How to guarantee you consume the proper vitamins and minerals in the appropriate proportions

Minerals and vitamins are as necessary for survival as air and water. They shield you from a number of ailments in addition to keeping your body strong and healthy.

Although they are frequently combined, vitamins and minerals are very different. Organic compounds known as vitamins are created by either plants or animals. They are sometimes referred to as "essential" because, with the exception of vitamin D, the body cannot produce them and they must therefore be obtained from food.

Minerals are inorganic substances that come from soil, water, or rocks. You can, however, take them inadvertently from the environment or an animal that has consumed a specific plant.

Two of each kind
Vitamins can be classified as either water-soluble or fat-soluble, with the latter allowing the body to store any excess amounts in the liver and fat tissues as reserves. The eight B vitamins (B-1, B-2, B-3, B-5, B-6, B-7, B-9, and B-12) and vitamin C are the water-soluble vitamins. A, D, E, and K are the vitamins that are fat-soluble.

Although there are many minerals, certain are essential for good health. Major and trace minerals are separated into two categories. Major ones imply higher levels in your body, yet they are not necessarily more significant than trace ones.

The best sources of food
Federal recommendations recommend daily minimums for vitamins and important minerals. Following so many numbers, though, can be perplexing unless you need to raise your intake for certain ones due to a deficiency or other medical issue.

Adopting a wide-ranging healthy diet is the greatest strategy to make sure you obtain a variety of vitamins and minerals and in the right levels. This calls for a focus on dairy products, whole grains, beans and legumes, low-fat protein, and fruits and vegetables. The good news is that you can easily achieve your daily needs from regular meals because many common foods include numerous mineral and vitamin sources.

Sources of water-soluble vitamins

B-1: Acorn squash, watermelon, ham, and soymilk

B-2: whole and enriched grains and cereals, yogurt, cheese, milk, and yogurt.

Meat, poultry, fish, whole grains enriched with B-3, mushrooms, and potatoes

B-5: mushrooms, whole grains, avocados, broccoli, and poultry

B-6: bananas, tofu, other soy products, pork, fish, and poultry

B-7: Fish, whole grains, eggs, and soybeans

B-9: Fortified grains and cereals, black-eyed peas and chickpeas, broccoli, spinach, asparagus, and orange juice

B-12 foods include milk, cheese, fortified soymilk, meat, chicken, fish, and cereals.

Citrus fruits, potatoes, broccoli, bell peppers, spinach, strawberries, tomatoes, and Brussels sprouts all contain vitamin C.

Lipid soluble

Beef liver, eggs, shrimp, salmon, fortified milk, sweet potatoes, carrots, pumpkin, spinach, and mangoes are all sources of vitamin A.

fatty fish, fortified milk, and cereals all contain vitamin D.

Vegetable oils, leafy greens, and entire grains all contain vitamin E.

Vitamin K: Cabbage, eggs, milk, spinach, broccoli, kale


Minerals Major:

Yogurt, cheese, milk, salmon, and leafy greens all contain calcium.

Salt: chloride

Magnesium sources include whole-wheat bread, spinach, broccoli, legumes, and seeds.

Meat, milk, fruits, vegetables, grains, and legumes all contain potassium.

Salt, soy sauce, and veggies all contain sodium.

Trace:

Chromium: dairy, nuts, fish, meat, and poultry

Shellfish, nuts, seeds, whole-grain goods, beans, and prunes all contain copper.

Fluoride in fish and tea

Iodine: Seafood, iodized salt

Iron-rich foods include red meat, poultry, eggs, fruits, kale, and fortified bread.

Tea, whole grains, nuts, and legumes contain manganese.

Organ meat, fish, and nuts all contain selenium.

Contains zinc: whole grains, seafood, legumes, and meat