Vitamins and Minerals: How to get what your body

needs
Choosing foods each day that are rich in vitamins and minerals is the best way your body is getting
what it needs to be healthy. However, research consistently finds that most Americans have diets that
lack an appropriate amount of vitamins and minerals.

Micronutrients are the vitamins and minerals found in food that nourish your body and help keep you
healthy. They are essential to your overall health.

There are seven main nutrition body needs for daily function and healthy leaving. Which are: -

 Calcium
 Potassium
 Fiber
 Magnesium
 Vitamin A, C, D, And E

Ways to Improve Health

Try to incorporate more of these nutrients in your daily diet. Keep in mind that it’s best to get these
nutrients through food, instead of just taking a multivitamin. This is because it is easier for your body
to absorb micronutrients through food.

If you are unable to get all the nutrients you need from food alone, ask your doctor if dietary
supplements are right for you.

1. Calcium

Our body needs calcium to build strong bones and teeth in childhood and adolescence and to carry
out many important functions. Almost all calcium is stored in bones and teeth, where it supports their
structure and hardness. As an adult, you need calcium to maintain bone mass.

The following foods are good sources of calcium:

 Low-fat cheese

 Low-fat yogurt

 Low fat milk or Skim milk

 Fish and Seafood

 Soybeans

 Oatmeal

Who might not get enough?

 Boys ages 9 to 13 years

  Girls ages 9 to 18 years.

 Men older than 70 years.

 Women older than 50 years.

 Vegans and vegetarians.

 People who are lactose intolerant.

Quick Tip: Almonds contain calcium and are the perfect snack. Pack a handful to take to work or

school for a healthy boost.

2. Potassium
A diet rich in potassium helps your body maintain a healthy blood pressure. It helps your muscles
work, includes the muscles that control your heartbeat and breathing. Potassium comes from food we
eat.

The following foods are good sources of potassium:

 Potatoes:

 Sweet Potatoes

 White Potatoes

 Beans:

 White Beans

 Soybeans

 Lima beans

 Kidney Beans

 Yogurt:

 Nonfat and Low-fat Yogurt

 Milk:

 Skim milk and Low-fat milk

 Fruit:

 Bananas

 Peaches

 Cantaloupe

 Honeydew melon
  Orange

 Apricot

 Grapefruit

 Prune

 Cucumbers

 Fish:

 Halibut

 Yellowfin tuna

 Rockfish

 Cod

 Tomato-based products:

 Paste

 Puree

 Juice

 Sauce

Quick Tip: Cut up a banana and mix it with a cup of low- or nonfat yogurt to make a healthy snack or

light lunch.

3. Magnesium
Magnesium is a nutrient that helps your body produce energy, and helps your muscles, arteries, and
heart work properly. It is important for normal bone structure in the body. People get magnesium
from their diet, but sometimes magnesium supplements are needed if magnesium levels are too low.

The following foods are good sources of magnesium:

 Vegetables

 Bran cereal

 Beans (White beans, Black beans, Navy beans, great northern beans

 Tofu (1/2 cup)

 Brown rice (1/2 cup)

 Nuts (Brazil nuts, Almonds, Cashews, Peanuts)

Who might not get enough?

 Non-Hispanic blacks.

 Children ages 4 to 18.

 Adults age 51 and older.

 People who are obese

4. Vitamin A
Vitamin A is a fat-soluble vitamin that is naturally present in many foods. Vitamin A is associated with
vision development and cellular growth and maintenance. It also helps the heart, lungs, kidneys, and
other organs work properly.

The following foods are good sources of vitamin A:

 Organ meats, such as liver and giblets

 Vegetables:

 Sweet potatoes (1 medium potato)

 Pumpkin (1/2 cup)

 Carrots (1/2 cup)

 Spinach (1/2 cup)

 Turnip greens (1/2 cup)

 Cantaloupe (1/4 medium melon)

Who might not get enough?

 Hispanics and Non-Hispanic blacks.

 Children ages 4 to 18.

 Adults age 51 and older.

 People who are obese.

 Vegetarians.

 People who abuse alcohol.

