VITAMINS & MINERALS
YOU REALLY NEED
VITAMIN A
- There are two main types of it
1. One comes from animal sources of food & helps you see at night, make red blood cells
& fight off infections
2. The other is in plant foods & can help prevent age-related macular degeneration & to
cells all over your body
3. Eat orange veggies & fruits (like sweet potato & cantaloupe), spinach & other greens,
dairy products & salmon - Too much vitamin A can hurt your liver
VITAMIN B12
- B12 helps your body break down food for energy
- Rev up before exercising with a snack like a hard-boiled egg or cereal with vitamins added
- Some athletes & trainers take supplements before workouts, but these don’t really boost
your success if you're getting enough in your meals
VITAMIN C
- Despite claims made by some over-the-counter remedies, Vitamin C doesn’t prevent colds
- However,once you have cold symptoms, drink orange or grapefruit juice to help yourself stay hydrated & feel better sooner
- Your body must have vitamin C to help your bones, skin & muscles grow
- You'll get enough from bell peppers, papaya, strawberries, broccoli, cantaloupe, leafy greens
& other fruits & veggies
CALCIUM
- Calcium is a mineral that strengthens your bones & teeth
- It's also a key to make muscles, including your heart, move
- You get calcium from milk, cheese, yogurt & other dairy foods & from green vegetables like
kale & broccoli - How much you need depends on your age & whether you're a woman or a man
- Check with your doctor about whether you should take a supplement
VITAMIN D
- Like calcium, it keeps your bones strong
- It also helps your nerves carry messages & helps your body fight germs
- Eat fish such as salmon, tuna & mackerel
- Egg yolks have some vitamin D also
- Some milks & orange juices have added Vitamin D
VITAMIN E
- Vitamin E is an antioxidant
- It protects your cells from damage caused by cigarette smoke, pollution, sunlight & more
- Vitamin E also helps your cells talk to each other & keeps blood moving
- Sunflower seeds & nuts including almonds, hazelnuts & peanuts are good sources of
Vitamin E - Spinach & broccoli also have vitamin E
FOLIC ACID
- If you're pregnant folic acid is a must
- It helps make DNA & prevents spina bifida & other brain birth defects
- Asparagus, Brussels sprouts, dark leafy greens, oranges, orange juice, beans, peas & lentils are rich in folic acid
- Your doctor may want you to take a supplement, too
VITAMIN K
- You need it for blood clotting & healthy bones
- A serving of leafy greens like spinach, kale, or broccoli will give you more than enough K
for a day - People who take warfarin, a blood-thinner, have to be careful about what they eat, because vitamin K reacts badly with the drug
IRON
- When your levels are low, your body doesn’t make enough healthy red blood cells
- Without healthy red blood vessels, you can’t get oxygen to your tissues
- Women who are pregnant or have heavy menstrual cycles
1. Are most likely to have anemia
2. This means that you don't have enough iron in your blood
3. Keep up your levels of iron with beans & lentils, liver & spinach
4. Many breakfast cereals have a day’s worth of iron added in
5. Even dark chocolate with at least 45% cacao has some iron
MAGNESIUM
- This mineral plays a role in making your muscles squeeze & keeping your heart beating
- It helps control blood sugar & blood pressure, make proteins & DNA & turns food into energy
- You'll get magnesium from almonds, cashews, spinach, soybeans, avocado & whole grains
POTASSIUM
- Green leafy veggies are a better source of this mineral than bananas
- It helps keep your blood pressure in a normal range & it helps your kidneys work
- Levels that are too low or too high could make your heart & nervous system shut down
- You should also watch your salt, because your body needs the right balance of sodium & potassium
- Snack on cantaloupe, carrots & tomatoes
ZINC
- Without Zinc you couldn't taste & smell
- Your immune system needs it & it helps cuts, scrapes & sores heal
- It may also help you keep your sight as you get older
- You can get zinc from plant sources like sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds, chickpeas, lentils
& cashews - It's easier for your body to absorb it from animal foods like beef
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Recommended Daily Allowance Of Vitamins & Minerals
Vitamins & Minerals Explained
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