How’s Your Nutrient Absorption?
A 4 minute read.
Good nutrient absorption comes from a health gut, genetics and the simple tips below.
My clients know that I focus on their gut health because it impacts nutrient absorption and overall nutritional status. In fact, one of the first test I encourage to my clients to take is a GI test (GI Map and GI Effects are my go-to test for GI health). We all know the old saying you are what you eat actually, you are what you eat and absorb. Nutrient absorption is important because it’s possible to eat a variety of highly nutrient-dense, healthy foods but not get the full benefit from these nutrients because they can pass right through you unabsorbed. Nutrient absorption is of great concern for anyone with diarrhea and or constipation.
Nutrients can’t support your health if you have poor digestion and poor nutrient absorption. Not absorbing enough of all the essential nutrients can lead to health concerns. If you are living with digestive issues and poor digestion your health is suffering. Gut health is directly related to overall health. In fact, a thorough assessment of gut health is where I start with all new clients.
According to a recent study published in the journal Nutrients, researchers found that “Nearly one-third of the U.S. population is at risk of deficiency in at least one vitamin or has anemia.”
Your digestive system is how your body takes the essential nutrients from your food and absorbs them so they can be used for growth, maintenance, energy, healing, and overall good health. For example, Vitamin A must reach your eyes to prevent night blindness and Vitamin C has to make it to the skin to heal wounds. The same goes for iron for your blood and energy levels, and calcium for your bones, muscles, and teeth. Before nutrients can get where they need to go, they first need to be removed from the food and absorbed into your body so that they can then be circulated to get where they need to go.
In this blog post we’ll go over some of my pro tips on how to make improve nutrient absorption. But first, why are some nutrients hard to absorb?
What causes poor nutrient absorption?
There are three main phases of digestion: breaking it down, absorbing the nutrients, and eliminating the waste. That’s why your digestive system provides a long, diverse journey for food to travel once it’s eaten. For example, your stomach is full of digestive juices (e.g., acid, enzymes) to break food into small particles. Then, as your food starts moving through your small intestine, your liver and pancreas add alkaline bile (to neutralize the acid), as well as other enzymes to break down other components of food. Your small intestine is responsible for most—but not all—of the absorption of nutrients into your body. The final journey is through the large intestine that is home to your friendly gut microbes (helpful bacteria and other tiny microorganisms AKA the microbiome). These microbes break down (or ferment) some of the toughest nutrients that have made it this far intact (some fibers). The large intestine also absorbs some nutrients and water.
Whatever nutrients don’t get absorbed—because they weren’t broken down small enough, or were complexed with anti-nutrients, or because the digestive tract itself couldn’t do its best work—is eliminated as waste. It’s natural and healthy to eliminate a lot of what you’ve eaten, but ideally the waste should have very little nutrition left in it. You want most of the essential nutrients to be absorbed so your body can use them for your best health.
Despite the diverse and complex processes that your body uses to absorb and digest as many nutrients from foods as possible, sometimes it can use some help. Some people have food intolerances and/or gut issues that result in malabsorption of certain nutrients. Plus, there are some nutrient-nutrient interactions and anti-nutrients found in foods that can reduce your ability to absorb them.
The good news is research shows that there are some very interesting things that can increase nutrient bioavailability. By eating certain nutrients together—or apart, or certain foods cooked—or raw, you can enjoy the same foods, but in a more nutritionally efficient, bioavailable, way.
Genetics is involved in nutrient absorption, transport, utilization and excretion. This why having your genetic information is so useful.
Strategies to improve nutrient absorption.
Here are some simple strategies to get more nutrition from the foods you enjoy.
Absorb more Vitamin C: Enjoy these foods fresh and raw.
Vitamin C is one of the most common vitamin deficiencies in the U.S. Foods that are rich in Vitamin C include fruits and vegetables. Some of the highest sources of Vitamin C are bell peppers, citrus fruits (and their juices), kiwis, broccoli, and strawberries.
Vitamin C is an antioxidant that is water-soluble and destroyed by heat. This means that the Vitamin C levels are highest when the food is fresh and raw (or cooked as little as possible). To maximize the Vitamin C levels in your fruits and vegetables, try to eat them as fresh and raw as possible. If you enjoy them cooked, do so minimally by lightly steaming or microwaving them.
Absorb more iron: Enjoy iron-rich foods with—and without—these.
Iron is the most common mineral deficiency in the U.S. Some of the most iron-rich foods are seafood, beans and lentils, liver, spinach, and tofu. Also, some breads and cereals are fortified with iron. But not all iron-rich foods are equal. Iron is found in two different forms: heme (in animal-based foods) and non-heme (in plant-based foods). Heme iron is more bioavailable and more easily absorbed than non-heme iron. This means that the iron in plants is more difficult to absorb, but there are some simple tips that you can use to absorb more.
