According to Health Canada’s Canadian Community Health Survey, the diets of many adults were shown to be lacking in certain nutrients. As many as 25-40% of Canadian adults may be nutrient deficient. Continue reading to avoid being one of them!
The prevalence of inadequate intakes was highest for vitamin A, vitamin D, magnesium and calcium.
Results From Health Canada’s Survey
- More than 35% of Canadian adults consumed vitamin A in quantities below the Estimated Average Requirement (EAR), with the prevalence of inadequate intakes rising to greater than 40%
- Similarly, more than 34% of Canadian adults consumed magnesium in quantities below the EAR, with the prevalence of inadequate intakes rising to greater than 40%
- As for calcium, both males and female adults had a prevalence of inadequate intakes ranging from 26.5% to 80.1 % and 47.5% to 86.9%, respectively. Trends in both sexes showed an increasing prevalence of calcium inadequacy with older age.
- Of all the nutrients with an EAR, vitamin D had the highest prevalence of inadequate intakes
- There is concern that Canadian adults may not be meeting their needs for potassium and fibre
- 6-19% of women 19-50 consumed iron in amounts that fell below adequate
- 10-35% of Canadians from most age and sex groups consumed folate in inadequate amounts
100% Juice As A Solution for Missing Nutrients
Did you know that 100% juice is just that, 100% juice? There seems to be a lot of confusion about just what is in 100% juice, it’s important for Canadians to know what they are consuming and how it contributes to their diet.
- 100% juice is a source of essential nutrients and phytonutrients. Research shows that people who drink 100% juice have better quality diets than people who do not drink juice. People who drink juice have higher intakes of vitamins A, C, folate, and magnesium. 1
- 100% of juice drinkers eat more whole fruit than non-fruit juice drinkers, suggesting that 100% juice is complementary to whole fruit and vegetable intake. 2 This is important because most Canadians are not eating the recommended number of daily fruits and vegetables.
- 100% orange juice contains only naturally occurring sugar from oranges. The sugar content in one 250 ml glass of 100% orange juice is about the same as that of two medium oranges. Consuming a certain amount of naturally occurring sugar in a nutritionally beneficial beverage like 100% juice can be part of a healthy diet.
Let’s take a look at the nutrition facts for one cup (8 oz) of orange juice:
100% juice is a great way to insert more folate, vitamin C, B vitamins and potassium in your diet. Juice can also be fortified with calcium and vitamin D, providing a further solution for those lacking nutrients in our diet!
Add juice into your diet into your smoothies, as a side to your meals or into a fun dessert like a popsicle!
Let’s now explore how you can get enough of various nutrients that Canadians are often lacking in and how you can recognize signs of deficiency!
How To Get Enough Nutrients & Know The Signs Of Deficiency
Potassium
Signs of Deficiency: Muscle weakness, constipation, irregular heart rhythm and more.
Bump up potassium in your diet with bananas, acorn squash, legumes, tomatoes and 100% juice.
Calcium
Signs of Deficiency: Muscle weakness, constipation, irregular heart rhythm and more
You’ll likely get enough from at least three servings of milk or fortified plant-based milk. It is also found in calcium-fortified orange juice, chia seeds, almonds, oranges and dark leafy greens like kale and broccoli,
Vitamin D
Signs of Deficiency: fatigue, bone pain, mood changes, and muscle aches or weakness may set in
Your best bet to get enough vitamin D is through supplements – not many foods are rich in vitamin D. 100% fruit juice fortified with vitamin D can be an option as well.
Vitamin C
Signs of Deficiency: weakness, gum disease and a poor immune system
The important nutrient is in abundance in many foods, including 100% juice, red and green peppers, oranges, strawberries, broccoli, kiwi, lemons, and grapefruit.
Folate
Signs of Deficiency:Fatigue, diarrhea, smooth and tender-feeling tongue
To get folate from food, go for fortified cereals, 100% fru8it juice, beans, peanuts, sunflower seeds, whole grains, and dark leafy greens.
Magnesium
Signs of Deficiency: loss of appetite, fatigue, nausea, constipation and more
Add more magnesium into your diet through these magnesium-rich foods: almonds, cashews, peanuts, spinach, black beans and edamame, along with 100% juice,
Iron
Signs of Deficiency: Shortness of breath, fatigue, cold hands and feet, brittle nails
You can get more iron through iron-fortified cereal, beans (especially lima, navy, and kidney beans), lentils, and spinach.
1 O’Neil CE, et al. “Diet quality is positively associated with 100% fruit juice consumption in children and adults in the United States: NHANES 2003- 2006”. Nutr J. 2011;10:17
2 Statistics Canada, Fruit and vegetable consumption, 2013 http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/82-625-x/2014001/article/14018- eng.htm
