Meals for trace nutrients - iodine, chromium, zinc and copper.
One week of meal ideas with trace mineral content.
This is a one week menu prepared by another dietitian which I reviewed and added a few notes and a longer section about the most commonly used seaweed types and their typical iodine content. (pdf in my Dropbox) Adding an extra page with some selenium ideas would help balance the iodine.
It is a nicely done menu plan, and if followed it would provide a moderate carb intake with quite a bit from beans and rolled oats. It includes herbs and spices and the ingredients to prepare a simple recipe but without cooking directions. (pdf in my Dropbox)
I expanded on my list of foods organized by phosphorus content (from this post)- to avoid the higher phosphorus ones if someone has demineralization of tooth enamel or bone due to an excess in the body’s phosphorus to calcium ratio. Trace minerals are electrically active so the body has to keep them under control. It does this with transport proteins that carry the minerals in a way that is no longer electrically active. The transport proteins can accept a few types of minerals - but not at the same time, so a large intake of copper can upset zinc levels or vice versa.
Other trace minerals are so important for fluid balance within the blood and cell fluid that the body keeps them in very, very tight ranges for health. Lack of one can lead to the body reducing fluid levels of others - lack of magnesium, calcium or potassium can affect levels of the others - reducing them too. Supplementing with the wrong one would just make it harder on the body. For example if magnesium is needed but the labs for that are inaccurate and not always done, the doctor may only see a lab value for low calcium and/or low potassium and order supplements of those - but what if they were being kept low by the body in response to a chronic magnesium deficiency?
Better Choices within Food Groups would vary based on individual need
Better choices in foods eaten most frequently might vary depending on individual needs. Some people may tend towards low calcium intake while others have high intake but also an even higher intake of phosphorus. Lower phosphorus foods with more calcium would be better choices for both of those groups of people. Others may be low in iodine and selenium. Low zinc and excess copper can be common but some people may have high zinc and low copper. Trace minerals need to be in balance with each other which means that ideally we need to have them in balance within our diet too - to reduce work for our kidneys and other mineral balance systems.
The updated spreadsheet includes ratios for magnesium to calcium and phosphorus to calcium and phosphorus to protein. Better choices for more frequent use have black-eyed peas as a standout for low phosphorus to calcium ratio and a good amount of magnesium and protein. Other good choices include lima beans, pinto, white, and navy beans, chickpeas and extra firm tofu. Any of the beans are a far better source of protein (gr) in ratio to phosphorus (mg) than nuts, seeds or flours - except chickpea flour -which is a legume.
Chestnut flour is low phosphorus but not very high in protein. Other nuts that are lower in ratio of phosphorus to calcium include: Chestnuts, boiled, Chestnut flour, (chestnuts are low in oxalate; water chestnuts are different and those are high in salicylate); Gingko nuts, (high in salicylate); Lotus Seeds; Macadamia nuts, (high in salicylate); Pecans; Hazelnuts (blanch & peel if oxalate sensitive); Almonds, (blanch & peel if oxalate sensitive; high in salicylate); and Flax Seeds.
Black eyed peas, Lima beans and Flax seeds are standouts for providing a higher ratio of magnesium to calcium than other beans, nuts, seeds and flours.
Black eyed peas are a New Year’s Day tradition for some families, or maybe New Year’s Eve. In the south during the Civil War soldiers took all of the food supplies except the black-eyed peas which were considered to be food for farm animals. Slaves rejoiced to have food to eat that was nourishing and tasty in a unique way. Once you grow to like black eyed peas, no other legume has the same flavor. I like Mung beans/moong dal and red lentils for having a unique flavor too and lima, white or navy beans are nice for having a very mild flavor.
This post has more about the black eyed peas history and a recipe for my basic soup at the time. I no longer use carrot, sweet potato or garlic now as I avoid excess carotenoids due to Retinoid Toxicity risks and garlic as a sulfur rich food also causes me problems. Better to now than to have the mysterious health problems though.
New Year, new recipe. (Substack)
There are tabs on my deNutrients.substack.com/home page with an overview about Retinoid Toxicity or Salicylate Sensitivity.
Disclaimer: This information is being provided for educational purposes within the guidelines of Fair Use and is not intended to provide individual health guidance.
Reference List
Extracts of a plant may contain fewer nutrients than the whole plant. Trace minerals, vitamins, fiber, and protein may be present along with oils. A water or alcohol extract would not get fats or fat soluble vitamins while an oil extract might get fat soluble vitamins but no other minerals or water soluble vitamins. Fiber might enter a heated tea but not to the extent that eating the plant as a food serving would provide.
Zinc being necessary to the maintenance of epithelial tissue, it is anything but a trace nutrient.
Thank you for this article... it gives me more to look into in my desire to maintain good health and following the links shows me there is more for me to pursue learning about.
Happiest of New Years to you Jennifer! Praying is it a very health one for you.