Getting Vitamins and Minerals From Food

When it comes to vitamins and minerals, you're probably looking for the bottom line: how much do you need, and what foods have them? The list below will help you out. It covers all the vitamins and minerals you should get, preferably from food.

Kale is a good source of folic acid and calcium. (Photo credit: iStock / Getty Images)

Kale is a good source of folic acid and calcium. (Photo credit: iStock / Getty Images)

Calcium

Foods that have it: Milk, fortified nondairy alternatives like soy milk, yogurt, hard cheese, fortified cereals, unfortified almond milk, kale

How much you need:

  • Adults aged 19-50: 1,000 milligrams per day
  • Women aged 51 and older: 1,200 milligrams per day
  • Men aged 51-70: 1,000 milligrams per day
  • Men aged 71 and older: 1,200 milligrams per day
  • What it does: Needed for bone growth and strength, blood clotting, muscle contraction, and more

    Don't get more than this a day: 2,500 milligrams per day for adults aged 50 and younger and 2,000 milligrams per day for those aged 51 and older

     

    Choline

    Foods that have it: Milk, liver, eggs, peanuts

    How much you need:

  • Men: 550 milligrams per day
  • Women: 425 milligrams per day
  • During pregnancy: 450 milligrams per day
  • While breastfeeding: 550 milligrams per day
  • What it does: Helps make cells

    Don't get more than this much: 3,500 milligrams per day

     

    Chromium

    Foods that have it: Broccoli, potatoes, meats, poultry, fish, some cereals

    How much you need:

  • Men aged 19-50: 35 micrograms per day
  • Women aged 19-50: 25 micrograms per day, unless pregnant or breastfeeding
  • During pregnancy: 30 micrograms per day
  • While breastfeeding: 45 micrograms per day
  • Men aged 51 and older: 30 micrograms per day
  • Women aged 51 and older: 20 micrograms per day
  • What it does: Helps control blood sugar levels

    Don't get more than this much: No upper limit known for adults

     

    Copper

    Foods that have it: Seafood, nuts, seeds, wheat bran cereals, whole grains

    How much you need:

  • Adults: 900 micrograms per day
  • During pregnancy: 1,000 micrograms per day
  • While breastfeeding: 1,300 micrograms per day
  • What it does: Helps your body process iron

    Don't get more than this much: 8,000 micrograms per day for adults

     

    Fiber

    Foods that have it: Plant foods, including oatmeal, lentils, peas, beans, fruits, and vegetables

    How much you need:

  • Men aged 19-50: 38 grams per day
  • Women aged 19-50: 25 grams per day
  • During pregnancy: 25-30 grams per day
  • Men aged 51 and older: 30 grams per day
  • Women aged 51 and older: 21 grams per day
  • What it does: Helps with digestion, lowers LDL (bad) cholesterol, helps you feel full, and helps maintain blood sugar levels

    Don't get more than this much: No upper limit from foods for adults

     

    Fluoride

    Foods that have it: Fluoridated water, some sea fish

    How much you need:

  • Men: 4 milligrams per day
  • Women: 3 milligrams per day, including while pregnant or breastfeeding
  • What it does: Prevents cavities in teeth, helps with bone growth

    Don't get more than this much: 10 milligrams per day for adults

     

    Folic acid (folate)

    Foods that have it: Dark, leafy vegetables, enriched and whole-grain breads, fortified cereals

    How much you need:

  • Adults: 400 micrograms per day
  • During pregnancy: 600 micrograms per day
  • While breastfeeding: 500 micrograms per day
  • What it does: Helps prevent birth defects, important for heart health and for cell development

    Don't get more than this much: 1,000 micrograms per day for adults

     

    Iodine

    Foods that have it: Seaweed, seafood, dairy products, processed foods, iodized salt

    How much you need:

  • Adults: 150 micrograms per day
  • During pregnancy: 220 micrograms per day
  • While breastfeeding: 290 micrograms per day
  • What it does: Helps make thyroid hormones

    Don't get more than this much: 1,100 micrograms per day for adults

     

    Iron

    Foods that have it: Fortified cereals, beans, lentils, beef, turkey (dark meat), soybeans, spinach

    How much you need:

  • Men aged 19 and older: 8 milligrams per day
  • Women aged 19-50: 18 milligrams per day
  • During pregnancy: 27 milligrams per day
  • While breastfeeding: 10 milligrams per day
  • Women aged 51 and older: 8 milligrams per day
  • What it does: Needed for red blood cells and many enzymes

    Don't get more than this much: 45 milligrams per day for adults

     

