Essential Vitamins and Minerals Your Body Needs

Vitamins and minerals together form the essential nutrients that our body needs to keep going. We call them ‘micronutrients’ because we require them in small quantities.

Vitamins and minerals both yield a great number of benefits and help prevent/fight countless diseases.

The best way to provide adequate quantities of vitamins and minerals to the body is to eat a healthy diet consisting of fruit, vegetables, nuts and seeds .

Vitamins

Vitamin ‘A’

  • assists in the formation of healthy bones and teeth, soft tissues and skin
  • helps prevent infections
  • contributes toward prevention of blindness
  • enables growth of healthy hair and teeth

Fruit Rich in Vitamin ‘A’ includes: Apricot, Cantaloupe, Grapefruit, Mango, Watermelon

Vegetables Rich in Vitamin ‘A’ includes: Carrot, Cabbage, Spinach, Winter Squash, Lettuce Leaf, Collard Greens, Sweet Potato, Pe-Tsai, Lettuce, Romaine, Chilli Peppers

Fruit & Vegetables that has Vitamin A
Vegetables that has Vitamin B

Vitamin ‘B’

  • enable proper functioning of nervous system
  • help maintain functioning of the brain
  • play essential role in synthesis of DNA
  • provide support for metabolism
  • assist in preventing anemia
  • help body produce red blood cells

Vegetables Rich in Vitamin ‘B’ includes: Dark Leafy Greens, Beans, Peas

Vitamin ‘C’

  • helps heal wounds
  • prevents teeth and gums decay
  • aids iron absorption
  • gives protection to body cells
  • assists in preventing infections

Fruit Rich in Vitamin ‘C’ includes: Blueberry, Raspberry, Strawberry, Cranberry, Orange, Papaya, Pineapple, Cantaloupe, Mango, Watermelon, Grapefruit

Vegetables Rich in Vitamin ‘C’ includes: Tomato, Turnip Greens, Spinach, Broccoli, Brussels Sprouts, Cabbage, Cauliflower, Sweet Potato, White potato, Leafy Greens, Winter Squash, Green and Red Bell Peppers

Fruit & Vegetables that are rich in Vitamin C
Vegetables rich in Vitamin E

Vitamin ‘E’

  • provides protection for body cells against damage
  • makes it possible for the body to use vitamin ‘K’
  • helps the body repair muscle cells

Vegetables Rich in Vitamin ‘E’ includes: Spinach, Kale, Bell Peppers, Broccoli

Vitamin ‘K’

  • helps the blood clot
  • promotes bone strength in elderly persons

Vegetables Rich in Vitamin ‘K’ includes: Cauliflower, Cabbage, Collards, Turnip Greens, Spinach, Kale, Swiss Chard, Brussels Sprouts, Mustard Greens, Leafy Greens, Parsley, Lettuce, Green

Vegetables rich in Vitamin K

Minerals

There are two kinds of minerals :

  • Macro minerals
  • Trace minerals

Macro minerals include : Calcium, Phosphorus, Magnesium, Sodium, Potassium, Chloride, Sulfur

Our body needs larger amounts of these minerals.

Trace minerals include : Zinc, Iron, Cobalt, Copper, Selenium, Manganese, Fluoride, Iodine

Our body needs only small amounts of these minerals.

Calcium

  • provides strength to the bones and the teeth
  • regulates heart beat
  • helps clotting of the blood

Fruits Rich in Calcium includes: Black currant, Orange, Olive, Fug, Lime, Kiwi, Blackberry

Vegetables Rich in Calcium includes: Spinach, Butter Beans, Cress, Garlic, Pak Choi, Kale, Broad Beans, Mustard Greens

Fruits & Vegetables Rich in Calcium

Magnesium

  • contributes toward bone health
  • enables muscle contraction
  • bolsters heart health
  • helps in digesting food
  • helps in extracting energy from food

Fruits Rich in Magnesium includes: Coconut, Raspberry, Blackberry, Kiwi, Fig, Avocado, Banana

Vegetables Rich in Magnesium includes: Artichoke, Mustard Greens, Sweet Corn, Cress, Kale, Butter Beans, Pea, Chard

