Vitamins and minerals are essential nutrients that are necessary for your body to function correctly. Most of the vitamins and minerals the body needs can be acquired through your diet by eating animal or plant-based foods. David Katz, M.D., of Yale's Prevention Research Center, explains that while taking supplemental vitamins and minerals is satisfactory, they should not be used as a replacement for a healthy diet. Vegetables provide a healthy share of minerals and vitamins for a person's benefit.
Vitamin A
Vitamin A is a key vitamin for night vision, bone growth and health, production of DNA and correct functioning of the immune system. KidsHealth reports that plant foods that provide a rich source of vitamin A include green leafy vegetables such as spinach and kale. Without enough vitamin A in your diet, you are at risk of developing night blindness and a diminished ability to fight infection. The only people who are recommended to up their vitamin A intake, according to the Institute of Medicine, are pregnant and lactating women.
Calcium
Calcium is a mineral that helps your bones grow strong. Leafy green vegetables like broccoli provide a rich source of calcium. Yet optimal calcium absorption, according to the Linus Pauling Institute, comes from the recommended daily allowance of vitamin D, which is mostly acquired through direct sunshine on your skin. A calcium deficiency could lead to osteoporosis, a disease that makes bones weaker and more porous.
Vitamin D
Vitamin D works in conjunction with calcium to ensure the growth of healthy bones. While your body can easily make vitamin D when you expose your skin to ultraviolet rays from the sun, the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) reports that white, brown and portabella mushrooms exposed to the sun provide a good source of vitamin D. In 2008, the ARS reported that 40 percent of Americans were not getting enough vitamin D. An extended vitamin D deficiency can lead to rickets, a disease that can cause soft bones and bone deformities, especially in children.
Iron
Iron is a mineral that helps transport oxygen from the lungs to the rest of your body. You can find rich sources of iron in leafy green vegetables like broccoli and spinach. Vitamin C will help your body absorb iron. In 2002, the World Health Organization reported that iron deficiency is one of the most prevalent nutritional deficiencies in the world; up to 80 percent of the world's population could have an iron deficiency. Further, if you do not get enough vitamin A, you could actually limit your body from accessing stored iron, even if you're not iron deficient.
Vitamin C
Vitamin C plays an important role in helping wounds heal and helping regenerate antioxidants in the body. Vegetables that provide a rich source of vitamin C include red and green peppers, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, tomatoes, green peas and spinach. A long-term vitamin C deficiency can lead to scurvy, a disorder characterized by inflamed gums, fatigue, bruising and weakness.
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