Vitamins and Minerals Chart - Optimal Health - Source: FDA Nutrition Ed.

Vitamins

VITAMIN	WHAT IT DOES	WHERE IS IT FOUND	VALUE*
Biotin	• Energy storage • Protein, carbohydrate, and fat metabolism	• Avocados• Cauli ower• Eggs• Fruits (e.g., raspberries) • Liver• Pork• Salmon• Whole grains	300 mcg
Folate/Folic Acid Important for pregnant women and women capable of becoming pregnant	• Prevention of birth defects • Protein metabolism• Red blood cell formation	• Asparagus• Avocado• Beans and peas• Enriched grain products (e.g., bread, cereal, pasta, rice)• Green leafy vegetables (e.g., spinach)  • Orange juice	400 mcg
Niacin	• Cholesterol production• Conversion of food into energy • Digestion• Nervous system function	• Beans• Beef• Enriched grain products (e.g., bread, cereal, pasta, rice)• Nuts • Pork• Poultry• Seafood• Whole grains	20 mg
Pantothenic Acid	• Conversion of food into energy • Fat metabolism• Hormone production• Nervous system function • Red blood cell formation	• Avocados• Beans and peas • Broccoli• Eggs• Milk• Mushrooms• Poultry• Seafood• Sweet potatoes  • Whole grains• Yogurt	10 mg
Ribo avin	• Conversion of food into energy • Growth and development• Red blood cell formation	• Eggs• Enriched grain products (e.g., bread, cereal, pasta, rice) • Meats • Milk• Mushrooms• Poultry• Seafood (e.g., oysters) • Spinach	1.7 mg
Thiamin	• Conversion of food into energy • Nervous system function	• Beans and peas• Enriched grain products (e.g., bread, cereal, pasta, rice) • Nuts • Pork• Sun ower seeds  • Whole grains	1.5 mg

* The Daily Values are the amounts of nutrients recommended per day for Americans 4 years of age or older.

http://www.fda.gov/nutritioneducation Vitamins 1

Vitamins (cont’d)

VITAMIN	WHAT IT DOES	WHERE IS IT FOUND	DAILY VALUE*
Vitamin A	• Growth and development • Immune function• Reproduction• Red blood cell formation  • Skin and bone formation  • Vision	• Cantaloupe• Carrots• Dairy products• Eggs• Forti ed cereals• Green leafy vegetables (e.g., spinach and broccoli)• Pumpkin• Red peppers• Sweet potatoes	5,000 IU
Vitamin B6	• Immune function• Nervous system function• Protein, carbohydrate, and fat metabolism• Red blood cell formation	• Chickpeas• Fruits (other than citrus)  • Potatoes• Salmon• Tuna	2 mg
Vitamin B12	• Conversion of food into energy • Nervous system function• Red blood cell formation	• Dairy products  • Eggs• Forti ed cereals  • Meats • Poultry • Seafood (e.g., clams, trout, salmon, haddock, tuna)	6 mcg
Vitamin C	• Antioxidant• Collagen and connective tissue    formation• Immune function • Wound healing	• Broccoli• Brussels sprouts• Cantaloupe• Citrus fruits and juices (e.g., oranges    and grapefruit)• Kiwifruit• Peppers• Strawberries• Tomatoes and tomato juice	60 mg
Vitamin D Nutrient of concern for most Americans	• Blood pressure regulation  • Bone growth• Calcium balance• Hormone production • Immune function• Nervous system function	• Eggs• Fish (e.g., herring, mackerel, salmon, trout, and tuna)• Fish liver oil• Forti ed cereals• Forti ed dairy products• Forti ed margarine• Forti ed orange juice• Forti ed soy beverages (soymilk)	400 IU
Vitamin E	• Antioxidant• Formation of blood vessels • Immune function	• Forti ed cereals and juices• Green vegetables (e.g., spinach and broccoli)• Nuts and seeds• Peanuts and peanut butter  • Vegetable oils	30 IU
Vitamin K	• Blood clotting  • Strong bones	• Green vegetables (e.g., broccoli, kale, spinach, turnip greens, collards, Swiss chard, mustard greens)	80 mcg

* The Daily Values are the amounts of nutrients recommended per day for Americans 4 years of age or older.

