What to Eat to Get All Vitamins

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

Choosing foods each day that are rich in vitamins and minerals is the best way for your body to go what it needs to be good for you. However, inquiry consistently finds that almost Americans don't go enough vitamins and minerals in their diets.

According to the U.S. Section of Agriculture (USDA), adult Americans do not typically become enough of the following nutrients:

calcium
potassium
fiber
magnesium
vitamins A, C, D, and Eastward

Path to improved health

Try to incorporate more than of these nutrients in your daily diet. Information technology'south best to get these nutrients through food, instead of simply taking a multivitamin. This is considering it is easier for your body to absorb micronutrients through food.

If y'all are unable to become all the nutrients you lot need from food alone, ask your md ifdietary supplements are right for you.

Calcium

Your body needs calcium to build strong bones and teeth in babyhood and adolescence. As an adult, you need calcium to maintain os mass. According to the USDA, the boilerplate American adult (eating roughly 2,000 calories per day) should get 1,136 milligrams of calcium each day.

The following foods are good sources of calcium:

Nonfat or low-fat yogurt (8 ounces = 345-452 milligrams).
Nonfat or depression-fat cheese (ii ounces = 400 milligrams).
Depression-fat milk (1 cup = 290 milligrams) or skim milk (1 cup = 306 milligrams).
Fish and seafood such as sardines (3 ounces = 325 milligrams), pink salmon (3 ounces = 181 milligrams) and ocean perch (3 ounces = 116 milligrams).
Beans such every bit soybeans (one/2 cup = 130 milligrams) and white beans (one/ii cup = 96 milligrams).
Spinach (1/2 loving cup = 146 milligrams).
Oatmeal (1 packet = 99-110 milligrams).

Who might non get enough?

Boys ages 9 to 13 years.
Girls ages 9 to xviii years.
Men older than 70 years.
Women older than fifty 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 schoolhouse for a good for you boost.

Potassium

A diet rich in potassium helps your body maintain a salubrious blood pressure level. The USDA recommends that the average American swallow 4,044 milligrams of potassium each 24-hour interval.

The following foods are good sources of potassium:

Potatoes:
- sweet potatoes (1 sweetness potato = 694 milligrams)
- white potatoes (1 potato = 610 milligrams)

Beans:
- white beans (ane/ii cup = 595 milligrams)
- soybeans (one/2 loving cup = 485 milligrams)
- lima beans (1/2 cup = 484 milligrams)
- kidney beans (one/2 loving cup = 358 milligrams)

Yogurt:
- nonfat yogurt (8 ounces = 579 milligrams)
- low-fat yogurt (8 ounces = 531 milligrams)

Milk:
- skim milk (one cup = 382 milligrams)
- low-fat milk (1 cup = 366 milligrams)

Fruit:
- bananas (1 medium banana = 422 milligrams)
- peaches (1/iv cup = 398 milligrams)
- cantaloupe (1/4 medium melon = 368 milligrams)
- honeydew melon (1/eight medium melon = 365 milligrams)

Fish:
- halibut (3 ounces = 490 milligrams)
- yellowfin tuna (3 ounces = 484 milligrams)
- rockfish (3 ounces = 442 milligrams)
- cod (3 ounces = 439 milligrams)

Love apple-based products:
- paste (1/four cup = 664 milligrams)
- puree (one/2 cup = 549 milligrams)
- juice (3/4 cup = 417 milligrams)
- sauce (1/2 cup = 405 milligrams)

Who might not become plenty?

Potassium is the nutrient Americans are missing most.

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

Magnesium

Magnesium is a nutrient that helps your trunk produce energy, and helps your muscles, arteries, and center piece of work properly. According to the USDA, the boilerplate American developed should get 380 milligrams of magnesium each day.

The following foods are good sources of magnesium:

Vegetables:
- pumpkin (1 ounce = 151 milligrams)
- spinach (1/2 cup = 81 milligrams)
- artichokes (1/two cup = fifty milligrams)
Bran cereal (ane ounce = 103 milligrams)
Beans:
- soybeans (1/2 cup = 74 milligrams)
- white beans (1/2 loving cup = 67 milligrams)
- black beans (1/2 cup = 60 milligrams)
- navy beans (1/two cup = 48 milligrams)
- slap-up northern beans (1/2 cup = 44 milligrams)
Tofu (1/2 cup = 47 milligrams)
Dark-brown rice (1/2 cup = 42 milligrams)
Nuts:
- brazil nuts (1 ounce = 107 milligrams)
- almonds (i ounce = 78 milligrams)
- cashews (1 ounce = 74 milligrams)
- peanuts (1 ounce = l milligrams)

Who might not go plenty?

Children ages four to 18.
Adults age 51 and older.
People who are obese.

Vitamin A

Vitamin A is associated with vision development and cellular growth and maintenance. Adults should get 700-900 micrograms of Vitamin A per mean solar day.

The post-obit foods are good sources of vitamin A:

Organ meats, such equally liver and giblets (3 ounces = 1490-9126 micrograms)
Vegetables:
- sweet potatoes (one medium white potato = 1096 micrograms)
- pumpkin (1/2 cup = 953 micrograms)
- carrots (1/two cup = 679 micrograms)
- spinach (1/2 cup = 573 micrograms)
- turnip greens (1/two loving cup = 441 micrograms)
Cantaloupe (ane/4 medium melon = 233 micrograms)

Who might not get plenty?

