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What foods are the source of the most important vitamins & minerals, and how will my body benefit?
The best way to get the vitamins and minerals you need is by eating a varied, balanced diet, rich in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. This table describes the health benefits of the most important vitamins and minerals and the foods you can eat to get those nutrients. Vitamins are divided into two categories— fat soluble and water soluble. Fat-soluble vitamins are found in fats and oils in foods and they are stored in body fat. Water-soluble vitamins dissolve in water and mix easily in the blood. Your body stores only small amounts of them and they are excreted in urine. Some vitamins are antioxidants—chemicals that prevent damaging changes in cells and may help protect against cancer, heart disease, and aging.
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VITAMIN OR MINERAL BEST SOURCES HEALTH BENEFITS
FAT-SOLUBLE VITAMINS
Vitamin A Animal sources such as milk, eggs, cheese, butter, chicken, liver Antioxidant, essential for growth and development; maintains healthy vision, skin, and mucous membranes
Vitamin D Fortified milk Essential for formation of bones and teeth; helps the body absorb and use calcium
Vitamin E Vegetable oils, whole grains, wheat germ, nuts, leafy green vegetables Antioxidant; helps form blood cells, muscles, and lung and nerve tissue; boosts the immune system
Vitamin K Dark green leafy vegetables, liver, egg yolks Essential for blood clotting
Beta carotene Orange and deep yellow vegetables and fruit (carrots, sweet potatoes, winter squash, cantaloupe, pumpkins, mangoes); the body converts beta carotene in yellow and orange vegetables and fruits and some dark green leafy vegetables (spinach, broccoli) into vitamin A Antioxidant; used by the body to make vitamin A
WATER-SOLUBLE VITAMINS
Vitamin C Citrus fruits, vegetables (tomatoes, green peppers, cabbage), leafy green vegetables Antioxidant; necessary for healthy bones, teeth, and skin; helps in wound healing
Thiamin (vitamin B1) Whole grains, enriched breads and cereals, pork, liver, peas Helps convert food into energy
Riboflavin (vitamin B2) Meats, fish, whole grains, milk products, dark green vegetables, enriched breads and cereals, enriched pasta Helps in energy production and other chemical processes in the body; helps maintain healthy eyes, skin, and nerve function
Niacin (vitamin B3) Whole grains, milk products, meat, poultry, fish, nuts, broccoli, green peas, green beans Helps convert food into energy; helps maintain proper brain function
Vitamin B6 Whole wheat products, meat, fish, nuts, green beans, bananas, green leafy vegetables, potatoes Helps produce essential proteins; helps convert protein into energy
Vitamin B12 Dairy products, eggs, liver Helps produce the genetic material of cells; helps convert carbohydrates into energy; helps with formation of red blood cells and maintenance of central nervous system; helps make amino acids (the building blocks of proteins)
Folic acid (folate) Dark green leafy vegetables, fruits, dried beans and peas, liver Necessary to produce the genetic material of cells; essential in first 3 months of pregnancy for preventing birth defects; helps in red blood cell formation; protects against heart disease
MINERALS
Calcium Dairy products, sardines (with bones), salmon, dark green leafy vegetables Essential for building bones and teeth and maintaining bone strength; important in muscle function
Chromium Whole grains, brewer's yeast, nuts, dried beans Works with insulin to convert carbohydrates and fat into energy
Copper Whole grains, nuts, liver, oysters Essential for making hemoglobin (oxygen carrying protein in red blood cells) and collagen (a protein in connective tissue); essential for healthy functioning of the heart; helps in energy production; helps in absorption of iron from digestive tract
Iron Meat, poultry, fish, dried beans, nuts, dried fruits, whole-grain and enriched grain products Helps in energy production; helps to carry oxygen in the bloodstream and to transfer oxygen to muscles
Magnesium Leafy green vegetables, nuts, whole grains, dried peas and beans, dairy products, fish, meat, poultry Essential for healthy nerve and muscle function and bone formation; may help prevent premenstrual syndrome (PMS)
Phosphorus Meat, dairy products, poultry, fish, grain products Essential for building strong bones and teeth; helps in formation of genetic material; helps in energy production and storage
Potassium Fruits, vegetables, nuts, grains, seeds Essential for maintaining balance of body fluids, transmitting nerve signals, and producing energy
Selenium Fish, meat, whole-grain breads and cereals, milk Antioxidant; essential for healthy functioning of the heart muscle
Sodium Table salt, vegetables, animal foods, some bottled waters Essential for maintaining normal blood pressure and balance of body fluids and for transmitting nerve signals
Zinc Meats, poultry, oysters, eggs, legumes, nuts, milk, yogurt, whole-grain cereals Essential for cell reproduction, normal growth and development in children, wound healing (tissue repair and growth), and production of sperm and the male hormone testosterone
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WHAT FOODS ARE GOOD SOURCES OF IRON?
