Americans are likely the most difficult individuals to get on a nutritional plan – due mostly to the fast food generation we have come to know and love. All of those empty calories, however, go straight to those unwanted places! #amirightoramiright Instead of counting calories and measuring intake, let’s take a look at the quality of our intake! Here are five essential nutrients that you are likely missing in your daily eating:

1. Vitamin D – Why yes, the sunlight CAN provide our bodies with the production of vitamin D. BUT, for those of us who work in a office 8 hours a day, getting in that sunlight can be supremely difficult. You can find great sources of vitamin D in salmon, tuna, and rockfish. Of course, you can always add Vitamin D to your supplements list!
2. Calcium – While milk certainly “does a body good”, it’s not the only place to gain this vital nutrient. Legumes, such as white beans, black eyed peas, and kidney beans are fabulous sources to gain calcium. Seafood, such as sardines and canned salmon also contain a large source of the nutrient. Want something sweet? Try figs! Figs work wonderfully on their own as a snack, added to a greek salad, or even mashed up in your favorite baked good!
3. Potassium – The most popular source of potassium is a good ol’ banana, but foods like potatoes, tomatoes, beans, lentils, spinach, and carrots will give you that needed nutrient as well!
4. Vitamin A – Crucial to eye health and a healthy immune system, vitamin A is certainly nutrient worth digesting! Often forgotten, it can certainly keep your body from fighting off infection when it needs to. Great sources of this nutrient are DARK (not iceburg lettuce, my friends!) green and bright colored vegetables. For instance, spinach, pumpkins, sweet potatoes, and collard greens.
5. Choline – A quite unknown nutrient, choline is essential for maintaining, and building, healthy cells! You will find this nutrient in peas, eggs, and cooked dry beans. Choose those eggs for breakfast!

Add these sources to your diet, and your body will be feeling light and healthy in no time. The best way to maintain an adequate supply of a variety of nutrients is to vary your food patterns while sticking to the basic natural products that our earth provides. Fresh fruits and vegetables, as well as lean meats are your best bet for happy, healthy living!

Don’t forget to check out our own recipe book for new ideas, and ask us questions about how Hitch Fit can help you can change your eating habits for the better!