While the alphabet soup of vitamins and minerals may be murky, it’s crystal clear that many Americans aren’t getting enough of them. What are these essential nutrients, and how can we pack more of them into our daily diet to punch up our health?

“When you choose a diet with foods that are closest to their form found in nature, you are going to get these essential building blocks to maintain good health,” said Pam Wooster, a registered dietitian at UCHealth Yampa Valley Medical Center.

Vitamins and minerals keep the body healthy and are contained in the food we eat. Below, Wooster shares some of the key nutrients that may be lacking in diets as well as how to make sure we get enough of them.

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Calcium and Vitamin D

Calcium is a mineral essential for bone health. Vitamin D helps our body absorb calcium and keeps bones, muscles and nerves healthy.

Signs of deficiency: Muscle weakness, vision problems and numbness. Can lead to osteopenia and osteoporosis, conditions which cause bones to become less dense and can lead to fractures and breaks.

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In the United States, a quarter of the population does not consume enough calcium, she said.

Food sources: Dairy products such as milk, yogurt and cheese. Other sources include canned salmon, sardines with bones, kale, collards, broccoli, bok choy, almonds and sesame seeds. Some foods are fortified with calcium, such as orange juice and alternative daily products like coconut milk.

Iron

Iron is needed to make red blood cells as well as certain hormones, and it transports oxygen to vital organs.

Signs of deficiency: Anemia, or a lower than normal level of red blood cells, which can cause headaches, weakness, fatigue, pale skin, fast heartbeat, strange cravings such as ice or dirt, cold hands and feet, dizziness, tingling or a crawling feeling in the legs.

People who drink excessive amounts of caffeine and take antacids, as well as children who drink lots of milk, can develop an iron deficiency too.

Food sources: Red meat, seafood, poultry, beans, legumes, and fortified and whole grains.

Vitamin C

Vitamin C is essential for the body’s healing process and is vital in forming blood vessels, cartilage, muscle and collagen.

Signs of deficiency: Rough, bumpy, dry and damaged skin, corkscrew-shaped hair, easy bruising, poor immunity, chronic inflammation and wounds that are slow to heal.

Vitamin C and iron deficiency can occur together, Wooster noted. Although rare in developed countries, vitamin C deficiency can occur because of a poor diet, alcoholism, anorexia, severe mental illness, smoking and dialysis. Scurvy can occur when a diet is deficient in Vitamin C for three or more months.

Food sources: Fruit and vegetables. Some of the best sources are citrus fruits, strawberries, red bell peppers, tomatoes, cauliflower, cabbage, kale, garden cress, bok choy, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, mustard plant and similar green-leaf vegetables.

Magnesium

Magnesium is important for regulating blood sugar, blood pressure, muscle function, bone health and producing body proteins. Adequate magnesium can support restful sleep and mood and bowel regularity.

Signs of deficiency: Trouble sleeping, fatigue, reduced appetite and constipation.

“Americans tend to have low magnesium intake,” said Wooster. “This is often due to a diet that doesn’t contain enough whole gains, legumes, nuts and seeds.”

Food sources: Leafy greens, seeds, nuts, whole grains, dairy and legumes.

To help maintain a healthy diet full of the nutrients the body needs, Wooster suggests:

• Planning meals ahead of time.
• Shopping with a list.
• Building a menu that ensures you don’t waste food.
• Buying food on sale and paying attention to price per ounce or pound.
• Prepping food for the week that might include a large batch of soup or chili.
• Developing a routine around eating meals to avoid snacking unhealthy food.
• Starting the day with a healthy breakfast of fruit, a whole grain such as oatmeal or quinoa, a lean protein and a healthy fat.
• Using the “plate method,” where a plate is composed of half vegetables and one-quarter each protein and whole grain.

While organic products are great, they can often be more expensive.

“Canned or frozen is fine as opposed to leaving fruits, veggies and lean protein out of your menu entirely,” said Wooster. “Afford what you can to get the nutrients you need.”

And finally, shop “the rainbow” when you are pushing your cart through the aisles and concentrate on the produce section.

“Try to get at least seven different colors of fruits and veggies to provide a variety of vitamins and minerals every day,” said Wooster.

Mary Gay Broderick writes for UCHealth. She can be reached at marygaybroderick@comcast.net.