Healthy eating is important to maintain all normal bodily processes, eating good food can give you the fuel your body needs to get through each day.

A to Z vitamins and minerals

Vitamins and minerals are a necessary part of your every day diet, they are essential to make your body work efficiently, they are essential for life. Ideally you should try to get enough vitamins and minerals in the foods you eat, although this is not always possible, it is absolutely where you should start. Healthy eating is important to maintain all normal bodily processes, eating good food can give you the fuel your body needs to get through each day. If for some reason you are deficient in a particular vitamin or mineral, supplementation may be required, however maintaining a healthy food intake is a must if you wish to stay healthy. The following list is a guide to food sources of vitamins and minerals and how different ways of food preparation can reduce nutrient losses. It is certainly not a comprehensive list, however, just a short list of foods which contain high levels of vitamins and minerals.

Heating and cooking

Heating and cooking foods will result in losses of vitamins A, B1, B2, B5, B6, B12, beta-carotene, bioflavonoids, vitamin C, vitamin E, essential fatty acids and folic acid. If your foods must be heated or cooked, ideally use heat for a short period of time.

Freezing

Freezing your food will destroy vitamins B5 and E.

Smoking

Smoking will deplete your body in vitamins A, B1, B2, B3, B6, B12, beta-carotene, vitamins C, E, essential fatty acids and selenium.

Excessive alcohol intake

Excessive alcohol consumption will deplete vitamins A, B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B12, folic acid, essential fatty acids, biotin, choline, vitamin D, calcium, copper, magnesium, potassium and selenium from your body.

Caffeine

Caffeine consumption will reduce levels of vitamins B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, biotin, choline, calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium and sodium.

Food sources of vitamins and minerals

Vitamin A – Apricots, carrots, fish liver oils, green leafy vegetables, mint, egg yolk, liver
Vitamin B1 – Legumes, liver, nuts, pork, wheat germ, whole grains
Vitamin B2 – Avocado, beans, eggs, milk & dairy, organ meats, sprouts, wholegrain cereals, broccoli
Vitamin B3 – Almonds, chicken, eggs, legumes, mackerel, meat, peanuts, salmon, sardines, sunflower seeds
Vitamin B5 – Avocado, bens, egg yolk, green vegetables, liver, lobster, milk, mushrooms, oranges, sweet potato, wholegrain cereals
Vitamin B6 – Cereal, chicken, egg yolk, legumes, mackerel, oatmeal, peanuts, salmon, tuna, walnuts
Vitamin B12 – Clams, egg yolk, herring, kidney, liver, meat, milk, oysters, salmon, sardines, made in gastrointestinal tract
Betacarotene – Carrots, yellow & green vegetables, red capsicum, sweet potato
Bioflavonoids – Buckwheat, citrus fruit, green growing shoots of all plants, skins of fruit, vegetables & soy products
Biotin – Bean sprouts, egg yolk, kidney, liver, milk, peanuts, soy beans, wholegrain cereals, made in gastrointestinal tract
Vitamin C – Blackcurrants, broccoli, citrus, guava, parsley, capsicum, pineapple, potatoes, raw cabbage, rosehips, strawberries
Choline – Beans, egg yolk, lecithin, liver, milk, peanuts, wholegrain cereals
Co enzyme Q10 – Almonds, broccoli, chestnuts, hazelnuts, mackerel, organ meats, rice bran, salmon, sardines, sesame seeds, soy beans
Vitamin D – Made by sunlight on skin, fish liver oils, egg yolk, milk, sprouted seeds
Vitamin E – Almonds, beef, corn, egg yolk, nuts, sunflower oil, safflower oil, wheat germ
Essential fatty acids – Omega 6 – corn oil, evening primrose oil, rapeseed oil, seaweed, sunflower oil, tofu, walnut oil, wheat germ oil, linseed oil. Omega 3 – cod liver oil, mustard seed oil, linseed oil, tuna, salmon, cod
Folic acid – Beans, eggs, green leafy vegetables, lentils, organ meats
Inositol – Beans, rock melon, citrus fruit, corn, grains, nuts, organ meats, made in gastrointestinal tract
Vitamin K – Broccoli, cabbage, eggs, kelp, lettuce, liver, pork, soy beans, spinach, made in gastrointestinal tract
Boron – Almonds, apples, hazelnuts, peanut butter, pears, prunes, raisins, soy milk
Calcium – Almonds, broccoli, buckwheat, dairy, egg yolk, figs, green leafy vegetables, sardines, sesame seeds, soybeans, tofu, turnips
Chromium – Asparagus, apples, cheese, egg yolk, grape juice, liver, lobster, mushrooms, nuts, oysters, peanuts, capsicum, potato, prunes, raisins,
Copper – Almonds, beans, buckwheat, chocolate, crab, legumes, lamb, mushrooms, oysters, pecans, perch, pork, prunes, sunflower seeds, wholegrain cereals, water from copper pipes
Iodine – Cod, dairy, iodised salt, kelp, lima beans, mushrooms, oysters
Iron – Apricots, clams, oysters, liver, parsley, pine nuts, soy beans, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, poultry, red meat, red wine, wheat germ
Magnesium – Almonds, cashews, cocoa, mineral water, parsnips, soy beans, wholegrain cereals, kelp, eggs, seeds
Manganese – Almonds, beans, coconuts, corn, kelp, liver, olives, pecans, pineapple juice, sunflower seeds, walnuts, whole grains, turnips, carrots, broccoli, legumes
Molybdenum – Beans, buckwheat, butter, kidney, lamb, legumes, lentils, lima beans, liver, oats, peas, pork, soy beans, sunflower seeds, sweet peas, wheat germ
Phosphorus – Almonds, cashews, chicken, chickpeas, eggs, garlic, milk, nuts, offal, salmon, sardines, grains, sesame, tuna
Potassium – All vegetables, apricots, avocado, banana, citrus fruit, dates, herring, milk, nuts (almonds, cashews, peanuts), potato, raisins, sardines, sunflower seeds
Selenium – Alfalfa, brazil nuts, cashews, crab, egg, fish, garlic, kidney, liver, mackerel, oysters, peanuts, tuna, wholegrain cereals, broccoli, organ meats, onions
Silicon – Barley, oats, root vegetables, wholegrain cereals
Sodium- Celery, cheese, clams, liver, pickled olives, peas, tuna, table salt, sardines, sauerkraut, processed meats, potato chips, softened water
Zinc – Beef, baked beans, cashews, egg yolk, ginger, herring, liver, milk, lamb, oysters, sunflower & pumpkin seeds, whole grains
Lipoec acid – liver, potatoes