Vitamins are a group of organic nutrients essential for people's normal metabolism and physical function. Your body requires 11 major vitamins to stay healthy, and each has a variety of physiological roles. Humans cannot produce these nutrients or synthesize them in sufficient amounts, so vitamins must be obtained from dietary sources.
Vitamin A
The best sources of vitamin A are organ meats like liver, and orange and green fruits and vegetables. Carrots and carrot juice, sweet potatoes and pumpkin offer significant amounts of vitamin A. Spinach, collards, kale, turnip greens, beet greens, squash, cantaloupe and fortified cereals are other good sources. Eggs, meat, milk, cheese, cream, cod and halibut also contain vitamin A.
The B Vitamins
You can get vitamin B-1 from fortified grain products, whole grains, fish, lean meats, beans, soy foods, dairy products, fruits and vegetables. Meat, eggs, legumes, nuts, dairy products, green leafy vegetables, broccoli, asparagus, whole grains and fortified cereals are some of the best sources of vitamin B-2. Vitamin B-3 is generally found in animal products, including both dairy foods and meat; some nuts; beans; and enriched breads and cereals. Vitamin B-6 is a component of pork and other meats, whole grains and cereals, legumes and green leafy vegetables. Folate is mostly found in green leafy vegetables and fortified breads and grain products. Vitamin B-12 can only be obtained from animal sources: meat, eggs, poultry, shellfish, milk and milk products.
Vitamin C
Various fruits and vegetables contain vitamin C. The best sources of vitamin C are red and green bell peppers. Other foods with vitamin C include guava, kiwi, oranges and orange products, grapefruit, strawberries, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, cantaloupe, papaya, sweet potatoes, tomatoes and tomato products, cauliflower, pineapple, mango and kale.
Vitamin D
Vitamin D is synthesized in your skin when it is exposed to sunlight. Foods that contain vitamin D include dairy products such as cheese, butter, cream and fortified milk, along with fish, oysters and some cereals.
Vitamin E
The best sources of vitamin E are fortified ready-to-eat cereals, sunflower seeds, almonds, hazelnuts, oils like canola, sunflower, cottonseed and safflower, peanuts and peanut butter, avocados and wheat germ. Some green leafy vegetables like spinach also contain vitamin E, as well as tomato products like tomato paste, puree and sauce.
Vitamin K
The majority of your vitamin K is produced by bacteria in the gut. Dietary sources of vitamin K are primarily plant foods, including cabbage, cauliflower, spinach, soybeans and cereals.
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