Health Tips – Nutrition – Diet -Source of Vitamins and Minerals
Health Tips – Nutrition – Diet -Source of Vitamins and Minerals
Food Sources for Vitamins and Minerals:
Vitamin or Mineral |
Examples of Good Food Sources |
What It Does |
Recommended Daily Amount (RDA) or Adequate |
Upper Limit(The Highest Amount You Can Take Without Risk |
---|---|---|---|---|
Milk, yogurt, hard cheeses, fortified cereals, spinach |
Essential for bone growth and strength, blood clotting, muscle contraction, and the transmission of nerve signals |
Adults age 19-50: 1,000 milligrams/day Adults age 51 and up: 1,200 milligrams/day |
2,500 milligrams/day |
|
Choline (Vitamin B complex) |
Milk, liver, eggs, peanuts |
Plays a key role in the production of cells and neurotransmitters |
Men: 550 milligrams/day Women: 425 milligrams/day Pregnant women: 450 milligrams/day Breastfeeding women: 550 milligrams/day |
3,500 milligrams/day |
Chromium |
Meats, poultry, fish, some cereals |
Helps control blood sugar levels |
Adult men age 19-50: 35 micrograms/day Adult men age 51 and up: 30 micrograms/day Adult women age 19-50: 25 micrograms/day Adult women age 51 and up: 20 micrograms/day Pregnant women: 30 micrograms/day Breastfeeding women: 45 micrograms/day |
Unknown |
Copper |
Seafood, nuts, seeds, wheat bran cereals, whole grains |
Important in the metabolism of iron |
Adults: 900 micrograms/day Pregnant women: 1,000 micrograms/day Breastfeeding women: 1,300 micrograms/day |
10,000 micrograms/day |
Fiber |
Bran cereal, peas, lentils, black beans, fruits, vegetables |
Helps with digestion and the maintenance of blood sugar levels; reduces the risk of heart disease |
Adult men age 19-50: 38 grams/day Adult men age 51 and up: 30 grams/day Adult women age 19-50: 25 grams/day Adult women age 51 and up: 21 grams/day Pregnant women: 28 grams/day Breastfeeding women: 29 grams/day |
None |
Fluoride |
Fluoridated water, some sea fish, some toothpastes and mouth rinses |
Adult men: 4 milligrams/day Adult women (including pregnant and breastfeeding): 3 milligrams/day |
10 milligrams/day |
|
Folic Acid (Folate) |
Dark, leafy vegetables; enriched and whole grain breads; fortified cereals |
Key for the development of cells, protein metabolism and heart health; in pregnant women, helps prevent birth defects |
Adults: 400 micrograms/day Pregnant women: 600 micrograms/day Breastfeeding women: 500 micrograms/day |
1,000 micrograms/day |
Iodine |
Processed foods and iodized salt |
Important in the production of thyroid hormones |
Adults: 150 micrograms/day Pregnant women: 220 micrograms/day Breastfeeding women: 290 micrograms/day |
1,100 micrograms/day |
Iron |
Fortified cereals, beans, lentils, beef, eggs |
Key component of red blood cells and many enzymes |
Men: 8 milligrams/day Women age 19-50: 18 milligrams/day Women age 51 and up: 8 milligrams/day Pregnant women: 27 milligrams/day Breastfeeding women: 9 milligrams/day |
45 milligrams/day |
Magnesium |
Green leafy vegetables, Brazil nuts, almonds, soybeans, halibut, quinoa |
Helps with heart rhythm, muscle and nerve function, bone strength |
Adult men age 19-30: 400 milligrams/day Adult men age 31 and up: 420 milligrams/day Adult women age 19-30: 310 milligrams/day Adult women age 31 and up: 320 milligrams/day Pregnant women: 350-360 milligrams/day Breastfeeding women: 310-320 milligrams/day |
For magnesium in food and water, there is no upper limit. For magnesium in supplements or fortified foods: 350 milligrams/day |
Manganese |
Nuts, beans and other legumes, tea, whole grains |
Important in forming bones and some enzymes |
Men: 2.3 milligrams/day Adult women: 1.8 milligrams/day Pregnant women: 2.0 milligrams/day Breastfeeding women: 2.6 milligrams/day |
11 milligrams/day |
Molybdenum |
Legumes, grains, nuts |
Key in the production of some enzymes |
Adults: 45 micrograms/day Pregnant and breastfeeding women: 50 micrograms/day |
2,000 micrograms/day |
Phosphorus |
Milk and other dairy products, peas, meat, eggs, some cereals and breads |
Allows cells to function normally; helps the body produce energy; key in bone growth |
Adults: 700 milligrams/day |
Adults up to age 70: 4,000 milligrams/day Adults over age 70: 3,000 milligrams/day Pregnant women: 3500 milligrams/day Breastfeeding women: 4,000 milligrams/day |
Potassium |