Iron is important for healthy red blood cells, which deliver oxygen throughout your body. FOOD SERVING SIZE IRON
(milligrams)
FISH, MEAT, POULTRY, DRIED BEANS, NUTS, AND EGGS
Clams (steamed) 3 ounces 23.8
Oysters 3 ounces 10.2
Mussels (steamed/boiled) 3 ounces 5.7
RDA FOR WOMEN
18 to 50 years:
15 milligrams (mg)
51 years and older:
10 mg
RDA FOR MEN
11 to 18 years:
12 mg
19 years and older:
10 mg
Soybeans (cooked) 1/2 cup 4.4
Lentils (cooked) 1/2 cup 3.3
Sirloin steak (broiled) 3 ounces 2.9
Shrimp (boiled) 3 ounces 2.6
Red kidney beans (cooked) 1/2 cup 2.6
Chickpeas (cooked) 1/2 cup 2.4
Black beans (cooked) 1/2 cup 2.3
Turkey, dark meat only (roasted) 3 ounces 2
Sardines 3 ounces 1.2
VEGETABLES (COOKED UNLESS OTHERWISE SPECIFIED)
Potato with skin (baked) 1 medium 1.6
Spinach 1/2 cup 1.4
Lima beans 1/2 cup 1.2
FRUITS
Raisins 12 tablespoons 4.7
Prunes 4 2.4
BREAD, CEREAL, RICE, AND PASTA
Ready-to-eat cereal, fortified 1 ounce 1-18
Bagel, plain 1 2.4
Pasta 1 cup 2
Oatmeal (cooked) 3/4 cup 1.2
Whole-grain bread 1 slice 1
The best way to get the vitamins and minerals you need is by eating a varied, balanced diet, rich in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. This table describes the health benefits of the most important vitamins and minerals and the foods you can eat to get those nutrients. Vitamins are divided into two categories— fat soluble and water soluble. Fat-soluble vitamins are found in fats and oils in foods and they are stored in body fat. Water-soluble vitamins dissolve in water and mix easily in the blood. Your body stores only small amounts of them and they are excreted in urine. Some vitamins are antioxidants—chemicals that prevent damaging changes in cells and may help protect against cancer, heart disease, and aging.
----------------------------------------------
VITAMIN OR MINERAL BEST SOURCES HEALTH BENEFITS
FAT-SOLUBLE VITAMINS
Vitamin A Animal sources such as milk, eggs, cheese, butter, chicken, liver Antioxidant, essential for growth and development; maintains healthy vision, skin, and mucous membranes
Vitamin D Fortified milk Essential for formation of bones and teeth; helps the body absorb and use calcium
Vitamin E Vegetable oils, whole grains, wheat germ, nuts, leafy green vegetables Antioxidant; helps form blood cells, muscles, and lung and nerve tissue; boosts the immune system
Vitamin K Dark green leafy vegetables, liver, egg yolks Essential for blood clotting
Beta carotene Orange and deep yellow vegetables and fruit (carrots, sweet potatoes, winter squash, cantaloupe, pumpkins, mangoes); the body converts beta carotene in yellow and orange vegetables and fruits and some dark green leafy vegetables (spinach, broccoli) into vitamin A Antioxidant; used by the body to make vitamin A
WATER-SOLUBLE VITAMINS
Vitamin C Citrus fruits, vegetables (tomatoes, green peppers, cabbage), leafy green vegetables Antioxidant; necessary for healthy bones, teeth, and skin; helps in wound healing
Thiamin (vitamin B1) Whole grains, enriched breads and cereals, pork, liver, peas Helps convert food into energy
Riboflavin (vitamin B2) Meats, fish, whole grains, milk products, dark green vegetables, enriched breads and cereals, enriched pasta Helps in energy production and other chemical processes in the body; helps maintain healthy eyes, skin, and nerve function
Niacin (vitamin B3) Whole grains, milk products, meat, poultry, fish, nuts, broccoli, green peas, green beans Helps convert food into energy; helps maintain proper brain function
Vitamin B6 Whole wheat products, meat, fish, nuts, green beans, bananas, green leafy vegetables, potatoes Helps produce essential proteins; helps convert protein into energy
