10 Most Common Nutrient Deficiencies (and what to do about them!)

Even when eating a nutrient-rich, whole foods diet, we still can come up a little (or a lot) short in the vitamins and minerals department. It can be frustrating when you feel like you're doing everything right, but seem to still be "missing" something. Plus, our ancestors didn't take supplements to fill in the nutritional gaps, so why should we? Many speculate that our modern, industrialized soil is partially to blame, with it's shameful lack of iodine, magnesium and selenium, just to name a few. Furthermore, our irrational fear of fat and cholesterol, even when it's the good fat that our bodies so desperately crave, but for which we continuously turn to sugar-laden foods instead. In short, eat more fat and less sugar and see how you feel after a week or two. And finally, a complete lack of awareness of the existence of certain vitamins and minerals will obviously result in an absence of them in our diets.

So what are we likely missing and where can we find it?

1) Iodine: Seafood, fish (pollock, codfish, abalone are best sources), shellfish, crustaceans,
seaweed, hijiki, kelp and egg yolks

• Supplement options: kelp supplements, Lugol's solution, Iodoral, and Iosol
• RDA: 150 micrograms

2) Selenium: Brazil nuts (1or 2 nuts daily is enough), wild salmon, kidneys, crimini, shiitake mushrooms, lamb, turkey, shrimp, cod, halibut, and egg yolks

• Supplement options: selenothionine (plant source), selenocysteine (animal source)
• RDA: 200 micrograms

3) Magnesium: Leafy greens (swiss chard and spinach are solid), nuts, seeds, dark chocolate, espresso, mineral water (Gerolsteiner is a good mineral water brand) and halibut

• Supplement options: Magnesium supplements ending in -ate are the most bioavailable, but transdermal magnesium rubbed on the ribcage and inner arms is another alternative
• RDA: 400 mg (but aim to get it from food)

4) Vitamin K2: Pastured egg yolks, goose liver, grass-fed butter, aged cheese and fish eggs

• Supplement options: high-vitamin butter oil
• RDA: 1-45 micrograms

5) Vitamin B-12: Animals - liver, sardines, and salmon are highest

• Supplement: methylcobalamin (if you're a vegetarian, this is your best option)
• RDA: 1 microgram of methylcobalamin, but if you're a carnivore, you should be fine on B-12

6) Manganese: Nuts - hazelnuts, pine nuts, pecans, walnuts, macadamia nuts, almonds mussels, oysters, and clams

• Supplement options: best to get it from food, as Manganese supplements are likely hard to find and/or pricey
• RDA: 2-5 micrograms

7) Choline: Liver, egg yolks, offal (brain, kidney, heart) and beef cube steak

• Supplement options: cell membranes contain phosphatidylcholine, but eating is way more fun than hunting for that
• RDA: 425 mg for females, 550 mg for males

8) Vitamin C: Citrus fruits, tomatoes, tomato juice, potatoes, red and green peppers, kiwi, broccoli, strawberries, brussel sprouts, cantaloupe and fortified breakfast cereals (wouldn't be my go-to though)

• Supplement options: readily available, but again, eating is way more fun
• RDA: 19-90 mg for males, 75 mg for females

9) Iron: 2 forms: heme - red meats, fish and poultry & nonheme: plants like lentils and beans, enriched and fortified foods. Animal-derived sources are more bioavailable, but most dietary sources are nonheme.

• If you're anemic or vegetarian, you might consider a supplement, otherwise food is just fine. 
• RDA: 8 mg for males age 19-51, 18 mg for females age 19-51, 8 mg for males and females 51+

10) Zinc: Oysters, red meat, poultry, fortified breakfast cereals, beans, nuts, whole grains, and dairy products (full-fat and organic for most benefit). Note: beans and grains have compounds that prevent full absorption of zinc in the body, so herbivores will need about twice as much as omnivores.

• Supplement options: supplemental zinc is great for the skin and the reproductive system! I've used this one with great results and it can also be found at Earth Fare. 
• RDA: 11 mg for males, 8 mg for females

So you may have noticed a bit of a pattern here: if you're a fat-fearing vegetarian, then you will likely be missing a few key nutrients, as quite a few are only available in animal sources, egg yolks, and various nuts. And everyone could do with a few more veggies and fruits on their plate, so load up on the good stuff and save your money for the finer things in life -- dark chocolate, red wine, vacations -- you get the gist... eat well and take a chill pill (proverbial, not literal!)
.

--Keely