9. Fiber (Dietary)
There’s quite sufficient evidence to suggest that most Americans aren’t getting enough fiber in their diets. The average American consumes between 10 and 15 grams of dietary fiber per day, but the USDA recommends 25 grams for women, and 38 for men.
Fiber is a vital nutrient for many digestive functions in the body. According to Nutritional Epidemiologist Nicola M. McKeown, “research shows too little fiber can also lead to increased risk of developing Type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease,” in addition to being a leading cause of Americans’ number one gastrointestinal complaint: constipation. Gut health is crucial to overall health, and fiber is a significant contributing factor to a healthy microbiome.
Symptoms that you’re not getting enough fiber in your diet can manifest in a few different ways:
- Constipation
- Food cravings and overeating
- Frequent hunger
- Weight gain
- Unstable blood sugar
- Fatigue
Fortunately, there are plenty of ways to get dietary fiber from widely available foods, such as:
- Beans & other legumes
- All vegetables
- Most fruits
- Whole grains
- Nuts & seeds
10. Iron
According to NHANES data, 9.5% of American women ages 19-45 have an iron deficiency. Iron is important for many functions, including the production of “hemoglobin, a protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen from the lungs to all parts of the body, and myoglobin, a protein that provides oxygen to muscles.”
An iron deficiency does not become immediately apparent. As with calcium, the body has stores of iron it can steal from- like muscles, the liver, spleen, and even bone marrow. But as stores run low, anemia sets in and more obvious symptoms present themselves, such as:
- Weakness
- Fatigue
- Restless legs
- Trouble sleeping
- Shortness of breath
- Hair loss
- Trouble concentrating
- Trouble retaining information
- Weakened immune system
- Body temperature fluctuations
Iron is naturally found in foods such as:
- Lean meat
- Organ meat
- Shellfish
- Poultry
- Fortified cereals
- Beans
- Legumes
- Lentils
- Leafy greens
- Broccoli
- Tofu
- Nuts
- Seeds
- Raisins
- Molasses
- Quinoa