Vitamins and minerals are essential nutrients with specific functions in your body, and inadequate intake can cause health problems. You may be getting all of the vitamins and minerals you need if you eat a balanced diet with sufficient calories, but foods fortified with vitamins and minerals can help you meet your requirements if natural sources are not sufficient. The most common vitamins and minerals added to foods tend to be those with a positive impact on most people.
Vitamins in Grains
In the U.S., most refined grains, such as baking flours and yeast breads, are fortified with folic acid, a B vitamin that is essential for preventing neural tube birth defects. Enriched refined grains and fortified whole grains also provide thiamine (vitamin B1), riboflavin (vitamin B2) and niacin (vitamin B3), according to the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. You need these vitamins for metabolizing the carbohydrates, fat and protein from food.
Calcium
Calcium is an essential mineral for building and maintaining strong bones, and common sources include fortified products, such as fortified orange juice and breakfast cereal, according to the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Dairy products, such as milk, cheese and yogurt, are natural sources of calcium, and soy-based, non-dairy substitutes, such as soymilk and soy yogurt, are often fortified with comparable levels of calcium to their dairy counterparts.
Iron and Vitamin B12
Iron is an essential nutrient for healthy red blood cells, and children and women of child-bearing age are at risk for a deficiency leading to anemia, according to the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Natural sources include meat and beans, but you can also get iron from fortified grains. Vitamin B12 is in animal products, and strict vegetarians, or vegans, should eat fortified cereals to avoid deficiency, according to the Linus Pauling Institute Micronutrient Information Center.
Other Nutrients
You need fluoride for strong bones and teeth, and the most common source in the U.S. is fluoridated drinking water. Healthy individuals with adequate exposure to sunlight can make their own vitamin D, and you can also get it from natural food sources, such as fish oil and fatty fish. However, vitamin D is a common addition to calcium-containing food products, such as milk and fortified orange juice and breakfast cereals.
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