If your body is deficient of vitamins and minerals, you stand a much greater chance of suffering health problems.
It is possible to tackle these deficiencies using vitamin supplements, however it is far more beneficial to ensure that your diet includes foods which are rich in vitamins and minerals.
To get the most success, you should eat vegetable rich meals, particularly those that include leafy dark green vegetables as these have very high concentrations of vitamins.
When preparing these meals, it is important not to over boil the vegetables, as this will radically reduce their nutrient content.
Try to add vegetables to as many meals as possible, and be creative with their use.
Soups are an easy way of packing in vegetables, and are particularly good for people who do not like the taste of vegetables, as the soup can be made with meat or other flavour enhancing ingredients.
Another good tip is to use some chopped vegetables with dips as starters.
You should also combine vegetables with iron and zinc rich foods such as meat, eggs, and nuts.
Try to avoid fatty cuts of meat and eating too large portions, as this could have adverse effects on your health.
The important thing is to get a regular source of zinc and iron, but huge quantities are not needed.
You should also avoid frying your meats as this will add lots of calories to the overall meal.
Grilling, baking and boiling are far better methods.
Try to have one meal today where meats eggs or dairy products are used.
Dairy products also provide calcium which is vital for the bones.
Nuts and seeds are also a vital and easy to utilise source of vitamins and minerals.
Just a small portion can go a long way to providing your body with some of the nutrients it needs for the day.
Unfortunately, very few people get enough nuts and seeds in their diet.
An easy way to include them in your diet is to make great tasking snacks by mixing different varieties of nuts and seeds together.
Having a bowl of these snacks constantly available close by is a great way to get all of the family to eat them.
You can also do things like mix them with yoghurt, and even fruits.
One tip to remember when eating nuts and seeds is that you should always chew them thoroughly to obtain the maximum benefit, otherwise you will not properly digest the nutrients they hold inside.
You should by aiming to prepare meals that have a balance of all the different food groups.
If you do this, then your body will get all of the vitamins and minerals it needs.