Oxygen (bound to hemoglobin in red blood cells) is the most critical nutrient carried by the blood.

Though infants, children, and adolescents suffer more from malnutrition because of their need for critical nutrients for their normal development.

However, the standard western diet is severely deficient in these critical nutrients.

Add in salmon's lean protein and vitamin D (a critical nutrient many women lack), and you've got yourself a near-perfect food.

And unless taken with vitamin E, large doses of fish oil can deplete the body's supply of this critical antioxidant nutrient.

But overcooking can destroy critical nutrients, folate in particular.

This is because many plant foods contain substances that inhibit the absorption of critical nutrients.

The application of trees and legumes alongside desho improves soil fertility by regenerating critical nutrients such as fixed nitrogen from legumes.

Calcium and vitamin D are also critical nutrients to take in as we age that help us maintain proper bone strength.

Because of reduced nutritional value, processed foods are often 'enriched' or 'fortified' with some of the most critical nutrients (usually certain vitamins) that were lost during processing.