http://www.fda.gov/nutritioneducation Vitamins 2

Minerals

MINERAL	WHAT IT DOES	WHERE IS IT FOUND	DAILY VALUE*
Calcium Nutrient of concern for most Americans	• Blood clotting• Bone and teeth formation• Constriction and relaxation of blood vessels• Hormone secretion• Muscle contraction• Nervous system function	• Almond, rice, coconut, and hemp milks  • Canned seafood with bones (e.g., salmon and sardines)• Dairy products• Forti ed cereals and juices• Forti ed soy beverages (soymilk)• Green vegetables (e.g., spinach, kale, broccoli, turnip greens)• Tofu (made with calcium sulfate)	1,000 mg
Chloride	• Acid-base balance• Conversion of food         into energy  • Digestion• Fluid balance• Nervous system function	• Celery• Lettuce• Olives• Rye• Salt substitutes• Seaweeds (e.g., dulse and kelp)  • Table salt and sea salt• Tomatoes	3,400 mg
Chromium	• Insulin function • Protein, carbohydrate, and fat metabolism	• Broccoli• Fruits (e.g., apple and banana)  • Grape and orange juice• Meats• Spices (e.g., garlic and basil)• Turkey• Whole grains	120 mcg
Copper	• Antioxidant• Bone formation• Collagen and connective tissue formation• Energy production• Iron metabolism• Nervous system function	• Chocolate and cocoa• Crustaceans and shell fish • Lentils• Nuts and seeds• Organ meats (e.g., liver)  • Whole grains	2 mg
Iodine	• Growth and development• Metabolism• Reproduction• Thyroid hormone production	• Breads and cereals • Dairy products• Iodized salt• Potatoes • Seafood  • Seaweed  • Turkey	150 mcg
Iron Nutrient of concern for young children, pregnant women, and women capable of becoming pregnant	• Energy production• Growth and development • Immune function• Red blood cell    formation  • Reproduction• Wound healing	• Beans and peas• Dark green vegetables  • Meats• Poultry• Prunes and prune juice  • Raisins• Seafood • Whole grain, enriched, and forti ed cereals and breads	18 mg

* The Daily Values are the amounts of nutrients recommended per day for Americans 4 years of age or older.

http://www.fda.gov/nutritioneducation Minerals 1

Minerals (cont’d)

MINERAL	WHAT IT DOES	WHERE IS IT FOUND	DAILY VALUE*
Magnesium	• Blood pressure regulation  • Blood sugar regulation• Bone formation• Energy production • Hormone secretion• Immune function• Muscle contraction• Nervous system function  • Normal heart rhythm • Protein formation	• Avocados• Bananas• Beans and peas• Dairy products• Green leafy vegetables (e.g., spinach)  • Nuts and pumpkin seeds• Potatoes• Raisins• Wheat bran• Whole grains	400 mg
Manganese	• Carbohydrate, protein, and cholesterol metabolism • Cartilage and bone formation  • Wound healing	• Beans• Nuts• Pineapple• Spinach• Sweet potato  • Whole grains	2 mg
Molybdenum	• Enzyme production	• Beans and peas  • Nuts• Whole grains	75 mcg
Phosphorus	• Acid-base balance• Bone formation• Energy production and storage  • Hormone activation	• Beans and peas  • Dairy products  • Meats• Nuts and seeds  • Poultry • Seafood• Whole grain, enriched, and forti ed cereals and breads	1,000 mg
Potassium Nutrient of concern for most Americans	• Blood pressure regulation  • Carbohydrate metabolism  • Fluid balance• Growth and development • Heart function • Muscle contraction• Nervous system function • Protein formation	• Bananas• Beet greens• Juices (e.g., carrot, pomegranate, prune, orange, and tomato)  • Milk • Oranges and orange juice• Potatoes and sweet potatoes• Prunes and prune juice• Spinach• Tomatoes and tomato products  • White beans• Yogurt	3,500 mg
Selenium	• Antioxidant• Immune function • Reproduction• Thyroid function	• Eggs• Enriched pasta and rice• Meats• Nuts (e.g., Brazil nuts) and seeds  • Poultry• Seafood• Whole grains	70 mcg

* The Daily Values are the amounts of nutrients recommended per day for Americans 4 years of age or older.

http://www.fda.gov/nutritioneducation Minerals 2

Minerals (cont’d)

MINERAL	WHAT IT DOES	WHERE IS IT FOUND	DAILY VALUE*
Sodium Nutrient to get less of	• Acid-base balance• Blood pressure regulation  • Fluid balance• Muscle contraction• Nervous system function	• Breads and rolls• Cheese (natural and processed)• Cold cuts and cured meats (e.g., deli or packaged ham or turkey)• Mixed meat dishes (e.g., beef stew, chili, and meat loaf)• Mixed pasta dishes (e.g., lasagna, pasta salad, and spaghetti with meat sauce) • Pizza • Poultry (fresh and processed)• Sandwiches (e.g., hamburgers, hot dogs, and submarine sandwiches)• Savory snacks (e.g., chips, crackers, popcorn, and pretzels)  • Soups• Table salt	2,400 mg
Zinc	• Growth and development • Immune function• Nervous system function  • Protein formation • Reproduction• Taste and smell  • Wound healing	• Beans and peas  • Beef• Dairy products  • Forti ed cereals  • Nuts • Poultry• Seafood (e.g., clams, crabs, lobsters, oysters)• Whole grains	15 mg

* The Daily Values are the amounts of nutrients recommended per day for Americans 4 years of age or older.

http://www.fda.gov/nutritioneducation Minerals 3