Micronutrients: Why They Are Essential in Your Daily Diet

Micronutrients—vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants—may be small, but they are essential to the body. They play a role in hundreds of vital processes: helping form blood cells, strengthening the immune system, producing energy, and keeping the brain, skin, muscles, and bones healthy. Without them, the body can’t function properly: for example, lack of vitamin C causes bleeding gums, and lack of iron leads to anemia (fatigue, pale skin, shortness of breath). That’s why it’s important to get a variety of vitamins (A, C, D, B-complex) and minerals (iron, magnesium, zinc, calcium) every day from your diet.

Common Symptoms of Deficiency:

When micronutrients are missing, symptoms like extreme fatigue, weakness, or pale skin (from anemia), inflamed or bleeding gums (vitamin C deficiency), hair loss, brittle nails, or skin issues (B-complex or zinc deficiency), muscle cramps (magnesium/calcium), and frequent colds (weakened immunity) may appear. These signs can be subtle at first but worsen if the diet is not corrected.

Unbalanced Modern Diet:

Unfortunately, today’s diet includes too many refined carbs (bread, sugar, flour) and not enough vegetables, fruits, or animal proteins—the richest sources of vitamins and minerals. This dietary pattern explains why over 2 billion people worldwide suffer from micronutrient deficiencies. For example, a sugary oatmeal breakfast or daily fast food may deliver quick energy but lacks vital nutrients. A chronic lack of vegetables, legumes, and fresh fruits leads to nutritional imbalances that show up as fatigue and poor health.

Peruvian Superfoods: Earth’s Natural Vitamins and Minerals

To naturally balance your diet, Peru offers Andean superfoods packed with micronutrients. These native foods provide vitamins and minerals in their natural forms:
– Camu Camu: An Amazonian berry with extremely high vitamin C content. Studies show it contains more vitamin C than nearly any other fruit. Also rich in antioxidants like flavonoids and anthocyanins, it protects cells from oxidative stress and supports the immune system, healing, and fatigue recovery.
– Tarwi (Andean Lupin): A highly nutritious legume with high protein and healthy fats, comparable to soy, but without starch—ideal for balancing blood sugar. Its seeds are rich in key minerals like iron, zinc, and boron, making tarwi a ‘biofortified’ food that helps prevent anemia and mineral deficiencies.
– Maca: A root vegetable (similar to a radish) known for its energizing and hormonal benefits. 100 g of dried maca contains about 16.6 mg iron, 150 mg calcium, 5.9 mg copper, 3.8 mg zinc, and 2050 mg potassium. It supports muscle, nerve, and bone balance and also provides B-complex vitamins and antioxidants.
– Cacao (Theobroma cacao): The base of chocolate is also a powerful health food. Cacao is rich in magnesium, copper, potassium, and calcium—essential minerals for vascular and nervous system function. For example, 100 kcal of dark chocolate (70–85% cacao) provides 36 mg of magnesium, almost three times more than milk chocolate. Cacao also contains polyphenols that support heart health and blood pressure regulation.

Benefits of Intikisa’s Natural Products vs. Synthetic Supplements:

Intikisa’s products use real superfoods (powdered or dried), without chemicals or preservatives. By using natural ingredients, these products preserve the plants’ co-factors and fibers, improving nutrient absorption and bioavailability. For instance, a clinical study showed that vitamin C from lemon extract was 35% more bioavailable than synthetic vitamin C. This means Intikisa’s ‘real’ nutrients are more effective than isolated pills.
– Complete Formulation: Blending maca, tarwi, cacao, camu camu and more into one shake delivers protein, vitamins, and minerals naturally.
– No Daily Excuses: A morning Inka Golden smoothie is easier and more enjoyable than taking several pills.
– Balanced Nutrition: Unlike supplements with just one or two ingredients, Intikisa products offer the full nutrient profile of real foods, helping your body maintain balance, energy, digestion, and strong immunity.

Conclusion:

Micronutrients are essential and often missing in today’s diet. Learning to recognize signs of deficiency (fatigue, pale skin, skin issues) is the first step. The solution lies in eating more fruits, vegetables, and whole grains—or incorporating rich superfoods like camu camu, tarwi, maca, and cacao. Intikisa’s 100% natural products bring these ingredients together in a convenient way. Choosing them helps your body absorb all the essential vitamins and minerals—a real and delicious alternative to synthetic supplements.

Scientific Sources

Genovese et al. – ‘Bioactive compounds contents and antioxidant activity of exotic fruits’

Vera-Vega et al. – ‘The micronutrient content in underutilized crops: the Lupinus mutabilis (tarwi) sweet case’

Gonzales et al. – ‘Ethnobiology and Ethnopharmacology of Maca’

ICliniq – Nutritional content of cacao (2024)

Mayo Clinic – Symptoms of vitamin deficiency anemia (2022)

Merck Manual – Clinical signs of nutrient deficiency

Arkopharma – Cofactors in natural vs. synthetic vitamins (2023)