Fruits & Vegetables rich in Magnesium

Potassium

  • helps control blood pressure
  • assists in regulating body fluid levels

Fruits Rich in Potassium includes: Cherry, Blackberry, Melon, Avocado, Coconut, Apricot, Fig, Pomegranate, Peach, Grapes, Kiwi, Black Currant, Banana

Vegetables Rich in Potassium includes: Carrot, Cress, Celery, French, Beans, Sweet Corn, Pumpkin, Sweet Potato, Artichoke, Spinach, Kale, Pak Choi, Potato, Chard, Garlic, Butter Beans, Mushroom, Parsnip, Brussels Sprouts, Radish, Beetroot, Cauliflower, Egg plant, Lettuce, Pea, Tomato, Turnip, Broccoli, Red Chilly, Shallot, Mustard Greens, Winter Squash

Fruit & Vegetables rich in Potassium

Phosphorus

  • strengthens bones and teeth
  • aids in digesting food

Fruits Rich in Phosphorus includes: Avocado, Coconut, Black Currant, Kiwi, Pomegranate, Strawberry, Raspberry, Gooseberry, White & Red Currant

Vegetables Rich in Phosphorus includes: Garlic, Broccoli, Parsnip, Kale, Celery, Pea, Brussels Sprouts, White Mushroom, Potato, Potato, Shallots, Broad ,  Butter Beans, Cress, Sweetcorn

Fruits & Vegetables rich in Phosphorus

Copper

  • helps absorb iron
  • contributes toward formation of red blood cells
  • supports nervous & immune system

Fruits Rich in Copper includes: Olive, Avocado, Pineapple, Cherry, Banana, Orange, Melon, Pear, Pomegranate, Berries, Apricot, Fug, Grapefruit, Lime, Kiwi, Grape, Plum, Blackberry

Vegetables Rich in Copper includes: Cress, Chard, Broadbean, Butter , eans, Kale, Mustard Greens, Garlic, Turnip, Shallots, Eggplant, Leeks, Beetroot, Parsnip, Potato, Pumpkin, Carrot, Broccoli, Radish, Lettuce, Celery, Tomato, Red Chilly,  Asparagus, Artichoke, Mushroom, Cucumber, Cauliflower, Celery

Fruits & Vegetables rich in Copper

Iron

  • Is an important component of hemoglobin which carries oxygen from the lungs to all parts of the body

Fruits Rich in Iron includes: Olive, Coconut, All Berries, Red, White, Black , Currants, Lemon, Lime, Peach, Cherries, Plum, Orange, Apple, Grapefruit, Kiwi, Grape, Avocado, Fig, Red Currant, Pomegranate, Melon, Pear, Banana, Pineapple

Vegetables Rich in Iron includes: Butter Beans, Broad Beans, Spinach, Leeks, Chard, Mustard Greens, Kaley, Brussel Sprouts, Shallots, Asparagus, Pea, Garlic, Cress, Lettuce, Red Chilly, French Beans, Cauliflower, Tomato, Turnip, Cabbage, Sweet Potato

Fruit & Vegetables that are rich in Iron

Zinc

  • make new cells
  • heal wounds
  • process food
  • plays an important role in taste & smell functions

Fruits Rich in Zinc includes: Coconut, Avocado, Blackberry, Raspberry, Pomegranate, Banana, Apricot

Vegetables Rich in Zinc includes: Beans, Peas, Garlic, Kale, Parsnip, Sweetcorn, Asparagus, Artichoke, Spinach, Broccoli

Fruit & Vegetables Rich in Zinc

Nuts

Nuts are also a good source of vitamins and minerals for the body.

  • Almonds provide calcium, folate & vitamin E
  • Cashew Nuts are rich in Iron
  • Brazil Nuts are high in Selenium
  • Chestnuts are a good source of vitamin C
  • Hazel Nuts contain Potassium, Folate, Copper, Manganese & vitamin E
  • Pistachios have Potassium
  • Walnuts, Omega3
  • Peanuts, Niacin
  • Pine Nuts are a good source of vitamins E & Phosphorus
  • Macadamia, Vitamin & Manganese

Seeds

Like Nuts, seeds are also an excellent source of various vitamins and minerals.

  • Chia Seeds , Calcium, Magnesium & Omega 3
  • Flax Seeds, Omega 3
  • Mustard Seeds, Selenium
  • Pumpkin Seeds, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Iron and Zinc
October 3, 2018
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