    Magnesium

    Foods that have it: Green leafy vegetables, nuts, dairy, soybeans, potatoes, whole wheat, quinoa

    How much you need:

  • Men aged 19-30: 400 milligrams per day
  • Men aged 31 and older: 420 milligrams per day
  • Women aged 19-30: 310 milligrams per day, unless pregnant or breastfeeding
  • Women aged 31 and older: 320 milligrams per day, unless pregnant or breastfeeding
  • During pregnancy: 350-360 milligrams per day
  • While breastfeeding: 310-320 milligrams per day
  • What it does: Helps with heart rhythm, muscle and nerve function, bone strength

    Don't get more than this much: For the magnesium that's naturally in food and water, there is no upper limit.

    For magnesium in supplements or fortified foods: 350 milligrams per day

     

    Manganese

    Foods that have it: Nuts, beans and other legumes, tea, whole grains

    How much you need:

  • Men: 2.3 milligrams per day
  • Women: 1.8 milligrams per day, unless pregnant or breastfeeding
  • During pregnancy: 2.0 milligrams per day
  • While breastfeeding: 2.6 milligrams per day
  • What it does: Helps form bones and make some enzymes

    Don't get more than this much: 11 milligrams per day for adults

     

    Molybdenum

    Foods that have it: Legumes, leafy vegetables, grains, nuts

    How much you need:

  • Adults: 45 micrograms per day, unless pregnant or breastfeeding
  • While pregnant or breastfeeding: 50 micrograms per day
  • What it does: Needed to make some enzymes

    Don't get more than this much: 2,000 micrograms per day for adults

     

    Phosphorus

    Foods that have it: Milk and other dairy products, peas, meat, eggs, some cereals and breads

    How much you need:

  • Adults: 700 milligrams per day
  • What it does: Cells need it to work normally, helps make energy, needed for bone growth

    Don't get more than this much:

  • Adults up to age 70: 4,000 milligrams per day (The limit is lower if you're pregnant.)
  • During pregnancy: 3,500 milligrams per day
  • Adults aged 70 and older: 3,000 milligrams per day
  •  

    Potassium

    Foods that have it: Potatoes, bananas, yogurt, milk, yellowfin tuna, soybeans, variety of fruits and vegetables

    How much you need:

  • Adults: 4,700 milligrams per day, unless breastfeeding
  • While breastfeeding: 5,100 milligrams per day
  • What it does: Helps control blood pressure, makes kidney stones less likely

    Don't get more than this much: No upper limit known for adults. But high doses of potassium can be fatal.

     

    Selenium

    Foods that have it: Organ meats, seafood, dairy, some plants (if grown in soil with selenium), Brazil nuts

    How much you need:

  • Adults: 55 micrograms per day, unless pregnant or breastfeeding
  • During pregnancy: 60 micrograms per day
  • While breastfeeding: 70 micrograms per day
  • What it does: Protects cells from damage, helps manage thyroid function

    Don't get more than this much: 400 micrograms per day for adults

     

    Sodium

    Foods that have it: Foods made with added salt, such as processed and restaurant foods

    How much you need:

  • Adults aged 19-50: up to 1,500 milligrams per day
  • Adults aged 51-70: up to 1,300 milligrams per day
  • Adults aged 71 and older: up to 1,200 milligrams per day
  • What it does: Important for fluid balance

    Don't get more than this much: 2,300 milligrams per day for adults, or as instructed by your doctor, depending on whether you have certain conditions, like high blood pressure

     

    Vitamin A

    Foods that have it: Sweet potatoes, carrots, spinach, fortified cereals

    How much you need:

  • Men: 900 micrograms per day
  • Women: 700 micrograms per day
  • During pregnancy: 770 micrograms per day
  • While breastfeeding: 1,300 micrograms per day
  • What it does: Needed to support vision, the immune system, and reproduction

    Don't get more than this much: 3,000 micrograms per day for adults

     

    Vitamin B1 (thiamine)

    Foods that have it: Whole-grain, enriched, fortified products like bread and cereals

    How much you need:

  • Men: 1.2 milligrams per day
  • Women: 1.1 milligrams per day
  • While pregnant or breastfeeding: 1.4 milligram per day
  • What it does: Helps the body process carbs and some proteins

    Don't get more than this amount: No upper limit known for adults

     

    Vitamin B2 (riboflavin)

    Foods that have it: Milk, bread products, fortified cereals

    How much you need:

