The Functions of Nutrients

    

    World’s Healthiest Foods-to help you lose weight and get healthy. The following chart will give you some key examples from the broad spectrum of identified nutrients that our bodies need in order to be healthy and healthfully lose weight.

	POTENTIAL HEALTH -PROMOTING FUNCTIONS	POSSIBLE INDICATIONS THAT MORE IS NEEDED
Biotin	Helps support healthy skin; Helps maintain nerves' energy supply.	Depression; Nervousness; Memory problems.
Calcium	Helps maintains healthy strong bones; Helps support proper functioning of nerves.	Tingling and numbness of hands and feet; Muscular pain and spasms.
Carotenoids	Helps protect cells from free radicals; Helps promote eye and lung health; Helps enhance the functioning of the immune system.	Low intake of fruits and vegetables; Smoking; Regular alcohol consumption.
Choline	Helps promote cell membrane function; Assists nerve-muscle communication; Helps prevent homocysteine build-up.	Fatigue; Insomnia; Fat accumulation in the blood; Nerve muscle problems.
Cysteine	Helps protect cells from free radical damage; Helps detoxify chemicals and heavy metals; Helps break down excess lung mucous.	Frequent colds; COPD.
Copper	Helps maintain the health of bones and connective tissue; Helps keep the thyroid gland functioning normally.	Blood vessels that rupture easily; Frequent infections; Loss of hair or skin color.
Dietary Fiber	Helps support bowel regularity; Helps maintain normal cholesterol and blood sugar levels; Helps provide satiety (quenching of appetite) to help pro- mote weight loss.	Constipation; Hemorrhoids; High Blood sugar levels; High cholesterol levels.
Flavonoids	Help prevent excessive inflammation; Help promote blood vessel integrity; Helps protect cells from free radicals; Enhance activity of vitamin C.	Easy bruising; Excessive swelling after injury; Frequent colds or infections; Frequent nose bleeds; Low intake of fruits and vegetables.
Folic Acid	Helps support red blood cell production; Helps support heart health; Helps nerves to function properly.	Depression; Irritability; Mental Fatigue; Confusion; Forgetfulness; Insomnia.
Glutamine	Helps maintain the health of the intestinal tract; Helps produce glutathione, a key antioxidant; Helps ensure proper acid-base balance; Helps maintain muscle mass.	Regular high-intensity exercise; Intestinal dysbiosis; Frequent colds or flu.
Iodine	Helps ensure proper thyroid function.	Goiter; Depression; Fatigue.
Magnesium	Helps prevent free-radical damage; Helps keep bones strong and healthy.	Insulin resistance and elevated blood sugar levels; Decreased bone mineral density.
Manganese	Helps prevent free-radical damage; Helps keep bones strong and healthy.	Insulin resistance and elevated blood sugar levels; Decreased bone mineral density.
B3 (Niacin)	Helps stabilize blood sugar levels; Helps lower cholesterol levels; Helps the body process fat.	Fatigue, listlessness; Sensations of weakness; Numbness, tingling, and shooting pains in feet.
Omega-3 Fatty Acids	Help prevent excessive inflammation throughout the body; Help keep blood from clotting excessively.	Dry, itchy skin; Brittle hair and nails; Fatigue; Depression; Inability to concentrate; Joint pain.
Pantothenic acid	Helps transform carbohydrates and fats into energy; Can improve the ability to respond to stress; Helps assure adequate production of healthy fats in cells; Helps body process fat.	Fatigue, listlessness; Sensations of weakness; Numbness, tingling, and shooting pains in feet.
Phosphorus	Helps form bones and teeth; Vital for energy production.	Weakness; Weight loss; Irritability; Anxiety; the Increased incidence of hypertension.
Potassium	Lowers risk of high blood pressure; Helps maintain pH balance.	Muscular weakness; Confusion; Irritability; Fatigue; Heart problems; Chronic diarrhea.
Protein	Helps maintain healthy skin, hair, and nails; Helps keep the immune system functioning properly.	Weight loss; Muscle wasting; Fatigue and weakness; Frequent infections.
Selenium	Helps protect cells from free-radical damage; Required for thyroid hormone production.	Whitening of fingernail beds; Weakness and pain in muscles; Discoloration of hair and skin.
Tryptophan	Required for proper sleep regulation; Helps regulate appetite.	Overeating or carbohydrate cravings; Depression; Anxiety; Inability to concentrate.
Vitamin A	Helps preserve and improve eyesight; Helps fight viral infections, colds, and flu.	Dry, scaly, rough skin; Frequent infections; Night blindness.
B1 (Thiamin)	Helps maintain energy supplies; Helps support proper heart function.	Pins and needles sensations; Feeling of numbness, especially in legs; Muscular tenderness.
B2 (Riboflavin)	Helps protect cells from oxygen damage; Helps support cellular energy production.	Sensitivity to light; Tearing, burning, and itching of eyes; Soreness around lips, mouth, and tongue; Cracking of the skin in corners of the mouth.
B6 (Pyridoxine)	Helps support nervous system health; Help promote the proper breakdown of sugar and starches.	Fatigue; Anemia; Skin disorders including eczema and dermatitis.
Vitamin B12	Helps prevent anemia; Required for nerve cells to develop properly; Helps cells metabolize protein, carbohydrates, and fats.	Tingling or numbness in feet; Red or sore tongue; Depression; Nervousness; Memory problems.
Vitamin C	Helps protect cells from free-radical damage; Improves iron absorption from plant foods.	Frequent colds and infections; Lung-related problems; Poor wound healing.
Vitamin D	Helps keep bones and teeth strong and healthy; Helps prevent excessively inflammation.	Thinning bones; Frequent bone fractures/soft bones; Lack of exposure to sunlight; Bone deformities in children.
Vitamin E	Helps prevent cell damage from free radicals; Helps protect skin from excessive exposure to ultraviolet light.	Tingling or loss of sensation in arms, hands, legs, and feet; Digestive system problems (malabsorption).
Vitamin K	Allows blood to clot normally; Helps absorption of calcium and helps prevent osteoporosis.	Excessive bruising and bleeding; Digestion, liver, and gallbladder problems.
Zinc	Helps balance blood sugar; Helps support an optimal sense of smell and taste.	Frequent colds and infections; Depression; Impaired sense of taste and smell.