Multivitamin Diet Part 1

Some people just can’t tolerate a multivitamin pill due to nausea, medication interactions, or some other health issue.  Personally, I often forget to take mine.  Relying on a nutritious diet to provide the vitamins and minerals your body needs is key to optimum health.  Try to include foods from the different food groups to ensure you are receiving all of the nutrients your body needs.  Most foods supply our bodies with multiple vitamins and minerals.  When someone tells you to eat your vegetables, it is not just because we are "supposed" to, it's because they benefit our health in so many ways.  You can see below that leafy greens provide us with an array of nutrients - calcium, iron, folate, vitamins A and E, just to name a few.

Multivitamin Nutrients, health benefits and food sources:

·         Calcium

o   Bone growth and strength, blood clotting, muscle contractions, transmission of nerve signals

o   Dairy products, calcium-fortified products (juice, soy), canned salmon with bones, turnip greens, kale, cabbage, broccoli, some tortillas and breads

·         Iron

o   Key component of RBC and enzymes – strong blood carries oxygen throughout the entire body, protects immune system, keeps energy levels up, ensures adequate growth and development

o   Beef, dark poultry meat, clams, dried fruit, beans (white, kidney, garbanzo, etc), lentils, dark leafy greens (spinach, collards, chard, kale, mustard), enriched cereals, breads, and rice, prune juice, tofu, egg yolks

·         Folate/Folic Acid

o   Development of cells, protein metabolism, heart health, prevent birth defects in pregnant women

o   Leafy greens (spinach, turnip greens), oranges and orange juice, beans (legumes), enriched breads, pasta, crackers, rice, cereals, beef liver, asparagus, broccoli, avocado, peanuts, wheat germ, romaine lettuce, tomato juice, cantaloupe, papaya, banana

·         Vitamin C

o   Antioxidant against cell damage, boosts immunity, forms collagen

o   Oranges, grapefruit, bell peppers, strawberries, potatoes, broccoli, cabbage, guava, kiwi, cantaloupe, papaya, tomato, cauliflower, mango

·         Vitamin A

o   Promotes healthy lining of the respiratory, urinary, and intestinal tracts, vision health, boosts immunity, reproductive health

o   Carrots, sweet potatoes, cantaloupe, spinach, pumpkin, greens, winter squashes (with orange/yellow flesh), red sweet peppers, liver, fortified milk, cheese, egg substitutes, fortified oatmeal, frozen peas

·         Vitamin E

o   Antioxidant against cell damage, involved in immune function, regulation of gene expression

o   Vegetable oils, nuts and seeds (almonds, sunflower seeds, hazelnuts, peanut butter), avocado, wheat germ, small amounts in broccoli, spinach, mango, tomato, and kiwi