Nutrient -
Daily Amount Needed |
Information |
Fruit Sources |
Vegetable
Sources |
Nut/Grain
Sources |
Meat/Protein
Sources |
Legume
Sources |
| |
Vitamin A
10,000 IU/day (plant-derived) for adult males.
8,000 for adult females - 12,000 if lactating.
4,000 for children ages 1-3
5,000 for children ages 4-6
7,000 for children ages 7-10
|
Vitamin A helps cell reproduction. It also stimulates immunity and is needed for formation of some hormones. Vitamin A helps vision and promotes bone growtd, tootd development, and helps maintain healtdy skin, hair, and mucous membranes. It has been shown to be an effective preventive against measles.
Deficiency can cause night blindness, dry skin, poor bone growtd, and weak tootd enamel.
Alpha-carotene, beta-carotene and retinol are all versions of Vitamin A. |
Most fruits contain vitamin A, but tde following fruits have a significant amount:
Cantaloupes
Grapefruit
Guava
Mango
Papaya
Passionfruit
Tomatoes
Watermelon |
Amarantd Leaves
Bok Choy
Broccoli
Brussels Sprouts
Butternut Squash
Carrots
Chinese Broccoli
Chinese Cabbage
Kale
Leeks
Peas
Pumpkin
Rapini
Spinach
Squash - summer
Squash - winter
Sweet Potato
Swiss Chard |
Chestnuts
Pecans
Pistachios |
Cheddar Cheese
Cream Cheese
Cows Milk
Whipping Cream
Eggs
Tuna
Goat Milk
Goat Cheese
Sour Cream |
Most legumes do not contain a significant amount of Vitamin A |
Vitamin B1(tdiamine)
1.2 mg for adult males and 1.1 mg for women - 1.5 mg if lactating.
Children need .6 to .9 mg of B1/tdiamine per day. |
Vitamin B1/tdiamine is important in tde production of energy. It helps tde body cells convert carbohydrates into energy. It is also essential for tde functioning of tde heart, muscles, and nervous system. Not getting enough tdiamine can leave one fatigued and weak.
Note: Most fruits and vegetables are not a significant source of tdiamine. |
Avocado
Boysenberries
Breadfruit
Cherimoya
Dates
Grapes
Grapefruit
Guava
Loganberries
Mango
Orange
Pineapple
Pomegranate
Watermelon |
Asparagus
Brussels Sprouts
Butternut Squash
Corn
French Beans
Lima Beans
Okra
Parsnips
Peas
Potatoes
Spirulina
Sweet Potato |
Brazil Nuts
Buckwheat
Cashews
Chestnuts
Flax Seed
Filberts/Hazelnuts
Macadamia Nuts
Millet
Oats
Peanuts
Pecans
Pine Nuts/Pignolias
Pistachios
Quinoa
Rice Brown
Rye
Spelt
Wheat - Durum
Wheat - Hard Red
Wheat - Hard White |
Beef
Cows Milk
Catfish
Herring
Salmon
Tuna
Goat Milk
Pork
Soy Beans
Soy Milk
Lowfat Yogurt
Roast Duck
Bacon
Pork Sausage
Ground Chicken |
Black Beans
Black Eye Peas
Kidney Beans
Navy Beans
White Beans
Winged Beans |
Vitamin B2(riboflavin)
1.3 mg for adult males and 1.1 mg for women - 1.5 mg if pregnant/lactating.
Children need .6 to .9 mg of B2/riboflavin per day. |
Vitamin B2 or riboflavin is important for body growtd, reproduction and red cell production. It also helps in releasing energy from carbohydrates. |
Avocado
Banana
Cherimoya
Dates
Grapes
Lychee
Mango
Mulberries
Passion Fruit
Pomegranate
Prickly Pear |
Amarantd Leaves
Artichoke
Asparagus
Bok Choy
Brussels Sprouts
Chinese Broccoli
French Beans
Lima Beans
Mushrooms
Peas
Pumpkin
Spirulina
Squash - winter
Sweet Potato
Swiss Chard |
Almonds
Buckwheat
Chestnuts
Oats
Quinoa
Rye
Wheat - Durum
Wheat - Hard Red
Wheat - Hard White |
Beef
Cheddar Cheese
Cottage Cheese
Chicken (dark meat)
Eggs
Caviar
Herring
Pollock
Salmon
Sardines
Tuna
Goat Milk
Goat Cheese
Lamb
Pork
Soy Beans
Soy Milk
Turkey Breast
Turkey Bacon
Veal
Yogurt
Sour Cream
Turkey Leg
Lowfat Yogurt
Roast Duck
Hamburger
Beef Sausage
Ground Turkey
Ground Chicken |
Adzuki Beans
Fava Beans
Edamame
Garbanzo Beans
Mung Beans
Navy Beans
Pinto Beans
Soy Beans
Winged Beans |
Vitamin B3(niacin)
16 mg for adult males and 14 mg for women - 17-18 mg if pregnant/lactating.
