Opinion

Go Micro

It’s undeniable how broadly and fast-paced most societies think nowadays. We tend to analyze the big picture, demand quick results, focus only for 10 minutes max and forget the rest.
 
The same kind of behavior can be said when it comes to our food choices. When it comes to buying food, we tend to think: “the more the merrier!”
 
The underlying issue here is not how much we pay for the meal itself, but the focus on wanting more, just because we are inclined to think more is better! 
 
It’s true that paying attention to our macronutrient intake (Carbs, Protein and Fats) is important.  But their counterparts, micronutrients (calcium, iron, vitamin 12, etc.), can easily be neglected, yet are just as important to keep in mind, if not more so! 
What this reflects is, how we, as consumers, are influenced by society’s food choice patterns, and how lacking our knowledge is about how food is actually produced and the affects its supply chain impacts the world we live in.
 
Moreover, this also suggests that society is more worried about the big picture, like worrying about how we look or how much we weigh, while overlooking the small, yet important details.
 
In the case of micronutrients, these play a vital role in the structure and function of our body. Since our bodies don’t produce them, we need to eat them!
 
Did you know that micronutrients are responsible for the vibrant colors in fruits and vegetables? Having a plate full of color, also means that you are guaranteeing that you are consuming food with a wide variety of nutrient profiles, which boosts your energy production and immune system, and improves bone health, and so on. 
 
Think of your plate as a canvas, and you, the artist! The idea is to “paint” a rainbow, but remember, the focus here is not to play with the ingredients just for a nice Instagram post.
 
Micronutrient deficiency is a reality, and we must tackle it with education about nutrition and better intervention programs, so as to address these nutritional inadequacies.
 
According to research entitled Do Chinese Children Get Enough Micronutrients? published in 2017, the dietary intakes of vitamin A, thiamine, riboflavin and vitamin C, in a research group of children between 11-13 years old, were below the Estimated Average Requirements, with 41.6%, 89.1%, 83.7% and 69.0%, respectively. Moreover, the research also revealed that the percentage of subjects with inadequate consumption of these micronutrients, also increased with age.
 
So, the big question is, why are we not eating these micronutrients? Some people simply dislike certain vegetables. Others who are more aware of their nutritional requirements have a hard time hitting the micronutrients levels that are in deficit. This is probably why your doctor prescribed all those food supplements and made you feel you had a virus with so many pills.
 
I personally hate pills, even the natural herb ones I take, as it makes me feel sort of vulnerable to ‘relying on them’. But there is also a lack of good, affordable and organic produce in Macau, and of course, the fact that our food is not the same as it was generations ago, with all the chemicals flowing through the soil and air. 
 
I can’t stress this enough – if you are not following a sound eating protocol to overcome nutritional deficiencies, you’d better get cracking. The longer you wait, the more at risk you’ll become of developing a host of nutritional deficiency related disorders. Disorders you could have prevented simply by changing just a few eating habits. 
 
If you are thinking of taking micronutrient supplements, try to look for products certified by a third party. Do some experiments to ensure they tackle your own situation and avoid any “mega” dosage of nutrient supplements, as everything in excess is harmful. 
 
Here are some suggestions to naturally achieve a better micronutrient rich diet:
 
1- Eat Microgreens!
 
Microgreens are plants that are harvested at their cotyledon stage and have between 4 to 40 times more nutrients than their adult counterparts. For example, imagine a big rounded cabbage, a vegetable with one of the highest levels of Vitamins C, K, and E. By adding a full hand of cabbage microgreens, you can easily eat 40 times more micronutrients than with a mature red cabbage.  Similar numbers apply to all micronutrients. 
 
2 – Eat Seasonal vegetables 
 
Seasonal Vegetables force us to eat what the body most needs at that specific time of the year. Try to find Organic options, if not fresh, then even frozen is OK.  Price can definitely be a negative factor here, so another option can be to start by growing easy and fast-growing crops yourself, like microgreens!
 
3 – Always bring your food supplements.
 
Proudly guilty! I tried so many different types of eating habits until I found peace with my own choices. But every day is a battle. Finding balanced vegetarian dishes in Macau can be like finding a four-leaf clover. I carry my food kit everywhere! As soon as my dish arrives I start ‘seasoning’ nutrients that are lacking to make a nutrient-balanced meal. Those baby powder tubes or empty jam mini containers are the best. I carry with me a variety of things depending on what meal I’m out for. But mainly Nutritional Yeast (B12), Chia Seeds (Calcium, Manganese, Magnesium, Phosphorus, zinc, vitamin B3 (niacin), potassium, vitamin B1 (thiamine) and vitamin B2, Hemp Seeds (omega 3, 6), microgreens (all!) and of course a Wheatgrass shot (or Kombucha) to take before meals. 
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