Children ages four to xviii.
Adults age 51 and older.
People who are obese.
Vegetarians.
People who abuse booze.

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

Vitamin C

Vitamin C helps the body form collagen (which is the main protein used as connective tissue in the body) in blood vessels, basic, cartilage, and musculus. Adults should get 65-90 milligrams of Vitamin C per mean solar day.

The following foods are good sources of vitamin C:

Fruits:
- guava (i/2 loving cup = 188 milligrams)
- oranges (ane medium orangish = 70 milligrams)
- kiwi (1 medium kiwi = 70 milligrams)
- strawberries (1/2 cup = 49 milligrams)
- cantaloupe (1/four medium melon = 47 milligrams)
- papaya (one/4 medium papaya = 47 milligrams)
- pineapple (ane/ii cup = 28 milligrams)
- mango (ane/2 loving cup = 23 milligrams)

Vegetables:
- raw crimson sugariness pepper (1/2 cup = 142 milligrams)
- raw green sweetness pepper (1/2 cup = lx milligrams)
- Brussels sprouts (1/2 cup = 48 milligrams)
- broccoli (one/2 cup 38 milligrams)
- sweet potatoes (1/2 cup = 34 milligrams)
- cauliflower (1/ii cup = 28 milligrams)

Who might not go plenty?

Children ages 4 to 18.
Adults age 51 and older.
People who are obese.
People who fume.
Meaning/breastfeeding women.

Quick Tip: Make fresh fruit a function of every breakfast. One cup (about a handful) of halved strawberries or cubed cantaloupe provides the recommended daily amount of vitamin C.

Vitamin D

Your body needs vitamin D then that it tin 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 solar day. Older adults (ages 70 and older) need 800 IU each day. Near 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 solitary considering there are not a lot of nutrient choices rich in vitamin D. In fact, some principal food sources of vitamin D come from foods that take added vitamin D (called fortified foods).

The following foods are sources of vitamin D:

fat fish:
- salmon (3 ounces = 450 IU)
- swordfish (three ounces = 550 IU)
- canned tuna (3 ounces = 150 IU)
fortified milk (8 ounces = 100 IU)
fortified orange juice (8 ounces = 100 IU)
fortified cereal (one cup = 40 IU)
fortified yogurt (6 ounces = 80 IU)
cheese, Swiss (1 ounce = 6 IU)

Who might not become enough?

Children ages 4 to eighteen.
Adults age lxx and older.
People who are obese.

Vitamin E

Vitamin E is an antioxidant, which is a nutrient that helps fight damage to the cells in the torso. Adults need xv milligrams of vitamin Due east per day.

The following foods are good sources of vitamin Eastward:

basics and seeds:
- sunflower seeds (ane ounce = 7.4 milligrams)
- almonds (one ounce = 7.3 milligrams)
- hazelnuts (one ounce = 4.3 milligrams)
- pine nuts (ane ounce = 2.6 milligrams)
- peanuts (ane ounce = two.2 milligrams)
- brazil nuts (1 ounce = 1.vi milligrams)
turnip greens (1/two loving cup = two.9 milligrams)
peanut butter (2 tablespoons = two.5 milligrams)
dpinach (1/two cup = 1.9 milligrams)
avocado (1/2 avocado = 2.i milligrams)
tomato-based products:
- paste (i/4 cup = 2.8 milligrams)
- sauce (1/2 cup = 2.5 milligrams)
- puree (i/2 cup = 2.five milligrams)

Who might not become enough?

Children ages iv to eighteen.
Adults historic period 51 and older.
People who are obese.

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

Things to consider

Non getting the vitamins and minerals can have serious consequences for your wellness. A general lack of nutrients tin 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 just can be only as dangerous. Some vitamin deficiencies tin can even be life-threatening.

Having too much of some vitamins in your organization can also exist dangerous. For example, an overdose of vitamin A during pregnancy can cause problems with the baby's development in the womb. For this reason, information technology is very important to talk your doctor before you start taking any supplements. This is especially important if yous are pregnant or have health conditions.

When to see a doctor

The symptoms of vitamin deficiency vary. Some deficiencies accept no symptoms at all. In full general, if y'all have any of these symptoms, you should contact your doctor:

You lot are losing your pilus.
You experience weak.
You lot are frequently tired, fifty-fifty when you lot get plenty of sleep.
You have cracks in the corners of your oral fissure.
You accept acne-like bumps on your cheeks, upper arms, thighs, and buttocks.
Your vision is getting worse, especially at dark.
You have dry eyes.
You are depressed.
You are irritable.
Y'all are having panic attacks.
You have tingling or numbness in your hands and feet.
Your gums bleed.

Questions to enquire your doctor

How can I know if I'm getting enough vitamins and minerals?
Should I be taking a multivitamin or other dietary supplement?
Should my child be taking a multivitamin or other dietary supplement?
Does it matter where I buy my vitamins?
Is ane make of vitamins improve than another?
Do vitamins have whatsoever negative side furnishings?

Resources

Part of Disease Prevention and Wellness Promotion, health.gov: 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans

What to Eat to Get All Vitamins