Toast some seedy bread and mash some ripe avocado on top for a delicious lunch rich in vitamin E. In a bowl, combine a handful of cooked shrimp, 1 tablespoon of Greek yogurt, a squeeze of lemon juice, and chopped green onions. Spread the mixture on the avocado toast and sprinkle well ground black pepper on top.
Sweet treats that increase copper
If you’re not a big fan of organ meats and lobster and oysters aren’t in your price range, you may have a hard time getting enough copper in your diet. In fact, it is estimated that half of the UK population may not be getting the recommended amount of copper, which is 1.2. mg per day. Fortunately, other good sources of this essential mineral and antioxidant include nuts, seeds, leafy greens, and, fortunately, dark chocolate.
For a copper-rich snack that’s also packed with fiber, try making stuffed chocolate-covered dates. Remove the seeded Medjool dates, carefully fill the split dates with a spoonful of nut butter, sprinkle over some of the mixed seeds, and gently pinch back. Pour a little melted dark chocolate into each. These can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for several weeks. Two dates contain about one-fifth of your daily copper intake.
Spicy seed mix to increase zinc
Zinc is a micronutrient that has anti-oxidant as well as anti-inflammatory properties. Chronic inflammation is a condition that increases the risk of disease as we age, and given that almost 30% of the elderly population is zinc deficient, zinc is one of the minerals we need to pay attention to. That’s one. The daily RNI in the UK is 9.5mg for men and 7mg for women, and the main sources of intake are meat, fish and seafood, so it can be difficult to get enough from a plant-based diet. .
Thankfully, seeds are a good plant source of zinc, especially sunflower, pumpkin, and sesame seeds. Toast 100g of mixed seeds in a dry pan with 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, 1 teaspoon cumin, 1 teaspoon coriander, 1/2 teaspoon hot chili powder and a pinch of salt. These can be stored in an airtight jar for 2-3 weeks. Two tablespoons provides approximately 2mg of zinc.
Boost the energy of selenium
Brazil nuts are one of the best sources of the antioxidant selenium, so they’re worth keeping on hand as a healthy snack. But don’t get mad. Each nut contains up to 95μg and the RNI of selenium is 75μg per day for men and 60μg per day for women, so just one grain per day is enough. Other sources of selenium include fish, meat, and eggs.
Make a dough by placing 200g pitted dates, 2 tablespoons orange juice, 1 teaspoon orange zest, 6 chopped Brazil nuts, 2 tablespoons ground almonds, and a pinch of salt in a food processor. Make a Brazilian-based energy ball. Roll into 10-12 evenly sized balls, coat with a small amount of unsweetened dark cocoa powder and place in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It will be stored for up to 1 week.