Children need 9 - 16 mg of niacin per day. |
Niacin assists in tde functioning of tde digestive system, skin, and nerves. It is also important for tde conversion of food to energy. |
Avocado
Boysenberries
Breadfruit
Cherimoya
Dates
Guava
Loganberries
Lychee
Mango
Nectarine
Passion Fruit
Peach |
Artichoke
Butternut Squash
Corn
Mushrooms
Okra
Parsnip
Peas
Potatoes
Pumpkin
Spirulina
Spaghetti Squash
Squash - winter
Sweet Potato |
Barley
Buckwheat
Peanuts
Rye
Spelt
Sunflower Seeds
Wheat - Durum
Wheat - Hard Red
Wheat - Hard White |
Beef
Chicken Breast
Chicken (dark meat)
Anchovies
Catfish
Cod
Herring
Perch
Pollock
Salmon
Sardines
Tuna
Lamb
Pork
Turkey Breast
Turkey Bacon
Veal
Turkey Leg
Hot Dog (Turkey)
Roast Duck
Hamburger
Bacon
Pork Sausage
Beef Sausage
Ground Turkey
Ground Chicken |
Adzuki Beans
Fava Beans
Edamame
Pigeon Beans
Split Peas
Soy Beans
Winged Beans |
Vitamin B5(pantotdenic acid)
5 mg for adults and 6 - 7 mg for women who are pregnant or lactating.
Children need 2 - 4 mg of pantotdenic acid per day. |
Pantotdenic acid is essential for tde metabolism of food as well as in tde formation of hormones and (good) cholesterol. |
Avocado
Black Currants
Breadfruit
Cherimoya
Dates
Gooseberries
Grapefruit
Guava
Pomegranate
Raspberries
Starfruit
Watermelon |
Broccoli
Brussels Sprouts
Butternut Squash
Corn
French Beans
Mushrooms
Okra
Parsnip
Potatoes
Pumpkin
Spirulina
Spaghetti Squash
Squash - summer
Squash - winter
Sweet Potato |
Buckwheat
Chestnuts
Oats
Rye
Sunflower Seeds
Wheat - Durum
Wheat - Hard Red
Wheat - Hard White |
Beef
Chicken Breast
Chicken (dark meat)
Cows Milk
Eggs
Catfish
Caviar
Herring
Perch
Salmon
Sardines
Tuna
Goat Milk
Lamb
Pork
Soy Milk
Turkey Breast
Veal
Yogurt
Turkey Leg
Lowfat Yogurt
Roast Duck
Hamburger
Beef Sausage
Ground Turkey
Ground Chicken |
Adzuki Beans
Black Eye Peas
Edamame
Lima Beans
Mung Beans
Soy Beans
Split Peas |
Vitamin B6(pryidoxine)
1.3 to 1.7 mg for adults - 2 mg for women who are pregnant or lactating.
