From Balanced Nutrition to Balanced Life
Concentrations of preformed vitamin A are highest in liver and fish oils. Other sources of preformed vitamin A are milk and eggs, which also include some provitamin A. Most dietary provitamin A comes from leafy green vegetables, orange and yellow vegetables, tomato products, fruits, and vegetable oils.
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Food sources of thiamin include whole grains, meat, and fish. Breads, cereals, and infant formulas in the United States and many other countries are fortified with thiamin. The most common sources of thiamin in the U.S. diet are cereals and bread. Pork is another major source of the vitamin.
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Fruits and vegetables are the best sources of vitamin C. Examples include citrus fruits, tomatoes and tomato juice, red and green peppers, kiwifruit, broccoli, strawberries, Brussels sprouts, cantaloup, and potatoes.
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Very few foods in nature contain vitamin D. The flesh of fatty fish (such as salmon, tuna, and mackerel) and fish liver oils are among the best sources. Small amounts of vitamin D are found in beef liver, cheese, and egg yolks.
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Numerous foods provide vitamin E. Nuts, seeds, and vegetable oils are among the best sources of alpha-tocopherol, and significant amounts are available in green leafy vegetables and fortified cereals.
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Food sources of phylloquinone include vegetables, especially green leafy vegetables, vegetable oils, and some fruits. Meat, dairy foods, and eggs contain low levels of phylloquinone but modest amounts of menaquinones.
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Milk, yogurt, and cheese are rich natural sources of calcium and are the major food contributors of this nutrient to people in the developed countries. Nondairy sources include vegetables, such as Chinese cabbage, kale, and broccoli.
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As per the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, nearly 77% of the sodium intake of an average American comes from consuming packaged and restaurant foods.
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The richest dietary copper sources include shellfish, seeds and nuts, organ meats, wheat-bran cereals, whole-grain products, and chocolate.
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Chromium is widely distributed in the food supply, but most foods provide only small amounts (less than 2 micrograms [mcg] per serving). Meat and whole-grain products, as well as some fruits, vegetables, and spices are relatively good sources.
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Seaweed (such as kelp, nori, kombu, and wakame) is one of the best food sources of iodine, but it is highly variable in its content. Other good sources include seafood, dairy products (partly due to the use of iodine feed supplements).
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The richest sources of heme iron in the diet include lean meat and seafood. Dietary sources of nonheme iron include nuts, beans, vegetables, and fortified grain products. About half of dietary iron comes from bread, cereal, and other grain products.
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Green leafy vegetables, such as spinach, legumes, nuts, seeds, and whole grains, are good sources. In general, foods containing dietary fiber provide magnesium. Magnesium is also added to some breakfast cereals.
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The top sources of manganese in the diets are grain products, tea, and vegetables. Humans absorb only about 1% to 5% of dietary manganese.
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The top sources of molybdenum are legumes, cereal grains, leafy vegetables, beef liver, and milk. Milk and cheese products are the main sources of molybdenum for teens and children.
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The main food sources are the protein food groups of meat and milk, as well as processed foods that contain sodium phosphate. A diet that includes the right amounts of calcium and protein will also provide enough phosphorus.
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Many fruits and vegetables are excellent sources of potassium, as are some legumes (e.g., soybeans) and potatoes. Meats, poultry, fish, milk, yogurt, and nuts also contain potassium.
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The major food sources of selenium in the Western diet are breads, grains, meat, poultry, fish, and eggs.
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Red meat and poultry provide the majority of zinc in the Western diet. Oysters contain more zinc per serving than any other food. Other food sources include beans, nuts, certain types of seafood (such as crab and lobster), whole grains, fortified breakfast cereals, and dairy products.
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