What useful substances do we lack during fasting?

The spring shortage of vitamins haunts even those who do not restrict themselves in nutrition.

But if you observe the Easter fast, you need to be particularly careful about the amount of useful substances in your food.

Sometimes fasting leads to problems. Here are the most common of them.

Iron deficiency

Even temporary rejection of foods of animal origin can cause iron deficiency. This trace element is mainly found in red meat and roast beef and is responsible for the formation of red blood cells and the transport of oxygen in the blood to the muscles.

How do you know that the body lacks iron? Here are the signs: the skin becomes pale, dry and begins to turn white, the appetite decreases, you constantly feel tired and fatigued, shortness of breath appears.

If you have noticed all these symptoms in yourself, it means that it is time to review your lean menu. Many are convinced that with iron deficiency, the main food on your table should be apples.

In practice, this is not the case at all. There is indeed iron in apples, but it is not that much at all.

A much higher amount of this trace element is contained in the following products:

Almonds

These nuts contain twice as much iron as apples. And with the iron load, you will also “get” vitamin E, which serves as prevention against aging and cardiovascular diseases.

At the same time, almonds contain vitamin E in the easiest form to absorb. It has been shown that people who eat 30 grams of almonds twice a week have a 47% lower risk of heart attack than those who don’t eat almonds at all.

Dried apricots

These fruits can deal with iron deficiency. And in dried apricots there is also a lot of vitamin A, necessary for good vision, healthy and shiny skin, protection from wrinkles.

Peas

In addition to the higher amount of iron, peas also boast an abundance of potassium. This trace element is especially useful for those who have problems with the heart and blood vessels.

Potassium removes edema, normalizes the work of the heart muscle, stabilizes the walls of blood vessels.

Vitamin C deficiency

Fasting people also often experience a deficiency of vitamin C, also known as ascorbic acid. The abundance of fruits and vegetables in the menu during fasting should provide the necessary amounts of vitamin C, but this does not always happen.

The problem is that due to iron deficiency, ascorbic acid is not fully absorbed by the body, moreover, during longer storage of fruits and vegetables, vitamin C is degraded.

Therefore, at the end of winter, not all fruits can boast of an abundant vitamin C content.

Symptoms of ascorbic acid deficiency are frequent colds, easy bruising, bleeding gums.

The spring champion in vitamin C content is sauerkraut. It contains even more of this vitamin than fresh cabbage, because ascorbic acid is completely preserved during fermentation.

It is known that at the end of winter, fresh cabbage loses about 30% of its useful substance. In second place among foods rich in vitamin C is the rose hip. A healthy drink can be prepared from rose hips.

In the evening, pour two handfuls of rose hips with boiling water and leave them until morning in a thermos. You don’t need to crush the rose hips – any mechanical impact destroys vitamin C.

The honorable third place in terms of vitamin content belongs to blueberries. They contain not only ascorbic acid, but also vitamin PP, which helps the body absorb ascorbic acid.

Deficiency of B vitamins

Deficiency of B vitamins, especially folic acid, is another problem faced by people on strict fasting.< /p>

Manifestations of deficiency of group B vitamins are most often related to the skin and hair – excessive oiliness of the skin, itching, inflammation, red spots, flowering of the hair and the appearance of dandruff.

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Among plant products, the best source of folic acid is considered to be wheat sprouts. You can buy wheat grains from a hypermarket, market or health food store.

You have to cover them with water for the night, wash them in the morning and move them to a jar. Cover with damp gauze and wait until the sprouts appear.

Add 1-2 teaspoons of sprouts to salad or other dishes. Store wheat sprouts on the top shelf of the refrigerator.

Green leafy vegetables also help compensate for deficiencies in B vitamins and folic acid. Broccoli is especially useful, as it not only supplies vitamins, but also protects against gastritis. 70 grams of broccoli per day is enough.

To reduce the reduction of B vitamins, reduce the amount of black coffee and strong tea. These drinks increase the acidity of gastric juice and interfere with absorption of vitamins. Therefore, caffeine addicts often suffer from a deficiency of these vitamins.