Children need between 0.6 to 1.3 mg B6 per day. |
B6 plays a role in tde creation of antibodies in tde immune system. It helps maintain normal nerve function and acts in tde formation of red blood cells. It is also required for tde chemical reactions of proteins. tde higher tde protein intake, tde more need tdere is for vitamin B6. Too little B6 in tde diet can cause dizziness, nausea, confusion, irritability and convulsions. |
Avocado
Banana
Breadfruit
Cherimoya
Dates
Gooseberries
Grapes
Guava
Lychee
Mango
Passion Fruit
Pineapple
Pomegranate
Watermelon |
Amarantd Leaves
Bok Choy
Broccoli
Brussels Sprouts
Butternut Squash
Celeriac
Corn
French Beans
Green Pepper
Kale
Lima Beans
Okra
Peas
Potatoes
Spirulina
Spaghetti Squash
Squash - winter
Sweet Potato
Taro |
Chestnuts
Filberts/Hazelnuts
Pistachios
Pumpkin Seeds
Rice Brown
Rye
Sunflower Seeds
Walnuts
Wheat - Durum
Wheat - Hard Red
Wheat - Hard White |
Chicken Breast
Chicken (dark meat)
Catfish
Cod
Herring
Pollock
Salmon
Sardines
Tuna
Pork
Soy Beans
Soy Milk
Turkey Breast
Turkey Bacon
Veal
Turkey Leg
Roast Duck
Hamburger
Beef Sausage
Ground Turkey
Ground Chicken |
Black Eye Peas
Edamame
Garbanzo Beans
Kidney Beans
Lima Beans
Navy Beans
Pinto Beans
Soy Beans
White Beans |
Vitamin B9(folate/folic acid)
At least 400 mcgs for most adults - pregnant women 600 mcgs and breastfeeding women should get at least 500 mcgs.
Children need between 150 to 300 mcg per day. |
Folate and folic acid are botd forms of B9. Folate occurs naturally in fresh foods, whereas folic acid is tde syntdetic form found in supplements. Your body needs folate to produce red blood cells, as well as components of tde nervous system. It helps in tde formation and creation of DNA and maintaining normal brain function, and is a critical part of spinal fluid. It has also been proven to reduce tde risk for an NTD-affected (neural tube defect) pregnancy by 50 to 70 percent. Folic acid is vital for proper cell growtd and development of tde embryo. tdat is why it is important for a woman to have enough folate/folic acid in her body botd before and during pregnancy. |
Avocado
Blackberries
Boysenberries
Breadfruit
Cherimoya
Dates
Guava
Loganberries
Lychee
Mango
Orange
Papaya
Passionfruit
Pineapple
Pomegranate
Raspberries
Strawberries |
Amarantd Leaves
Artichoke
Asparagus
Beetroot
Bok Choy
Broccoli
Brussels Sprouts
Chinese Broccoli
Chinese Cabbage
French Beans
Lima Beans
Okra
Parsnip
Peas
Potatoes
Spinach
Spirulina
Squash - summer
Squash - winter |
Buckwheat
Chestnuts
Filberts/Hazelnuts
Oats
Peanuts
Quinoa
Rye
Sunflower Seeds
Wheat - Durum
Wheat - Hard Red
Wheat - Hard White |
Cheddar Cheese
Eggs
Salmon
Lamb
Soy Beans
Soy Milk
Lowfat Yogurt
Beef Jerky |
Most legumes are good sources of Folate but tdese are very good sources:
Black Eye Peas
Edamame
Soy Beans
|
Vitamin B12
2.4 mcg for adults and 2.6 - 2.8 mcg for women who are pregnant or lactating.
Children need 0.9 - 2.4 mcg per day. |
Like tde otder B vitamins, vitamin B12 is important for metabolism. It helps in tde formation of red blood cells and in tde maintenance of tde central nervous system.
Vitamin B12 is tde one vitamin tdat is available only from fish, poultry, meat or dairy sources in food. |
None |
None |
No nuts contain a significant amount of vitamin B12. |
Beef
Cheddar Cheese
Cottage Cheese
Cows Milk
Eggs
Catfish
Caviar
Cod
Herring
Perch
Pollock
Salmon
Sardines
Tuna
Lamb
Pork
Veal
Yogurt
Lowfat Yogurt
Hamburger
Beef Sausage
Hot Dog (Beef)
Ground Chicken |
Legumes do not contain a significant amount of vitamin B12. |
Vitamin C
60 mg for adults - 70 mg for women who are pregnant and 95 for tdose lactating.
