| Vitamins and minerals |
Function |
Food sources |
Vitamin A
(retinol and beta-carotene) |
Needed to maintain vision in dim light. Important for healthy skin and mucous membranes. Helps prevent infection. |
Cod liver oil, liver, carrots, fortified margarine, cheese, nuts, wholemeal bread, dark green leafy vegetables |
Vitamin D
(cholecalciferol and ergocalciferol) |
Needed for strong bones and teeth, healing wounds and resisting infection. Helps the body absorb calcium. |
Oily fish, eggs, milk, fortified breakfast cereals and fortified margarine – but sunlight is the main source |
| Vitamin E |
Helps protect cell membranes from oxygen damage |
Vegetable oils, wheatgerm, eggs, whole grains, green vegetables, fish, nuts, seeds |
| Vitamin K |
Needed for blood clotting. |
Dark green leafy vegetables, liver, eggs, cheese, wholemeal flour, wholemeal bread |
Vitamin B1
(thiamin) |
Needed to release energy from food and for a healthy heart and digestive system. |
Yeast extract (Vegemite or Marmite), wheatgerm, nuts, rolled oats, lean pork, fish, wholemeal bread, fortified breakfast cereals |
Vitamin B2
(riboflavin) |
Needed for healthy skin, good vision and releasing energy from food. |
Milk, cheese, meat (particularly liver), oily fish, eggs |
Vitamin B3
(niacin) |
Needed to release energy from food and to metabolise carbohydrates, proteins and fats. |
Meat, flour, eggs, milk and fortified breakfast cereals |
Vitamin B5
(pantothenic acid) |
Needed to metabolise carbohydrates, protein and fat. |
Meat, chicken, salmon, milk, yoghurt, mushrooms, sweet potato, broccoli, grains |
Vitamin B9
(folic acid or folate) |
Needed for protein metabolism and helps the body make haemoglobin. |
Chicken, fish, eggs, milk, yoghurt, oats, grains and some nuts |
| Vitamin B12 |
Needed to produce red blood cells, maintain the nervous system and process folic acid. |
Meat, liver, milk, fish and eggs |
| Biotin |
Needed to make fatty acids in the body and to help the body metabolise food. |
Liver, salmon, soy beans, eggs, yoghurt, rolled oats, nuts, mushrooms, wholemeal bread |
Vitamin C
(ascorbic acid) |
Helps the body absorb iron. Maintains gums, teeth, bones and collagen. Helps with wound healing and resisting infection. |
Fresh fruit (especially citrus fruits), sweet potatoes and green vegetables |
Sodium chloride
(salt) |
Helps regulate body fluids and digest food, but too much salt can raise your blood pressure |
As well as table salt, sodium chloride is found naturally in some fresh foods and is added to processed foods. |
| Potassium |
Helps regulate body fluids and lowers blood pressure. |
Potatoes, vegetables, greens, chicken, eggs, legumes, dairy products, bananas |
| Calcium |
Needed for healthy bones, teeth, blood clotting and for muscle and nerve function. |
Dairy products, canned salmon and sardines (including edible bones) whole grains, tofu, fortified soy drinks, broccoli, almonds, dried figs |
| Magnesium |
Needed to activate enzymes and helps control muscle contractions. |
Green leafy vegetables (such as spinach), nuts and dairy products |
| Iron |
Helps make red blood cells. |
Red meats, liver, wholegrain bread, fortified breakfast cereal, legumes, nuts, wholemeal pasta, pumpkin seeds |
| Zinc |
Needed for wound healing, growth and reproduction. |
Meat, liver, seafood (especially oysters), milk, bread and cereals |
| Copper |
Helps make red blood cells and maintain nerve function. