Source of Vitamins and minerals

 

VITAMIN	BENEFITS			GOOD FOOD SOURCES
RETINOIDS AND CAROTENE (vitamin A; includes retinol, retinal, retinyl esters, and retinoic acid and are also referred to as "preformed" vitamin A. Beta carotene can easily be converted to vitamin A as needed.)	Essential for vision Lycopene may lower prostate cancer risk. Keeps tissues and skin healthy. Plays an important role in bone growth and in the immune system. Diets rich in the carotenoids alpha carotene and lycopene seem to lower lung cancer risk. Carotenoids act as antioxidants. Foods rich in the carotenoids lutein and zeaxanthin may protect against cataracts			Sources of retinoids: beef liver, eggs, shrimp, fish, fortified milk, butter, cheddar cheese, Swiss cheese Sources of beta carotene: sweet potatoes, carrots, pumpkins, squash, spinach, mangoes, turnip greens
THIAMIN (vitamin B1)	Helps convert food into energy. Needed for healthy skin, hair, muscles, and brain and is critical for nerve function.			Pork chops, brown rice, ham, soymilk, watermelons, acorn squash
RIBOFLAVIN (vitamin B2)	Helps convert food into energy. Needed for healthy skin, hair, blood, and brain			Milk, eggs, yogurt, cheese, meats, green leafy vegetables, whole and enriched grains and cereals.
NIACIN (vitamin B3, nicotinic acid)	Helps convert food into energy. Essential for healthy skin, blood cells, brain, and nervous system			Meat, poultry, fish, fortified and whole grains, mushrooms, potatoes, peanut butter
PANTOTHENIC ACID (vitamin B5)	Helps convert food into energy. Helps make lipids (fats), neurotransmitters, steroid hormones, and hemoglobin			Wide variety of nutritious foods, including chicken, egg yolk, whole grains, broccoli, mushrooms, avocados, tomato products
PYRIDOXINE (vitamin B6, pyridoxal, pyridoxine, pyridoxamine)	Aids in lowering homocysteine levels and may reduce the risk of heart diseaseHelps convert tryptophan to niacin and serotonin, a neurotransmitter that plays key roles in sleep, appetite, and moods. Helps make red blood cells Influences cognitive abilities and immune function			Meat, fish, poultry, legumes, tofu and other soy products, potatoes, noncitrus fruits such as bananas and watermelons
COBALAMIN (vitamin B12)	Aids in lowering homocysteine levels and may lower the risk of heart disease. Assists in making new cells and breaking down some fatty acids and amino acids. Protects nerve cells and encourages their normal growth Helps make red blood cells and DNA			Meat, poultry, fish, milk, cheese, eggs, fortified cereals, fortified soymilk
BIOTIN	Helps convert food into energy and synthesize glucose. Helps make and break down some fatty acids. Needed for healthy bones and hair			Many foods, including whole grains, organ meats, egg yolks, soybeans, and fish
ASCORBIC ACID (vitamin C)	Foods rich in vitamin C may lower the risk for some cancers, including those of the mouth, esophagus, stomach, and breast. Long-term use of supplemental vitamin C may protect against cataracts. Helps make collagen, a connective tissue that knits together wounds and supports blood vessel walls. Helps make the neurotransmitters serotonin and norepinephrine Acts as an antioxidant, neutralizing unstable molecules that can damage cells. Bolsters the immune system			Fruits and fruit juices (especially citrus), potatoes, broccoli, bell peppers, spinach, strawberries, tomatoes, Brussels sprouts
CHOLINE	Helps make and release the neurotransmitter acetylcholine, which aids in many nerve and brain activities. Plays a role in metabolizing and transporting fats			Many foods, especially milk, eggs, liver, salmon, and peanuts
CALCIFEROL (vitamin D)	Helps maintain normal blood levels of calcium and phosphorus, which strengthen bones. Helps form teeth and bones. Supplements can reduce the number of non-spinal fractures			Fortified milk or margarine, fortified cereals, fatty fish
ALPHA-TOCOPHEROL (vitamin E)	Acts as an antioxidant, neutralizing unstable molecules that can damage cells. Protects vitamin A and certain lipids from damage. Diets rich in vitamin E may help prevent Alzheimer's disease.			Wide variety of foods, including vegetable oils, salad dressings and margarines made with vegetable oils, wheat germ, leafy green vegetables, whole grains, nuts
