts, and animal products like eggs, fish, and red meats.
References:
Eat Smarter (2020) – Shawn Stevenson
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Chronic Micronutrient Deficiency Leads to Chronic Overeating.
March 7, 2023
I am sure you’ve heard the advice at some point that you need to be consuming nutrient-dense foods.
What does this mean, and why is it important for you to be eating these types of foods for good health?
Nutrient-dense foods contain high levels of nutrients. Macronutrients such as protein, carbohydrates, and fats. And micronutrients, which are vitamins and minerals. The other feature of nutrient-dense foods is that they have few calories. These foods provide the most bang for your nutritional buck. They are high-quality and generally are minimally processed.
Micronutrients are health-promoting. Good health and wellness cannot be achieved without them. If this is true, and it is, what is the impact of having a micronutrient deficiency?
Micronutrients enable the proper function of every cell and organ in our bodies. If we are deficient in micronutrients, we won’t be functioning on all cylinders (as they say), and we could even be accelerating the path to sickness.
Let me provide a few examples of a few micronutrients and some of the roles they play within our bodies.
Zinc is needed for DNA synthesis and immune function.
Iron has a major role in building our blood.
Potassium is needed to maintain proper hydration and muscle function.
Basically, we need micronutrients for our body and brain to live; they are directly involved in all of our metabolic reactions that determine everything from hormonal responses to immune competence and the body’s detoxification processes.
On to the heading. You may be reading this article due to the heading, in particular the overeating. It is very true, and research has highlighted that having a chronic micronutrient deficiency can lead to overeating.
Your body is super smart, and it will always ensure survival is the top priority. If we are deficient in micronutrients, this will trigger increased appetite as the body will continually seek them out to help us survive. Our appetite will continue in its search until we provide it with the micronutrients it really needs.
If you are eating nutrient-dense foods, then this will help provide the micronutrients and suppress appetite. If you go to the cupboard and eat highly processed foods that provide little to no micronutrients, then the appetite rage will continue as the body seeks what is required. This increases appetite and then leads to overeating and the continuation of feeling hungry if the nutrients are not present in your foods.
This type of overeating will cause the likelihood of weight gain and poorer health. Think of it as the absence of nutrient-dense foods will increase the chance of weight gain, while the presence of nutrient-dense foods in the diet will help with fat loss.
How can nutrient-dense foods help with fat loss? Firstly these foods are lower in calories, and the micronutrients need to be present for fat-burning enzymes to do their job of unlocking fat stores and burning them off for good.
What are some nutrient-dense foods? Some of the most nutrient-dense foods come from our fruits and veggies, nuts, and animal products like eggs, fish, and red meats.
References:
Eat Smarter (2020) – Shawn Stevenson
