Most Americans get adequate or excessive dietary protein, carbohydrates, fat and sodium, often in the same fast-food meals. Too much of these nutrients in your diet may mean that you don't get enough vitamins and minerals for healthy metabolism. The USDA Dietary Guidelines for Americans warn that you may be at risk of low levels of fiber, some minerals and anti-oxidant vitamins. For the biggest boost to your diet, find these nutrients in foods that have 20 percent or greater daily value, or DV.
Fiber
Dietary fiber helps control your cholesterol, weight and blood pressure, according to the American Heart Association, AHA. High-fiber grain foods include some breakfast cereals, whole wheat bread and brown rice. All vegetables and fruits have fiber, but beans, lentils, berries, artichokes, spinach and broccoli have the most, with up to 75 percent DV of fiber.
Calcium
The USDA names milk products as the major source of dietary calcium, but advises choosing reduced-fat varieties to limit your saturated fat. Yogurt, milk and cheese have high calcium content. Salmon and sardines, canned with bones, as well as collard greens and cooked spinach, also have as much as 40 percent DV of calcium.
Magnesium
Nutritious foods with magnesium content of up to 40 percent DV include pumpkin seeds; black, lima, pinto and kidney beans; and Brazil nuts, as the USDA Nutrient Database relates. Whole-grain cereal, brown rice and cooked spinach represent nutrient-dense foods that have high magnesium and other nutrient contents within low-calorie limits.
Potassium
All meats and fish contain some potassium, note the National Institutes of Health, NIH, but leafy greens, beans and dried fruit have some of the greatest potassium content. Potatoes, sweet potatoes, papayas and plantains all have 20 percent DV or more of potassium, a nutrient that regulates your heartbeat.
Vitamin A
Support healthy skin and eyes with the vitamin A and anti-oxidants in cooked spinach, kale, sweet potatoes, apricots, papayas and mangoes. The USDA lists beef, turkey and chicken liver among these foods that far surpass 100 percent DV of vitamin A. Enriched milk and cheese also provide significant vitamin A content.
Vitamin C
Most fruits and some vegetables offer moderate to large amounts of anti-oxidant vitamin C to boost your immune system. Those with 25 percent DV or more include red peppers, oranges, broccoli, strawberries, cantaloupe and cauliflower, as per the USDA.
Vitamin E
More anti-oxidant protection for cells comes from adequate vitamin E, reports the NIH. You'll find this nutrient in foods such as almonds, sunflower seeds and hazelnuts, which have up to 40 percent DV. Other significant vitamin E sources include peanut butter and cooked spinach.
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