Vitamin B12 Dairy products, eggs, liver Helps produce the genetic material of cells; helps convert carbohydrates into energy; helps with formation of red blood cells and maintenance of central nervous system; helps make amino acids (the building blocks of proteins)
Folic acid (folate) Dark green leafy vegetables, fruits, dried beans and peas, liver Necessary to produce the genetic material of cells; essential in first 3 months of pregnancy for preventing birth defects; helps in red blood cell formation; protects against heart disease
MINERALS
Calcium Dairy products, sardines (with bones), salmon, dark green leafy vegetables Essential for building bones and teeth and maintaining bone strength; important in muscle function
Chromium Whole grains, brewer's yeast, nuts, dried beans Works with insulin to convert carbohydrates and fat into energy
Copper Whole grains, nuts, liver, oysters Essential for making hemoglobin (oxygen carrying protein in red blood cells) and collagen (a protein in connective tissue); essential for healthy functioning of the heart; helps in energy production; helps in absorption of iron from digestive tract
Iron Meat, poultry, fish, dried beans, nuts, dried fruits, whole-grain and enriched grain products Helps in energy production; helps to carry oxygen in the bloodstream and to transfer oxygen to muscles
Magnesium Leafy green vegetables, nuts, whole grains, dried peas and beans, dairy products, fish, meat, poultry Essential for healthy nerve and muscle function and bone formation; may help prevent premenstrual syndrome (PMS)
Phosphorus Meat, dairy products, poultry, fish, grain products Essential for building strong bones and teeth; helps in formation of genetic material; helps in energy production and storage
Potassium Fruits, vegetables, nuts, grains, seeds Essential for maintaining balance of body fluids, transmitting nerve signals, and producing energy
Selenium Fish, meat, whole-grain breads and cereals, milk Antioxidant; essential for healthy functioning of the heart muscle
Sodium Table salt, vegetables, animal foods, some bottled waters Essential for maintaining normal blood pressure and balance of body fluids and for transmitting nerve signals
Zinc Meats, poultry, oysters, eggs, legumes, nuts, milk, yogurt, whole-grain cereals Essential for cell reproduction, normal growth and development in children, wound healing (tissue repair and growth), and production of sperm and the male hormone testosterone
--------------------------------------------
WHAT FOODS ARE GOOD SOURCES OF IRON?
Iron is important for healthy red blood cells, which deliver oxygen throughout your body. FOOD SERVING SIZE IRON
(milligrams)
FISH, MEAT, POULTRY, DRIED BEANS, NUTS, AND EGGS
Clams (steamed) 3 ounces 23.8
Oysters 3 ounces 10.2
Mussels (steamed/boiled) 3 ounces 5.7
RDA FOR WOMEN
18 to 50 years:
15 milligrams (mg)
51 years and older:
10 mg
RDA FOR MEN
11 to 18 years:
12 mg
19 years and older:
10 mg
Soybeans (cooked) 1/2 cup 4.4
Lentils (cooked) 1/2 cup 3.3
Sirloin steak (broiled) 3 ounces 2.9
Shrimp (boiled) 3 ounces 2.6
Red kidney beans (cooked) 1/2 cup 2.6
Chickpeas (cooked) 1/2 cup 2.4
Black beans (cooked) 1/2 cup 2.3
Turkey, dark meat only (roasted) 3 ounces 2
Sardines 3 ounces 1.2
VEGETABLES (COOKED UNLESS OTHERWISE SPECIFIED)
Potato with skin (baked) 1 medium 1.6
Spinach 1/2 cup 1.4
Lima beans 1/2 cup 1.2
FRUITS
Raisins 12 tablespoons 4.7
Prunes 4 2.4
BREAD, CEREAL, RICE, AND PASTA
Ready-to-eat cereal, fortified 1 ounce 1-18
Bagel, plain 1 2.4
Pasta 1 cup 2
Oatmeal (cooked) 3/4 cup 1.2
Whole-grain bread 1 slice 1
