You may know that your body needs vitamins and minerals from foods every day, but wonder which foods contain which elements. It's easy to learn the right sources by reviewing the five food groups. The USDA groups foods that contain similar nutrients together in order to assist you in creating healthy meal plans that hit all the essentials. Among these, natural foods that provide the full range of vitamins and minerals are sources of calcium, potassium and vitamin D, which many diets, including yours, may lack.
Grain Group
Unprocessed grains, such as whole wheat, brown rice and oatmeal share low to moderate content of iron, potassium and magnesium, and larger amounts of several B vitamins, most notably niacin, or B3. Other natural grain sources of these minerals and vitamins include barley, bulgur and popcorn. Some whole grain foods, such as ready-to-eat cereals, are fortified with vitamins and minerals to enhance their natural content. Processed grains are often called "enriched" on the package label.
Vegetable Group
Vegetables represent some of the widest array of vitamin and mineral nutrients. Orange veggies tend to carry strong vitamin A, dark green veggies have various B vitamins, including folate, calcium, while red veggies contain vitamin C. All of these are also natural sources of potassium, magnesium and iron, with greater ratios in cooked than raw forms. Similar nutrition comes from sweet potatoes, carrots, broccoli, kale, beets and red peppers.
Fruit Group
Most fruits make significant contributions of vitamin C to your diet. Fresh, dried, frozen, canned and juiced fruits with no sugar added are considered natural sources. Those with high vitamin C content include oranges, blueberries, pineapples, cantaloupes, mangoes and kiwis. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention note that eating a variety of colors of fruits adds plant-specific nutrients along with vitamins and minerals. Some fruits have large concentrations of minerals, such as potassium in bananas and iron in prunes and dried plums.
Dairy Group
Unflavored milk, while fortified with vitamins A and D, contain natural amounts of calcium, potassium and B vitamins. Foods made from this milk, such as yogurts and cheeses, also impart these nutrient benefits. The American Heart Association considers 1 percent and nonfat dairy products superior natural sources of calcium due to their lower fat and calorie content.
Protein Group
Plant-based foods in the protein group actually have greater vitamin and mineral content than animal-based foods. The American Diabetes Association calls beans, peas and lentils the healthiest natural protein sources for their calcium, iron, potassium, magnesium and some B vitamins, especially folate. Organ meats from beef, chicken and pork have high iron content, while fish are strongest in hard-to-find vitamin D.
Member Comments