The best source of the vitamins and minerals you need for your body is food, not supplements. Below are some nutrient-rich foods to keep stocked in your kitchen:
- Vitamin A: Carrots; sweet potatoes; egg yolks; dark, leafy greens; cod liver oil
- Vitamin B6: Bananas, potatoes, brown rice, chicken, salmon, tuna
- Vitamin B12: Salmon, liver, egg yolks, fortified cereals
- Vitamin C: Citrus fruits, peppers, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, strawberries
- Vitamin D: Fatty fish; liver; egg yolks; fortified foods like milk, orange juice, and cereals
- Vitamin E: Whole-grain foods; avocados; nuts; spinach, and other dark, leafy greens
- Vitamin K: Collards, spinach, kale, and other dark, leafy greens; broccoli; carrot juice
- Calcium: Nonfat and low-fat milk, yogurt, and cheese; kale; broccoli; canned sardines
- Copper: Liver, oysters, sesame seeds, unsweetened baking chocolate, potatoes, cashews
- Folate: Liver, spinach, avocado, lentils, fortified cereals
- Magnesium: Almonds, cashews, peanuts, black beans, spinach, shredded wheat, soy milk
- Potassium: Apricots, lentils, prunes, potatoes, kidney beans, orange juice, bananas
- Zinc: Oysters, beef, Alaska king crab, fortified cereals
This article first appeared in the October 2019 issue of UC Berkeley Health After 50.
Published October 22, 2019
