Getting the quantities you need; vitamin sources
Vitamins help your body to process other nutrients; form red blood cells, connective tissue, and hormones; and generally maintain good health. If you eat well-balanced meals (see Menu planning) and have no unusual medical needs, your vitamin intake should be adequate. But if you don’t regularly eat all the recommended servings from the Basic Four Food Groups or you are on a weight-loss diet of less than 1,200 calories a day, consider taking a multivitamin pill that supplies the U.S. government-set Recommended Daily Allowances {RDA) of the B vitarnins and C.
A deficiency of any vitamin can cause health problems. Megadoses (10 times the RDA) of niacin,. folac in, A, C, D, and E can also be harmful.
To get maximum vitamin potential, buy fresh produce and process foods lightly. Retain fruit and vegetable skins. Steam vegetables, cook them in minimal water, or stir-fry them.
A (Reti nol) Liver; eggs, milk products; fortified margarine; yellow, orange, and dark-green vegetables
Thiamin (31) Pork; liver; oysters; whole grains: brewer’s yeast; green peas
Riboflavin (32) Liver; milk; dark-green vegetables; whole grains; mushrooms
Niacin (03) Liver; poultry; meat; tuna; nuts; legumes
Pyridoxine (0) Whole grains; liver; avocados; spinach; bananas
Cobalamin (B12) Liver; kidneys; meat: fish; eggs; milk; oysters
Folic acid Liver; kidneys; dark-
(Folacin) green leafy vegetables; wheat germ; brewer’s yeast
Pantothenic Liver; kidneys; whole
acid grains; nuts; eggs; dark-green vegetables; yeast
Biotin
C (Ascorbic acid)
Citrus fruits; tomatoes; strawberries; melons; dark-green vegetables
Egg yolk; liver; kidneys; dark-green vegetables; green beans
D (Calcilerol) Fortified milk; egg yolk; liver; tuna; salmon
E (Tocopherol) Vegetable oils; whole grains; liver; dried beans
K Green leafy vegetables; vegetables in cabbage family