  • Men: 1.3 milligrams per day
  • Women: 1.1 milligrams per day
  • During pregnancy : 1.4 milligrams per day
  • While breastfeeding: 1.6 milligrams per day
  • What it does: Helps convert food into energy, helps make red blood cells

    Don't get more than this much: No upper limit known for adults

     

    Vitamin B3 (niacin)

    Foods that have it: Meat, fish, poultry, enriched and whole-grain breads, fortified cereals

    How much you need:

  • Men: 16 milligrams per day
  • Women: 14 milligrams per day
  • During pregnancy: 18 milligrams per day
  • While breastfeeding: 17 milligrams per day
  • What it does: Helps with digestion and with making cholesterol

    Don't get more than this amount: No upper limit from natural sources. If you're an adult who takes niacin supplements or you get niacin from fortified foods, don't get more than 35 milligrams per day.

     

    Vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid)

    Foods that have it: Chicken, beef, potatoes, oats, cereals, tomatoes

    How much you need:

  • Adults: 5 milligrams per day
  • During pregnancy: 6 milligrams per day
  • While breastfeeding: 7 milligrams per day
  • What it does: Helps turn carbs, protein, and fat into energy

    Don't get more than this much: No upper limit known for adults

     

    Vitamin B6

    Foods that have it: Fortified cereals, fortified soy products, chickpeas, potatoes, organ meats

    How much you need:

  • Men and women aged 19-50: 1.3 milligrams per day
  • During pregnancy: 1.9 milligrams per day
  • While breastfeeding: 2 milligrams per day
  • Men aged 51 and older: 1.7 milligrams per day
  • Women aged 51 and older: 1.5 milligrams per day
  • What it does: Helps with metabolism, the immune system, babies' brain development

    Don't get more than this amount: 100 milligrams per day for adults

     

    Vitamin B7 (biotin)

    Foods that have it: Liver, fruits, meats

    How much you need:

  • Adults: 30 micrograms per day, except for breastfeeding women
  • Breastfeeding adults: 35 micrograms per day
  • What it does: Helps your body make fats, protein, other things your cells need

    Don't get more than this amount: No upper limit known

     

    Vitamin B12

    Foods that have it: Fish, poultry, meat, dairy products, fortified cereals

    How much you need:

  • Adults: 2.4 micrograms per day
  • During pregnancy: 2.6 micrograms per day
  • While breastfeeding: 2.8 micrograms per day
  • What it does: Helps your body make red blood cells

    Don't get more than this amount: No upper limit known

     

    Vitamin C

    Foods that have it: Red and green peppers, kiwis, oranges and other citrus fruits, strawberries, broccoli, tomatoes

    How much you need:

  • Men: 90 milligrams per day
  • Women: 75 milligrams per day, unless pregnant or breastfeeding
  • During pregnancy: 85 milligrams per day
  • While breastfeeding : 120 milligrams per day
  • Smokers: Add 35 milligrams to the numbers above
  • What it does: Helps protect against cell damage, supports the immune system, helps your body make collagen

    Don't get more than this much: 2,000 milligrams per day for adults

     

    Vitamin D

    Foods that have it: Fish liver oils, fatty fish, fortified milk products, fortified cereals

    How much you need:

  • Adults aged 19-70: 600 international units (IU) per day
  • Adults aged 71 and older: 800 IU per day
  • What it does: Needed for bones, muscles, the immune system, communication between the brain and the rest of your body

    Don't get more than this much: 4,000 IU per day for adults unless directed by your doctor

     

    Vitamin E

    Foods that have it: Fortified cereals, sunflower seeds, almonds, peanut butter, vegetable oils

    How much you need:

  • Adults: 15 milligrams per day, including during pregnancy
  • While breastfeeding: 19 milligrams per day
  • What it does: Helps protect cells against damage

    Don't get more than this amount: 1,000 milligrams per day for adults

     

    Vitamin K

    Foods that have it: Green vegetables like spinach, collards, and broccoli; Brussels sprouts; cabbage

    How much you need:

  • Men: 120 micrograms per day
  • Women: 90 micrograms per day
  • What it does: Important in blood clotting and bone health

    Don't get more than this amount: No upper limit known for adults

     

    Zinc

    Foods that have it: Red meats, some seafood, fortified cereals

    How much you need:

  • Men: 11 milligrams per day
  • Women: 8 milligrams per day, unless pregnant or breastfeeding
  • During pregnancy: 11 milligrams per day
  • While breastfeeding: 12 milligrams per day
  • What it does: Supports your immune system and nerve function, aids reproduction

    Don't get more than this amount: 40 milligrams per day for adults

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