We protect the heart and skin with these 4 very common foods rich in selenium

Our body needs some basic minerals every day to function at its best. Some time ago we talked about zinc and magnesium, substances that improve brain function. Today we will focus on another often underestimated but no less important mineral: selenium. So let’s protect the heart and skin with these 4 very common foods rich in selenium.

The importance of selenium and the daily requirement

Selenium has two basic functions. It is a very powerful antioxidant and protects the skin and tissues from premature aging. But not only. Prestigious scientific researches show that this mineral is able to prevent some skin cancers.

The second function concerns the health of the cardiovascular system. Selenium is excellent for regulating blood pressure and to protect us from the fearful myocardial infarction.

The daily requirement for selenium differs according to age. Up to age 14 we need about 40mg of selenium per day. In adulthood the requirement rises to 55mg.

But fortunately we have plenty of foods available from which to get the amount of selenium that the body needs.

We protect the heart and skin with these 4 very common foods rich in selenium: shellfish and vegetables

In this period, octopus is one of the most common foods on our tables. And it’s definitely good. A 100-gram serving of octopus contains approximately 40-50 mg of selenium.

Sunflower seeds are also a great selenium concentrate. 1 ounce of seeds contains between 50 and 100 mg of mineral.

A similar concentration can also be found in mustard seeds. Let’s put them in our daily diet and we will also be able to block the potential carcinogenic effects of meat.

Among the vegetables richest in selenium there are also asparagus. 100 grams contain about 2-3 grams of the mineral. They seem few but asparagus have a great advantage on their side. If we are not on diuretic drugs we can eat as many as we want every day. The only contraindication will be the bad smell of the urine.