Are you getting the minerals your body needs? Play FOODOKU to find out

Check each row, column and diagonal for your daily amount

Despite striving to eat a balanced diet to maintain good health, there are some nutrients — minerals in particular — that many of us struggle to get enough of.

According to the latest National Diet and Nutrition survey released by the Government, there are important minerals where our average intakes are well below the recommended levels: iron, zinc, magnesium (all forms of metal) and selenium.

this is partly due to the fact that they tend to be less widely distributed in foods than many other nutrients, or are found in only a few foods in high amounts.

take selenium, for instance — an antioxidant that protects cells from damage that can lead to infection and inflammation. it is usually found in soil and plants such as wheat, rice, vegetables and maize — but levels are lower in european-grown crops than North American ones due to differences in the soil types.

selenium intake averages 44 micrograms (mcg) a day in British women, and 50mcg in men, compared with the recommended amount of 55mcg.

it’s a similar story with zinc, found in lean meats, seafood and hard cheeses. the mineral plays a role in many aspects of health including fertility and cognitive function, yet women get only 7.6 milligrams (mg) a day, while men get 9.7mg. the recommended amount is 10mg.

Low intakes of iron, a good source of which is green leafy vegetables, and magnesium are also common, and could contribute to severe fatigue.

With iron in particular — needed to make the red blood cells that carry oxygen around the body — it’s women who fare worse as they lose a little of the mineral with every monthly period. the recommended daily amount is 14mg, yet the average intake is only 9.3mg a day.

With magnesium, which is needed for energy release and a healthy nervous system, the average daily intake for adults is 270mg, yet the suggested amount is 375mg.

While magnesium is found in many foods, there are no standout sources to make it easy to get enough.

Our sudoku-inspired grids offer eight ways of combining foods to get roughly the right amounts of these minerals, based on nutrient reference values (NRV). Look at each row, column and diagonal line for your daily amount.