What is Micro-nutrition?

Micro-nutrition studies the impact of micro-nutrients (vitamins, minerals, trace elements, essential fatty acids, …) on health and looks for ways to improve the levels of micro-nutrition in each individual. Micro-nutrition studies both the nutrients found in our food as well as the way in which our body uses them. It is an increasingly important part in the philosophy of “good eating”.

First, let’s distinguish between macro-nutrients and micro-nutrients:

• Macro-nutrients are proteins (meat, fish eggs …), lipids (fat, oil, butter), and carbohydrates (rice, potatoes, pasta) that are regularly found on our plates. Macro-nutrients’ principal role is to provide energy to the organism.
• Micro-nutrients are minerals, vitamins, essential fatty acids, polyphenols, amino acids etc. They are fundamental in the full functioning of metabolisms.

For certain individuals, their current diet does not provide all the micro-nutrients their body needs. The reason? Intensive and high-pesticide cultivation methods, unhealthy cooking habits (e.g. microwave), the choice of processed foods (pizza, prepared meals, etc.).

Micro-nutrition is often associated with the supplementation of nutrients. However, our advice is to simply consume seasonal food (if possible organic) combined with a balanced diet.

Where to find micro-nutrients?

• Vitamin B1 (thiamine): cereals, wheat germ, whole grains, yeasts, legumes, nuts
• Vitamins B3 or PP (niacin): yeast, cereals, mushrooms
• Vitamins B6 (pyridoxine): wheat seeds, yeast, soy, wheat, carrot, cabbage, lentil, onions, sunflower, walnuts
• Beta-carotene: carrot oil, algae, apricots, dandelion, peach, mango, pumpkin, sweet potato, alfalfa, watercress, spinach, chard, green cabbage, leafy vegetables, red cabbage, guava, leeks, lettuce, pink grapefruit
• Vitamins C (L-ascorbic): parsley, blackcurrant, rose hip, acerola, wild berries, blackberries, cranberries, pepper, horseradish, sorrel, chilli
• Vitamin E (tocopherol): wheat seed oil, wheat seeds
• Magnesium: seaweeds, periwinkles, cocoa, wheat germ, almonds, white beans and flageolets, peanuts, whole grains, soybeans, pumpkin seeds
• Selenium: whole grains, legumes, brewer’s yeast, sesame, oyster, sprouted wheat, sprouted cabbage, germinated soybeans, onion, white cabbage, garlic, sunflower, Brazil nuts
• Zinc: oysters, herring, egg yolk, cereals, legumes (dried beans), mushrooms, yeast, pumpkin seeds, walnuts, squash, lentils, millet, rye, sesame