11/12/2019
What foods? How does it help?
Vitamin A(Retinol or Beta carotene)
Source: Liver, egg yolk, dairy products, margarine. Beta carotene (pro-vitamin A) is found in dark green and deep yellow fruits and vegetables.
RDA: 5,000 IUb
Benefits: Keeps eyes healthy; develops bones; protects linings of respiratory, digestive and urinary tracts; maintains healthy skin and hair. Beta carotene fights free radicals (chemicals that damage cells).
Vitamin B1(Thiamine)
Source: Whole grains, cereals and enriched grain products; also legumes (dried beans, peas, and nuts), organ meats, lean pork and eggs.
RDA: 1.1 - 1.5 mg
Benefits: Promotes healthy functioning of the nerves, muscles and heart. Metabolizes carbohydrates.
Vitamin B2(Riboflavin)
Source: Organ meats, enriched breads and cereals, legumes, almonds, cheese and eggs; also meat, fish and dark green vegetables.
RDA: 1.3 - 1.7 mg
Benefits: Metabolizes carbohydrates, fats and proteins, produces hormones; promotes eye and skin health.
Vitamin B3(Niacin)
Source: Meat, organ meats, whole grains and cereals, and legumes; also eggs, milk, green leafy vegetables and fish.
RDA: 15 - 19 mg
Benefits: Metabolizes carbohydrates and fats; helps functioning of digestive system; maintains health skin.
Vitamin B5(Pantothenic Acid)
Sources: Organ meats, yeast, raw vegetables, eggs and dairy products. None;
RDA: 4 - 7 mg suggested
Benefits: Produces hormones and maintains body's immune system.
Vitamin B6(Pyridoxine)
Success: Whole-grain products, poultry, fish, and nuts; also meat, most fruits and vegetables, eggs and dairy products
RDA: 1.6 - 2 mg
Benefits: Metabolizes protein; helps produce hemoglobin; promotes functioning of digestive and nervous systems, and healthy skin.
Vitamin B12(Cyanocobalamin)
Sources: Primarily organ meats; also fish, lean meats, poultry, cheese, and eggs.
RDA: 2 µg
Benefits: Builds genetic material of cells and produces blood cells.
Vitamin C(Ascorbic Acid)
Sources: Almost exclusively fruits and vegetables (especially citrus fruits, tomatoes, peppers, strawberries, and cantaloupe) although breast milk and organ meats contain small amounts.
RDA: 100 - 200 mg
Benefits: An antioxidant, fights and resists infection; heals wounds; promotes growth and maintenance of bones, teeth, gums, ligaments and blood vessels.
Vitamin D(Cholecalciferol)
Sources: For most people, sun exposure is the primary source of vitamin D. Food sources include Vitamin D-fortified milk, eggs, fish-liver oils and fatty fish such as herring, mackerel and salmon.
RDA: 400 IU
Benefits: Builds strong bones and teeth and maintains the nervous system.
Vitamin E(Tocopherol)
Sources: vegetable oils, nuts, wheat germ and whole-wheat products, egg yolks and green leafy vegetables.
RDA: Women 8 mg; Men 10 mg
Benefits: Protects the lungs, nervous system, skeletal muscle and the eye's retina from damage by free radicals; may reduce risk of heart disease by protecting against atherosclerosis.
Vitamin H(Biotin)
Sources: Oats, organ meats, yeast and eggs (cooked); also whole-wheat products, dairy products, fish and tomatoes.
RDA: 30 - 200 µg suggested
Benefits: Metabolizes proteins and carbohydrates; breaks down fatty acids.
Vitamin K
Sources: Dark green leafy vegetables, eggs, cheese, pork and liver.
RDA: 60 - 80 mg
Benefits: Promotes normal blood clotting.
Vitamin M(Folic Acid)
Sources: vegetables (especially dark-green ones), organ meats, whole-wheat products, legumes and mushrooms.
