Vitamin Mineral Guide

A vitamin mineral guide is a handy reference to have with you when purchasing supplements, cooking or eating out at a restaurant. Ensuring that your body gets all the vitamins and minerals it needs is of critical importance. However, there are so many vitamins and minerals that some are easy to forget about or mix up.

The following vitamin mineral guide lists each vitamin or mineral and other names for the nutrient, food sources of the nutrient and what processes that nutrient is responsible for in the body. How much of each vitamin and mineral you should be taking is dependent varies as you age, gain or lose weight, become pregnant or breastfeed. Talk to your nutritionist to see how much of each vitamin and mineral you need.

Vitamin Mineral Guide

Vitamins

Vitamin A (retinol, carotene)

What it does: helps growth and repair of body tissue, immune functions, night vision

Best sources: eggs, dark green & yellow vegetables & fruits, low-fat dairy products, liver.

Vitamin B-1 (Thiamine)

What it does: carbohydrate metabolism, helps nerve function, growth & muscle tone

Best sources: wheat germ, port, whole & enriched grains, dried beans, seafood

Vitamin B-2 (Riboflavin)

What it does: carbohydrate, fat & protein metabolism, needed for cell respiration, mucous membranes

Best sources: low-fat milk products, green leafy vegetables, whole & enriched grains, beef, lamb eggs

Vitamin B-6 (Pyridoxine)

What it does: carbohydrate & protein metabolism, formation of antibodies, red blood cells, nerve function

Best sources: fish, poultry, lean meat, whole grains, potatoes

Vitamin B-12 (Cobalamin)

What it does: carbohydrate, fat & protein metabolism, maintains nervous system, blood cell formation

Best sources: lean beef, fish poultry, eggs, low fat & nonfat milk

Biotin

What it does: carbohydrate, fat & protein metabolism, formation of fatty acids, utilization of B vitamins

Best sources: egg yolk, meat, low-fat & nonfat milk, dark green vegetables; also made by microorganisms in intestinal tract.

Niacin (Vitamin B3)

What it does: carbohydrate, fat & protein metabolism, health of digestive system, blood circulation, nerve function, appetite

Best sources: poultry, fish, whole & enriched grains, dried beans & peas

Vitamin C (ascorbic acid)

What it does: wound healing, strengthens blood vessels, collagen maintenance, resistance to infection, promotes healthy gums and teeth

Best sources: citrus fruits, tomatoes, melons, berries, green & red peppers, broccoli

Vitamin D (Cholecalciferol)

What it does: calcium & phosphorus metabolism (bone & teeth formation)

Best sources: egg yolk, fatty fish, fortified milk; also made in skin exposed to sunlight

Vitamin E (Tocopherol)

What it does: protects cell membranes & red blood cells from oxidation, may be active in immune function

Best sources: vegetable oil, wheat germ, nuts, dark green vegetables, whole grains, beans

Folic Acid

What it does: red blood cell formation, protein metabolism, growth & cell division

Best sources: green leafy vegetables, dried beans, poultry, fortified cereals, oranges, nuts.

Vitamin K

What it does: formation of blood clotting agents & bone

Best sources: green leafy vegetables, cereal egg yolk

Pantothenic Acid

What it does: converts nutrients into energy, vitamin utilization, nerve function

Best sources: most plant & animal foods, especially lean meats, whole grains, legumes

Minerals

Calcium

What it does: support of bones, teeth, muscle tissue, regulates heartbeat, helps those with irregular heartbeat/arrhythmia, muscle action, nerve function, blood clotting

Best sources: low-fat or nonfat milk products, calcium fortified orange juice & soy milk, salmon with bones, green leafy vegetables

Chromium

What it does: needed for glucose metabolism, increases effectiveness of insulin, muscle function

Best sources: cheese, whole grains, meat, peas, beans

Copper

What it does: formation of red blood cells, pigment, needed fro bone health

Best sources: nuts, dried beans, oysters, cocoa powder

Iodine

What it does: function of thyroid glad, which controls metabolism

Best sources: seafood, oxidized salt

Iron

What it does: formation of hemoglobin in blood & myoglobin in muscle, which supply oxygen to cells

Best sources: meat, fish, poultry, organ meats (like liver), beans, whole & enriched grains, green leafy vegetables

Magnesium

What it does: enzyme activation, nerve & muscle function, bone growth and development

Best sources: nuts, green vegetables, whole grains, beans

Manganese

What it does: bone growth & development, sex hormone production, cell function

Best sources: nuts, whole grains, vegetables, fruits, tea, coffee, bran

Phosphorus

What it does: bone development, carbohydrate, fat & protein utilization

Best sources: meat, poultry, fish, eggs, low fat milk products, beans, whole grains

Potassium

What it does: fluid balance, control activity of heart muscle, maintains nervous system function

Best sources: vegetables, fruits, beans, bran cereal, low fat milk products

Selenium

What it does: fights cell damage from oxidation

Best sources: seafood, lean meat, grains, eggs, chicken, garlic

Zinc

What it does: taste & smell sensitivity, aids in healing

Best sources: lean meat, eggs, seafood, whole grains, low fat milk products

You can print this guide out and carry it with you shopping and to restaurants. You can use it to make healthy food choices to ensure that you and your family eat balanced meals with a good variety of vitamins and minerals.

• Amino Acids Affecting Hair
• Foods Containing Vitamin K
• Facts About Iron

• Vitamin B12 Injections Side Effects
• Vitamin D Deficiency Symptoms
• Vitamin D Overdose
• Foods High in Vitamin K
• Magnesium Deficiency Symptoms

• Swanson Vitamins
• Vitamins and Minerals and Their Roles
• What Vitamins and Minerals Are in Bananas
• Function for Vitamin K
• Category:All About Vitamins