Sweet potato, bananas, yogurt, yellowfin tuna, soybeans |
Important in maintaining normal fluid balance; helps control blood pressure; reduces risk of kidney stones |
Adults: 4,700 milligrams per day Breastfeeding women: 5,100 milligrams/day |
Unknown |
Selenium |
Organ meats, seafood, some plants (if grown in soil with selenium) Brazil nuts. |
Protects cells from damage; regulates thyroid hormone |
Adults: 55 micrograms/day Pregnant women: 60 micrograms/day Breastfeeding women: 70 micrograms/day |
400 micrograms/day |
Sodium |
Foods to which sodium chloride (salt) has been added, like salted meats, nuts, butter, and a vast number of processed foods |
Important for fluid balance |
Adults age 19-50: 1500 milligrams/day Adults age 51-70: 1,300 milligrams/day Adults age 71 and up: 1,200 milligrams/day |
2,300 milligrams/day |
Vitamin A |
Sweet potato with peel, carrots, spinach, fortified cereals |
Necessary for normal vision, immune function, reproduction |
Men: 900 micrograms/day Women: 700 micrograms/day |
3,000 micrograms/day |
Vitamin B1 (Thiamin) |
Whole grain, enriched, fortified products; bread; cereals |
Allows the body to process carbohydrates and some protein. |
Men: 1.2 milligrams/day Women: 1.1 milligrams/day Pregnant and breastfeeding women: 1.4 milligrams/day |
Unknown |
Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin) |
Milk, bread products, fortified cereals |
Key in metabolism and the conversion of food into energy; helps produce red blood cells |
Men: 1.3 milligrams/day Women: 1.1 milligrams/day Pregnant Women: 1.4 milligrams/day Breastfeeding Women: 1.6 milligrams/day |
Unknown |
Vitamin B3 (Niacin) |
Meat, fish, poultry, enriched and whole grain breads, fortified cereals |
Assists in digestion and the conversion of food into energy; important in the production of cholesterol |
Men: 16 milligrams/day Women: 14 milligrams/day Pregnant Women: 18 milligrams/day ? Breastfeeding women: 17 milligrams/day |
For niacin in natural sources, there is no upper limit. For niacin in supplements or fortified foods: 35 milligrams/day |
Vitamin B5 (Pantothenic Acid) |
Chicken, beef, potatoes, oats, cereals, tomatoes |
Important in fatty acid metabolism |
Adults: 5 milligrams/day Pregnant women: 6 milligrams/day Breastfeeding women: 7 milligrams/day |
Unknown |
Vitamin B6 |
Fortified cereals, fortified soy products, organ meats |
Important for the nervous system; helps the body metabolize proteins and sugar |
Men age 19-50: 1.3 milligrams/day Men age 51 up: 1.7 milligrams/day Women age 19-50: 1.3 milligrams/day Women age 51 up: 1.5 milligrams/day Pregnant women: 1.9 milligrams/day Breastfeeding women: 2 milligrams/day |
100 milligrams/day |
Vitamin B7 (Biotin) |
Liver, fruits, meats |
Helps with the synthesis of fats, glycogen and amino acids |
Adults: 30 micrograms/day Breastfeeding women: 35 micrograms/day |
Unknown |
Vitamin B12 (Cobalamin) |
Fish, poultry, meat, fortified cereals |
Important in the production of red blood cells |
Adults: 2.4 micrograms/day Pregnant women: 2.6 micrograms/day Breastfeeding women: 2.8 micrograms/day |
Unknown |
Vitamin C |
Red and green peppers, kiwis, oranges, strawberries, broccoli |
Antioxidant that protects against cell damage, boosts the immune system, forms collagen in the body |
Men: 90 milligrams/day Women: 75 milligrams/day Pregnant women: 85 milligrams/day Breastfeeding women: 120 milligrams/day |
2,000 milligrams/day |
Vitamin D (Calciferol) |
Fish liver oils, fatty fish, fortified milk products, fortified cereals; also, formed naturally as a result of sunlight exposure |
Crucial in metabolizing calcium for healthy bones |
Adults age 18-50: 5 micrograms/day Adults age 51-70: 10 micrograms/day Adults over age 70: 15 micrograms/day Pregnant and breastfeeding women: 5 micrograms/day |
50 micrograms/day |
Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) |
Fortified cereals, sunflower seeds, almonds, peanut butter, vegetable oils |
Antioxidant that protects cells against damage |
Adults (including pregnant women): 15 milligrams/day Breastfeeding women: 19 |
1,000 milligrams/day |
Vitamin K |
Green vegetables like spinach, collards, and broccoli; brussels sprouts; cabbage |
Important in blood clotting and bone health |
Men: 120 micrograms/day |
As I’m unable to add image to this post, I will try to show you the image in text from…