Iron absorption can be enhanced when consumed with Vitamin C-rich foods and away from tannin-containing drinks like tea and coffee. This means, enjoy your beans, lentils, spinach, or tofu with a Vitamin C-rich food in the same meal. For example, add some bell peppers, orange wedges, or berries to your spinach salad. And enjoy your tea or coffee—not with, but—between your iron-rich meals.
Genetics can also inform you if you have a genetic tendency to store too much iron. Something you want to know before you work on increasing iron in your diet.
Absorb more fat-soluble Vitamins A, D, E, and K
Vitamin A is found in liver, seafood, eggs, and fortified dairy. Pro-vitamin A (beta-carotene) is found in fruits and vegetables, especially orange ones like sweet potatoes and carrots, and dark green leafy ones like spinach and kale. Because of the way beta-carotene is stored in the plant cells, not all of it is as bioavailable as Vitamin A in animal-based foods. Unlike with Vitamin C, Vitamin A is fat-soluble and becomes more bioavailable when orange and dark green plant-based sources are cooked. Your genetics can also influence the amount of pro-vitamin A you convert to active vitamin A.
Vitamin D is essential for bone health because it promotes absorption of calcium and is needed by bone cells for growth and repair, Vitamin D also helps reduce inflammation and helps to regulate the immune system and carbohydrate metabolism.
Known as the sunshine vitamin because your skin makes Vitamin D when exposed to UV light. Don’t only rely on the sun though because the metabolic pathway from skin to active vitamin D is not reliable in many people due to gene variants in the vitamin D pathway. Ask to have your vitamin D level checked with your annual blood work.
Vitamin D is also naturally found in a few foods. These foods include seafood, mushrooms, egg yolks, and fortified dairy.
Vitamin E is an antioxidant necessary for protecting cells from oxidants to prevent or delay chronic diseases. Vitamin E is also essential for your immune system. Foods with high levels of Vitamin E include whole grains, nuts and seeds, and their butters and oils (e.g., wheat germ oil, sunflower oil, peanut butter).
Vitamin K comes in two forms: K1 is in dark green leafy vegetables, broccoli, soy, and herbs. Vitamin K2 is mostly made by bacteria, so it’s found in fermented foods like yogurt, cheese, and sauerkraut. Vitamin K is essential for proper blood clotting and bone metabolism.
A simple tip to improve fat soluble vitamin absorption: get enough healthy fat. This means cooking your vegetables with a bit of healthy oil (olive oil or avocado oil) or pairing them with a nutritious dip or dressing to help you absorb more of these essential fat-soluble vitamins. If you supplement fish oil or omega 3 oils, take these together.
Absorb more calcium: Be sure to have a regular supply of Vitamin D
The largest sources of calcium in the North American and European diets comes from milk and dairy products. You can also get calcium from fruits and vegetables (e.g., kale, spinach, broccoli), as well as mineral water. Some of the plant sources of calcium have lower bioavailability because they contain anti-nutrients like oxalate and phytic acid. The amount of calcium absorbed from these foods is increased with Vitamin D intake. While you don’t need to get Vitamin D in the same meal as a calcium-rich one, getting enough vitamin D every day is key—whether that means eating Vitamin D-rich foods with a bit of healthy fat or going outside in the sun.
Absorb more lycopene: cooking tomatoes brings out this bioactive
Lycopene is like beta-carotene, but it is not considered to be an essential nutrient. Studies show that lycopene may help reduce risk of heart disease and some cancers. Lycopene is a health-promoting antioxidant found red and dark green fruits and vegetables such as tomatoes, pink grapefruit, and watermelon. The main source of lycopene are cooked tomatoes
Like Vitamin A above, cooking tomatoes and enjoying them with a little bit of healthy fat can improve your absorption of lycopene.
Final thoughts on nutrient absorption
Healthy eating is more than consuming nutritious foods, it’s also about absorbing the nutrients from those foods. With the above simple tips, you will improve your nutrient absorption.
Do you have concerns about your digestion? Suspect you have poor gut health with issues in the bathroom? Want to ensure you’re maximizing absorption of all the essential nutrients? Need some support in planning and making meals to get the most nutrition for you and your family? Book an appointment with me today to explore my services. Book a free call here.
References
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https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5537775/
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National Institutes of Health. (2022, April 5). Iron: Fact Sheet for Health Professionals. Office of Dietary Supplements. https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Iron-HealthProfessional/
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