FOLIC ACID (vitamin B9, folate, folacin)	Vital for new cell creationHelps prevent brain and spine birth defects when taken early in pregnancy; should be taken regularly by all women of child-bearing age since women may not know they are pregnant in the first weeks of pregnancy. Can lower levels of homocysteine and may reduce heart disease risk May reduce risk for colon cancer. Offsets breast cancer risk among women who consume alcohol			Fortified grains and cereals, asparagus, okra, spinach, turnip greens, broccoli, legumes like black-eyed peas and chickpeas, orange juice, tomato juice
PHYLLOQUINONE, MENADIONE (vitamin K)	Activates proteins and calcium essential to blood clotting. May help prevent hip fractures			Cabbage, liver, eggs, milk, spinach, broccoli, sprouts, kale, collards, and other green vegetables
MINERAL	BENEFITS			GOOD FOOD SOURCES
CALCIUM	Builds and protects bones and teeth. Helps with muscle contractions and relaxation, blood clotting, and nerve impulse transmission. Plays a role in hormone secretion and enzyme activation. Helps maintain healthy blood pressure			Yogurt, cheese, milk, tofu, sardines, salmon, fortified juices, leafy green vegetables, such as broccoli and kale (but not spinach or Swiss chard, which have binders that lessen absorption)
CHLORIDE	Balances fluids in the body. A component of stomach acid, essential to digestion			Salt (sodium chloride), soy sauce, processed foods
CHROMIUM	Enhances the activity of insulin, helps maintain normal blood glucose levels, and is needed to free energy from glucose			Meat, poultry, fish, eggs, potatoes, some cereals, nuts, cheese
COPPER	Plays an important role in iron metabolism and immune system. Helps make red blood cells			Liver, shellfish, nuts, seeds, whole-grain products, beans, prunes, cocoa, black pepper
FLUORIDE	Encourages strong bone formation. Keeps dental cavities from starting or worsening			Water that is fluoridated, toothpaste with fluoride, marine fish, teas
IODINE	Part of thyroid hormone, which helps set body temperature and influences nerve and muscle function, reproduction, and growth. Prevents goiter and a congenital thyroid disorder			Iodized salt, processed foods, seafood
IRON	Helps hemoglobin in red blood cells and myoglobin in muscle cells ferry oxygen throughout the body. Needed for chemical reactions in the body and for making amino acids, collagen, neurotransmitters, and hormones			Red meat, poultry, eggs, fruits, green vegetables, fortified bread and grain products
MAGNESIUM	Needed for many chemical reactions in the body Works with calcium in muscle contraction, blood clotting, and regulation of blood pressure. Helps build bones and teeth			Green vegetables such as spinach and broccoli, legumes, cashews, sunflower seeds and other seeds, halibut, whole-wheat bread, milk
MANGANESE	Helps form bones. Helps metabolize amino acids, cholesterol, and carbohydrates			Fish, nuts, legumes, whole grains, tea
MOLYBDENUM	Part of several enzymes, one of which helps ward off a form of severe neurological damage in infants that can lead to early death			Legumes, nuts, grain products, milk
PHOSPHORUS	Helps build and protect bones and teeth. Part of DNA and RNA. Helps convert food into energy. Part of phospholipids, which carry lipids in blood and help shuttle nutrients into and out of cells			Wide variety of foods, including milk and dairy products, meat, fish, poultry, eggs, liver, green peas, broccoli, potatoes, almonds
POTASSIUM	Balances fluids in the body. Helps maintain steady heartbeat and send nerve impulses. Needed for muscle contractions. A diet rich in potassium seems to lower blood pressure. Getting enough potassium from your diet may benefit bones			Meat, milk, fruits, vegetables, grains, legumes
SELENIUM	Acts as an antioxidant, neutralizing unstable molecules that can damage cells. Helps regulate thyroid hormone activity			Organ meats, seafood, walnuts, sometimes plants (depends on soil content), grain products
SODIUM	Balances fluids in the body. Helps send nerve impulses. Needed for muscle contractions. Impacts blood pressure; even modest reductions in salt consumption can lower blood pressure			Salt, soy sauce, processed foods, vegetables
SULFUR	Helps form bridges that shape and stabilize some protein structures. Needed for healthy hair, skin, and nails			Protein-rich foods, such as meats, fish, poultry, nuts, legumes
ZINC	Helps form many enzymes and proteins and create new cells. Frees vitamin A from storage in the liver. Needed for immune system, taste, smell, and wound healing. When taken with certain antioxidants, zinc may delay the progression of age-related macular degeneration			Red meat, poultry, oysters and some other seafood, fortified cereals, beans, nuts