RDA:180 - 200 µg
Benefits: Synthesis of protein and genetic materials; may help prevent some cancers, heart disease and stroke; when taken during pregnancy, protects against some birth defects.
Calcium (Ca)
Sources: Primarily in milk and dairy products; also dark-green vegetables, legumes, shellfish, fish with edible bones and tofu; also calcium-fortified orange juice.
RDA: 800 - 1,200 mg
Benefits: Builds bones and teeth; promotes blood clotting, contraction of muscles and nerve impulses.
Chromium (Cr)
Sources: Whole wheat and other whole grains and molasses.
RDA: 50 - 200 µg suggested
Benefits: An essential nutrient required for normal sugar and fat metabolism; may also help prevent high cholesterol and atherosclerosis.
Copper (Cu)
Sources: Organ meats, shellfish, whole-gOrganproducts, legumes and dried fruits.
RDA: 2 - 3 mg suggested
Benefits: Builds bones, red blood cells and hemoglobin; metabolizes iron, maintains connective tissue and blood vessels; may play a role in cancer prevention.
Fluoride (F)
Sources: Seafood, tea, coffee and soybeans; sodium fluoride is often added to the water supply to prevent tooth decay.
Benefits: Promotes bone and tooth formation; prevents tooth decay.
Iodine (I2) Sources: Saltwater fish, shellfish, sea kelp and iodized salt.
RDA:150 µg
Benefits: Helps produce thyroid hormones; adequate iodine intake during pregnancy is crucial to normal fetal development.
Iron (Fe) Iron is poorly absorbed from food.
Sources: The richest sources are red meat and organ meats; other sources include whole-wheat products, shellfish, nuts and dried fruit. Many breads and cereals are enriched with iron. Vitamin C aids absorption of iron and is often added to iron supplements.
RDA: Women 15 mg; Men 10 mg
Benefits: Helps produce hemoglobin and red blood cells; delivers oxygen to muscles and other body tissues; protects against effects of stress
Magnesium (Mg)
Sources: Legumes, whole-grain cereals, nuts and dark-green vegetables; also meat, seafood and dairy products.
RDA: Women 280 mg; Men 350 mg
Benefits: Builds bones and teeth; involved in functioning of muscular and nervous systems and hear and circulatory system.
Manganese (Mn)
Sources: Tea, green vegetables, legumes, oats and rice.
RDA:2 - 5 mg
Benefits: Involved in reproductive processes, s*x hormone formation; essential for normal brain function and bone development.
Molybdenum (Mo)
Sources: Dairy products, legumes, whole grain cereals and organ meats.
RDA: 75 - 250 mg
Benefits:Involved in enzyme activities.
Phosphorus (P)
Sources: Meat, fish, eggs, legumes and dairy products; also whole wheat, corn and rice.
RDA: 1 gram
Benefits: Builds bones and teeth.
Potassium (K)
Sources: Potatoes, dried fruits, bananas, legumes, raw vegetables, avocados and mushrooms; also lean meat, milk and fish.
RDA: 3.5 grams suggested
Benefits: Helps nerves and muscles function; regulates heart's rhythm; regulates bodily fluids.
Selenium (Se)
Sources: Whole-grain cereals, fish and shellfish, meat and dairy products.
RDA: Women 55 µg; Men 70 µg
Benefits: An antioxidant, helps protect cells and tissues from damage by free radicals; may also protect against some cancers.
Sodium (Na)
Sources: Naturally in many foods and is added to many prepared foods.
RDA: 2,400 mg
Benefits: Maintains body's fluid balance; important for nerve function and muscle contraction; controls heart's rhythm.
Zinc (Zn)
Sources: Shellfish (particularly oysters), organ meats and lean red meat, yeast, whole-grain cereals, and legumes. RDA: Women 12 mg; Men 15 mg
Benefits: Involved in growth, skin health and wound healing, development of the reproductive organs, protein metabolism and energy production.
