Manganese. Funny to say, but a seriously important mineral your body needs, helping it to use other nutrients (like thiamin and biotin and choline) and process proteins, carbs, and fatty acids. Manganese also activates the enzymes used in bone formation and is involved in the production of both sex and thyroid hormones.
That was a mouthful! But we aren't done yet! Manganese also supports urine production, the metabolism of blood sugar, and antioxidant activity. So, as you can see, lack of manganese can interfere with your body's operations in many ways.
So, how much manganese is recommended to avoid deficiency? Girls are recommended to get 1.2-1.6 milligrams of manganese a day, increasing to 1.8 milligrams in adulthood, and 2 milligrams if pregnant/lactating. Boys have higher needs for manganese as they reach puberty - 1.9 milligrams, increasing to 2.2 milligrams during the teen years. Adult men require 2.3 milligrams a day. Individuals that excessively sweat (working outdoors in the summer or engaging in long periods of exercise) and people with liver or gallbladder disorders may require higher amounts of manganese.
A great source of manganese is black eyed beans!! Yep, those yummy non-peas I wrote about yesterday. Here are some ways to incorporate manganese into your diet:
- 1 cup of cooked black eyed beans = 0.9mg
- 1 cup lentils/lima beans/navy beans = 1mg
- 1 cup of brown rice = 1.8mg
- 1 cup oatmeal = 1.4mg
- 5 ounces of raw spinach = 1.3mg
- 2 teaspoons of cinnamon = 0.9mg
- 1 cup pineapple = 1.5mg
- 1 cup raspberries = 0.8mg
- 1 cup grapes = 0.7mg
NOTE: A breakfast smoothie of 2 cups raw spinach, a banana, 1/2 cup pineapple, 1/2 cup raspberries and 1 tsp cinnamon = 2.9mg manganese - and you don't have to worry about it for the rest of the day! And if you are a die-hard oatmeal breakfast person, add a couple teaspoons of cinnamon and you have covered your daily recommended needs before lunch also.
But, please, eat your beans anyways!
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