High vitamin content in foods is defined by the Food and Drug Administration as 20 percent or more of their total daily value (DV). For instance, the recommended daily dose of vitamin C is 60 mg, so 12 mg or more would be considered a high level of the nutrient.
Healthy foods that are the highest in vitamins, then, will fall into this 20 percent-plus DV category. Some foods provide much more nutrition, but exceeding tolerable upper intake levels is unlikely when food is consumed in reasonable quantities. The nutrition facts on package labels give an average serving size for that item in a 2,000-calorie diet. Some vitamin content figures may also be provided.
Vitamins A and C
A daily dose of vitamin A is 5,000 international units (IU), available in huge quantities in standard servings of beef liver (545 percent DV), carrots (270 percent) and chicken liver (245 percent). Additional healthy foods at the top of the vitamin A list are spinach (cooked or raw), kale, cantaloupe, apricots, papayas, mangoes and peas.
Many fruits, vegetables, nuts and some meats and seafood fall into the high vitamin C group. Those at the top of the list are peaches, peppers, papayas, strawberries and broccoli at more than 1,000 percent DV---still a safe nutrient level.
B Vitamins
Many of the eight B vitamins are found in a single serving of healthy food. So where you find one member of this vitamin family, there may be more. Foods highest in B vitamin content include grain foods, pork and cooked dry beans. Beef, turkey and chicken liver, as well as dairy products, spinach and beet greens, all provide 20 percent DV or more of many B nutrients.
Ready-to-eat cereals contain some of the largest daily doses of thiamin (B1), riboflavin (B2) and niacin (B3). These include Kellogg's All-Bran and Product 19, and General Mills Total cereals (1 cup), which have 100 percent DV of B vitamins.
Vitamins D and E
Total daily vitamin D intake should average 400 IU. Sockeye salmon is one of just a few healthy foods that are naturally rich in vitamin D (with 199 percent DV per 3 oz). Other significant sources toward your daily dose are similar servings of mackerel (97 percent) and canned tuna (39 percent). One cup of fortified milk, orange juice or yogurt also contains high D vitamin content.
Vitamin E requirements are 15 mg per day. Foods that are richest in vitamin E include General Mills's Total cereals and Kellogg's Product 19 (1 cup, nearly 100 percent DV). Other foods considered high in vitamin E are sunflower seeds, almonds, spinach and tomato marinara sauce.
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