The lack of essential nutrients in the American diet today is alarming – as many as 9 out of 10 Americans suffer from deficiency of Potassium. More than 70% of elderly Americans have a Vitamin D deficient diet. With increasing junk food dependency, the lack of proper nutrition in the daily diet of an average American is a real issue.

The lack of a balanced diet can lead to digestion problems, skin problems, stunted bone growth, and even cases of dementia. Vitamins and minerals are sorely lacking in the American diets.

Even the American Medical Association came out with a statement a while back, “advising all adults to take at least one multivitamin pill each day.”

So, What Can You Do to Deal With Nutrient Deficiencies?

One study states that fruits and vegetables don’t have the nutrients they had around 50 years ago, which means that you need to have more food to meet the same nutrients (1).

Let’s take a look at some essential nutrients that most Americans lack in their daily diet.

Calcium:

Calcium, essential for the growth and maintenance of bones, also controls the nerve function. A calcium deficiency can lead to fatigue and muscle cramps.

Vitamin D:

Bone health also depends on vitamins. Essential for our immune system, if the body lacks Vitamin D, it can cause softening of bones, along with other problems.

Potassium:

Our body needs potassium to work efficiently. Lack of potassium can cause diarrhea and vomiting.  It can also cause excessive sweating. If left untreated, it can adversely affect the kidneys as well.

Iron:

Iron is essential to red blood cells. With low iron content, the blood starts losing its capacity to carry oxygen, resulting in anemia which causes fatigue.

Vitamin B12:

Vitamin B12 helps the neurotransmitters of our brain.  A lot of people who adopt a vegan lifestyle or go through a weight loss surgery suffer from a lack of vitamin B12.

Folic acid:

Folic acid, important to women especially during the childbearing period, is something you would need in your daily diet. A deficiency can cause a decrease in the number of red blood cells. It can also cause neural tube defects in an unborn child.

Magnesium:

Magnesium, essential to bone health and energy replenishment, is deficient in as many as 50% of Americans. Certain medication or alcohol can cause magnesium deficiency. It causes loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, and even seizures in extreme cases.

How Can You Battle A Nutrient Deficiency?

Eating quick-fix food is not a healthy habit. Based on the Dietary Reference Intakes, 92 percent of the population is suffering from at least one mineral or vitamin deficiency, and it will not be long before there are grave consequences (2).

Apart from synthetic supplements, another option to combat the situation is to have super foods – you cannot depend on one particular product to get you through a nutrition deficiency. Super foods have a lot of the vitamins and minerals lacking in the diet.  Goji Berries, for example, have over 340% the RDA of vitamin A in ¼ of a cup!