Quick Tip: A medium-sized sweet potato provides more than 100% of the daily-recommended

amount of vitamin A!
5. Vitamin C
Vitamin C is one of the most effective nutrients, experts say. It helps the body form collagen (which is
the main protein used as connective tissue in the body) in blood vessels, bones, cartilage, and muscle.

The following foods are good sources of vitamin C:

 Fruits:

 Guava (1/2 cup)

 Oranges (1 medium orange)

 Kiwi (1 medium kiwi)

 Strawberries (1/2 cup)

 Cantaloupe (1/4 medium melon)

 Papaya (1/4 medium papaya)

 Pineapple (1/2 cup)

 Mango (1/2 cup)

 Vegetables:

 Raw red sweet pepper (1/2 cup)

 Raw green sweet pepper (1/2 cup)

 Brussels sprouts (1/2 cup)

 Sweet potatoes (1/2 cup)

 Cauliflower (1/2 cup)

Who might not get enough?

 Children ages 4 to 18.

 Adults age 51 and older.

 People who are obese.

 People who smoke.

 Pregnant/breastfeeding women.

Quick Tip: Make fresh fruit a part of every breakfast. One cup (about a handful) of halved

strawberries or cubed cantaloupe provides the recommended daily amount of vitamin C.

6. Vitamin D
Your body needs vitamin D so that it can absorb calcium to promote bone growth and maintain strong
bones and teeth. The average adult needs 600 International Units (IU) of vitamin D each day. Older
adults (ages 70 and older) need 800 IU each day. Most people get some level of vitamin D through
exposure to sunlight. However, using sunscreen will decrease your exposure to vitamin D.

It is also difficult to get enough vitamin D through diet alone because there are not a lot of food
choices rich in vitamin D. In fact, some primary food sources of vitamin D come from foods that have
added vitamin D (called fortified foods).

The following foods are sources of vitamin D:

 Fatty fish:

 Salmon (3 ounces = 450 IU)

 Swordfish (3 ounces = 550 IU)

 Canned tuna (3 ounces = 150 IU)

 Fortified milk

 Fortified orange juice

 Fortified cereal

 Fortified yogurt

 Cheese

 Swiss

Who might not get enough?

 Hispanics and Non-Hispanic blacks.

 Children ages 4 to 18.

 Adults age 70 and older.

 People who are obese.

7. Vitamin E
Vitamin E is a vital nutrient for good health, and it’s found in a wide variety of foods and supplements.
It is an antioxidant, which is a nutrient that helps fight damage to the cells in the body.

The following foods are good sources of vitamin E:

 Nuts and seeds:

  Sunflower seeds

 Almonds

 Hazelnuts

 Pine nuts

 Peanuts

 Brazil nuts

 Turnip greens (1/2 cup)

 Peanut butter (2 tablespoons)

 Spinach (1/2 cup)

 Avocado (1/2 avocado)

 Tomato-based products:

 Paste

 Sauce

 Puree

Who might not get enough?

 Hispanics and Non-Hispanic blacks.

 Children ages 4 to 18.

 Adults age 51 and older.

 People who are obese.

Quick Tip: A small handful of almonds provides half of the daily recommended amount of vitamin E.

Things to Remember

Not getting the vitamins and minerals that your body needs can have serious consequences for your
health. A general lack of nutrients can lead to malnutrition. This is sometimes easier to recognize and
to treat. A lack of even one specific vitamin or mineral is harder to diagnose, but can be just as
dangerous. Some vitamin deficiencies can even be life-threatening.

Having too much of some vitamins in your system can also be dangerous. For example, an overdose of
vitamin A during pregnancy can cause problems with the baby’s development in the womb. For this
reason, it is very important to talk your doctor before you start taking any supplements. This is
especially important if you are pregnant or have health conditions.
The symptoms of vitamin deficiency vary. Some deficiencies have no symptoms at all. In general, if
you have any of these symptoms, you should contact your doctor:

 You are losing your hair.

 You feel weak.

 You are often tired, even when you get plenty of sleep.

 You have cracks in the corners of your mouth.

 You have acne-like bumps on your cheeks, upper arms, thighs, and buttocks.

 Your vision is getting worse, especially at night.

 You have dry eyes.

 You are depressed.

 You are irritable.

 You are having panic attacks.

 You have tingling or numbness in your hands and feet.

 Your gums bleed.