All vitamins and minerals are important for optimal health. Eat nutrient-dense foods with a variety of vitamins and minerals to enjoy the benefits of health. Most processed foods offer empty-calories foods that are stripped of their nutrients and turned into junk food. This food robs your body of nutrients as opposed to whole foods that provide your body with nutrients that make your immune system strong.
Vitamins
Vitamin A is healthy for the body, because it promotes healthy mucous membranes and eyes. North Dakota State University also states these carotenoid foods strengthen your immune system and reduce your risk of heart disease, cancer and macular degeneration, an eye disorder in the elderly that leads to blindness. There are a variety of B vitamins and when referring to all of them they are known as B-complex. B vitamins generally help your body make protein and energy. Vitamin C and E helps heal your body and strengthens your immune system. Vitamin D builds strong bones. Vitamin K helps your blood to clot.
Minerals
Important minerals for your body's health include calcium, iron, potassium and zinc. Calcium keeps your bones, teeth and hair strong and healthy, especially when combined with magnesium. Iron helps your body carry oxygen from your lungs to the rest of your body. Potassium aids your muscles and nervous system functions. Zinc keeps your immune system strong by helping you fight infections and illness.
Nutrient-rich Foods
You can obtain a variety of vitamins especially from fruits and vegetables. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggests eating a diet that contains a variety of different colors of fruits and vegetables, because each color represents an inherent set of vitamins and antioxidants. Carrots, sweet potatoes and peaches are in the orange and yellow group that are high in beta-carotene, which is converted to vitamin A when consumed. Fish and meat provide B-12 and zinc, but you can also find them from vegetarian sources such as fortified foods for vitamin B-12 and legumes for zinc.
Toxicities and Deficiencies
It is good to not eat too much or too little of each vitamin and mineral. Each has a different amount that is recommended; eating a diversity of foods ensures a balance of vitamins and minerals. If certain foods are omitted from your diet, take a whole-food vitamin to meet your daily requirements. Have a regular comprehensive metabolic blood test to check your vitamin and mineral levels.
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