I am a firm believer in supplementing my food intake. For me, this is a no brainer way of ensuring that I am getting the essentials to combat illness, support my immune system, stat healthy, and live a long life.
I have talked about supplements many times before on this site. Today, I want to talk specifically about weight loss and supplements.
4 Essential Vitamins and Minerals For Weight Loss
While I think we all need to intake vitamins and minerals every day to remain healthy, weight loss can also be affected by ensuring we have adequate intake of a few particular nutrients. This is especially important considering in the past 20 years, modern farming practices have consistently produced food that, while plentiful and attractive to the eye, have 80% less nutritional value than they did a generation or two ago.
The four below are on the top of the list in terms of essentials for a healthy body and assistance with weight loss.
Chromium
Chromium is mineral that stabilizes blood sugar levels, decreasing the likelihood of sudden waves of hunger, mood swings, and binging. In the long term, it works to prevent diabetes and heart disease because of its leveling effect.
You can take chromium as a supplement. Plus, it is contained in many multi vitamins and weight loss supplements too. You can also obtain it through foods such as corn, sweet potatoes, apples, eggs, tomatoes, and broccoli.
Magnesium
Surprisingly little emphasis is placed on the role the mineral magnesium plays in weight loss. Magnesium plays critical parts in food digestion, insulin regulation (insulin determines whether energy is used or stored as fat), and controlling the body’s chemical reactions to stress, which causes weight gain.
There are many types of magnesium. Do a quick internet search for the best one for your needs – Sounds like a new article is needed!
Food sources of magnesium include rice, wheat, and oat bran, pumpkin seeds, spinach, flax, sesame seeds, Brazil nuts, almonds, sunflower seeds, molasses and edamame (dry roasted soybeans).
Zinc
Here is another key player in the weight loss game. The mineral zinc helps control metabolism and lean muscle mass as well as the immune system, so this is one mineral to pay attention to.
Quick tip: you can tell if you are zinc deficient by looking at your finger nails. If there are white spots, then that is a usually reliable indicator that you are lacking zinc in your diet.
You can always take zinc in a supplemental form, but if you prefer getting it from food sources, you can find it in oysters, toasted wheat germ, roasted pumpkin seeds, roast beef, peanuts, crab, and lamb.
Vitamin D
Once just thought of as being useful for strong bones, Vitamin D is becoming a major force in the nutritional world, including the weight loss arena. Adequate amounts of this vitamin help transition the body metabolism from fat storing to fat burning and has the additional benefit of burning belly fat first.
Vitamin D is made by exposing the skin to sunlight each day, mornings or late afternoons are best. While this is not always possible, you can take an oral supplement Vitamin D to ensure your body is maintaining proper levels.
Wrap Up
Each of these vitamins and minerals play a key role on how our body uses insulin and fat which is critically important for weight loss and overall health. Do the research and find the supplements your body may need.
I hope this helps you and your weight loss journey to health!
Hi! I’m Chris! Just a Midlife Wife sharing about life’s journey; screaming and kicking through it while supposedly aging gracefully…
Focusing on healthy living, low carb & keto, things I am loving right now, and life in general.