According to MayoClinic.com's registered and licensed dietitian Katherine Zeratsky, foods are high in a vitamin if they contain 20 percent or more of that vitamin. If a food has 5 percent or less of a specific vitamin it is considered low in that nutrient. Your body needs vitamins and minerals for energy, proper growth, immune system support and cell division. You must provide your body with vitamins through food sources because the human body is not able to synthesize or produce vitamins.
Vitamin C
Dr. J.D. Decuypere says one of the most important of all vitamins for the human body is vitamin C. Protein and meats that are rich in vitamin C include goat milk, perch, cod, low-fat yogurt and soy beans. Fruits and vegetables such as grapefruit, black currants, mulberries, kiwi, mango, papaya, oranges, pineapple, strawberries, butternut squash, chard, broccoli, green pepper and kale are healthy sources of vitamin C to incorporate into your daily meals.
Calcium
According to MedlinePlus, an online service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine, "calcium is the most plentiful mineral found in the human body." Calcium is vital for physical maintenance, reproduction of the human body and proper growth. The richest source of calcium is dairy products such as milk, yogurt, buttermilk and cheese. Vegetables that contain calcium include broccoli, kale, collards, mustard greens, turnip greens and Chinese cabbage. Other healthy sources of calcium you can incorporate into your diet are salmon, sardines, almonds, shellfish, Brazil nuts and dried beans.
Vitamin A
Decuypere reports that vitamin A is essential in support to the immune system, assistance in the formation of some hormones and cell reproduction. You can implement vitamin A into your daily meals through vegetables and fruits such as: butternut squash, bok choy, carrots, amaranth leaves, cantaloupes, grapefruit, guava, mango, tomatoes, papaya and watermelon. Vitamin A is contained in proteins and meats including cheddar cheese, cream cheese, eggs, cows milk, tuna and whipping cream. Pistachios, chestnuts and pecans are additional sources of vitamin A.
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