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Did you take the “Naked Calories,” mini-quiz in the new issue of Z-LIFE? Authored by Mira Calton, CN and Jayson B. Calton, Ph.D., the book (and the quiz) aim to show readers that the secret to health lies within micronutrients– vitamins and minerals that are stripped from our diets and depleted by lifestyle. Want more? Here you go…

1. I follow my physician’s suggestion and take prescription and/or over-the-counter medications. Did you know that some medications directly deplete the micronutrients from your body? Others reduce appetite or cause blood sugar swings, which cause cravings for carbohydrates like white breads and sugars
2. I take home and eat leftovers. Did you know that cooling, storing, and reheating leftovers leach away more than 30 percent of folic acid and vitamin C?
3. I exercise regularly at moderate to high intensity. Did you know that while both cardiovascular and weight-bearing exercises are important for good health, they can also cause micronutrient depletion? It is important to replenish the micronutrients lost through exercise.
4.  I buy imported exotic fruits and vegetables. Did you know that that micronutrient loss is often proportional to the distance the food has traveled?
5. I drink coffee, tea and/or wine on a regular basis. Did you know that these beverages have great antioxidant/anti-obesity benefits, but are also micronutrient depleters?
6. I buy the majority of my food from a chain grocery store. Did you know that food suffers enormous losses when it travels far distances to chain stores? Choosing naturally ripened, locally grown produce—which encounters less exposure to heat, air and light—increases micronutrient intake.
7. I have tried some type of diet regiment to reduce weight. Did you know that studies show that most “diet plans” fall short of supplying essential micronutrients?
8.  I am currently overweight. Did you know that new studies revealed that micronutrient- deficient women had an 80.8 percent higher chance of being overweight or obese than non-deficient women.
9.  I eat out at restaurants more than two times a week. Did you know that the longer your food has sat in a refrigerator, either in your home or at a restaurant, the greater the amount of micronutrients lost?
10.  I cook my vegetables in an uncovered pot. Did you know that light sensitive micronutrients will escape through steam?

Still want more? Leave a comment below to be entered for a chance to win your own copy of “Naked Calories!”