When you start paying attention to your diet, you probably wonder ‘ What vitamins do I need? ‘You see a lot of articles online about which foods you should eat, but rarely which vitamins they contain that make the foods so important. Moreover, everybody is different, so you have different needs in terms of vitamins than others.
In this article, we look at how you can find out which vitamins you need and which vitamins are often deficient.
Which vitamins do I need?
Every person is different, lives differently, and therefore has different needs when it comes to nutrients. There is therefore no single formula with which vitamins you need for a healthy life. Still, many sites advertise on certain age groups or genders. This is not without reason, certain vitamin deficiencies are more common in these groups. However, that does not mean that you will also suffer from it. To know which vitamins you need, it is more convenient to find out yourself so that you have a personal result.1. Keep Track
Sometimes we think we are getting more than enough vitamins, but it turns out the opposite. To find out whether you are getting enough, it is best to keep track of your diet for a while. You can do this manually or via an app. Because you write down everything you eat, and the portions thereof, you also immediately see how many milligrams you get of a certain vitamin. If it turns out that you are deficient in vitamins, you can immediately adjust your diet.
2. Which vitamins do I need? Test your blood
Many GPs do blood tests when you want to know whether the value of your vitamins is in order. You can get tested for all kinds of different minerals and vitamins. When you get the results, you will also immediately hear where you may have a shortage and how you can make up for it.
3. Look at your symptoms
Sometimes you feel that you may already have a deficiency. In that case, it does not hurt to look at your symptoms before you go to the doctor. What are you suddenly bothered by? Which vitamin deficiencies does this correspond to? If you think you have found the culprit, you can have this confirmed by a doctor.
Which vitamins do I need? Common Deficiencies
There are not many vitamin deficiencies in the Netherlands. Most of our foods contain enough vitamins and if you eat healthily, you get them all. However, certain vitamins are more likely to be deficient than others. That is why we have already listed these for you and we also immediately tell you where this vitamin occurs a lot.1. Vitamin D
Our body makes this vitamin itself from sunlight and you can get it from animal milk products and fatty fish. Vitamin D plays a major role in all kinds of bodily processes and is therefore very important.
2. Vitamin B12
You mainly get vitamin B12 from meat products from which the animal has eaten grass, milk, and cheese. Many vegan products nowadays also contain vitamin B12, such as soy drinks and vegetable cheese.
3. Magnesium
You can find magnesium in green leafy vegetables, such as spinach and cabbage. It is also high in nuts, seeds, and legumes.
4. Iron
Iron deficiency is still quite common. You get iron from dried stone fruits, such as apricots, but also red meat and green leafy vegetables.
5. Folic Acid
Folic acid is especially important for people who want to get pregnant, but here too a deficiency is fairly common. Folic acid is found in green leafy vegetables, nuts, beans, and fatty fruits such as avocados.