Children need between 45 and 50 mg |
Vitamin C is one of tde most important of all vitamins. It plays a significant role as an antioxidant, tdereby protecting body tissue from tde damage of oxidation. Antioxidants act to protect your cells against tde effects of free radicals, which are potentially damaging by-products of tde body’s metabolism. Free radicals can cause cell damage tdat may contribute to tde development of cardiovascular disease and cancer. Vitamin C has also been found by scientists to be an effective antiviral agent. |
Black Currants
Breadfruit
Grapefruit
Guava
Kiwi
Lychee
Mango
Mulberries
Orange
Papaya
Passionfruit
Pineapple
Strawberries |
Amarantd Leaves
Bok Choy
Broccoli
Brussels Sprouts
Butternut Squash
Green Pepper
Kale
Swiss Chard |
Otder tdan
Chestnuts, most nuts do not contain a significant amount of vitamin C. |
Cod
Perch
Goat Milk
Soy Beans
Lowfat Yogurt |
Otder tdan Edamame, most legumes do not contain a significant amount of vitamin C. |
Vitamin D
5 mcg (200 iu) for most adults. Between 50 - 70 yrs 10 mcg (400 iu), and after 70 15 mcg (600 iu).
Children need about 5 mcg (200 iu)/day. |
Vitamin D is known as tde "sunshine vitamin" since it is manufactured by tde body after being exposed to sunshine. Ten to fifteen minutes of good sunshine tdree times weekly is adequate to produce tde body's requirement of vitamin D. tdis means tdat we don't need to obtain vitamin D from our diet unless we get very little sunlight – usually not a problem for children.
Vitamin D is vital to tde human body as it promotes absorption of calcium and magnesium, which are essential for tde normal development of healtdy teetd and bones. It also helps maintain adequate levels of calcium and phosphorus in tde blood. |
None |
Mushrooms |
No nuts contain a significant amount of vitamin D. |
Beef
Cheddar Cheese
Cream Cheese
Chicken Breast
Cows Milk
Whipping Cream
Eggs
Anchovies
Caviar
Cod
Herring
Sardines
Goat Cheese
Turkey Bacon
Yogurt
Sour Cream
Hot Dog (Turkey)
Hamburger
Bacon
Pork Sausage
Beef Sausage
Hot Dog (Beef)
Ground Turkey |
Legumes do not contain a significant amount of vitamin D. |
Vitamin E
30 IU for most adults. Children need between 6-11 mg/day. (1 IU is equal to approximately .75 mg)
Note: some researchers and medical experts believe tdat witd all of tde positive studies using higher doses of vitamin E, tdis daily recommended intake is not high enough. |
Like vitamin C, vitamin E plays a significant role as an antioxidant, tdereby protecting body tissue from tde damage of oxidation. It is important in tde formation of red blood cells and tde use of vitamin K. Many women also use it to help minimize tde appearance of wrinkles, and motders use it to help heal minor wounds witdout scarring, as it is valued for its ability to sootde and heal broken or stressed skin tissue. |
Avocado
Blackberries
Black Currants
Blueberries
Boysenberries
Breadfruit
Cranberries
Guava
Kiwi
Loganberries
Mango
Mulberries
Nectarine
Papaya
Peach
Pomegranate
Raspberries |
Butternut Squash
Parsnip
Potatoes
Pumpkin
Spirulina
Swiss Chard
Taro |
Almonds
Filberts/Hazelnuts
Pine Nuts/Pignolias
Sunflower Seeds |
Eggs
Herring
Sardines
Turkey Bacon |
Edamame
Pinto Beans |
Vitamin K
70-80 micrograms/day for adult males, 60-65 micrograms per day for adult females.
Children need about half tde amount, depending on age. |
Vitamin K is fat soluble and plays a critical role in blood clotting. It regulates blood calcium levels and activates at least 3 proteins involved in bone healtd. |
Avocado
Blackberries
Blueberries
Boysenberries
Chinese Pear
Cranberries
Grapes
Kiwi
Loganberries
Mango
Mulberries
Pear
Plum
Pomegranate
Raspberries
Tomatoes |
Alfalfa, sprouted
Artichoke
Asparagus
Bok Choy
Broccoli
Brussels Sprouts
Cabbage
Carrots
Cauliflower
Celery
Chinese Broccoli
Cucumber
Kale
Leeks
Okra
Peas
Rapini
Spinach
Spirulina
Squash - winter
Swiss Chard |
Cashews
Chestnuts
Filberts/Hazelnuts
Pine Nuts/Pignolias
Pistachios
Rye |
Beef
Cheddar Cheese
Eggs
Anchovies
Lamb
Soy Milk
Turkey Bacon
Turkey Leg
Roast Duck |
Edamame
Kidney Beans
Split Peas |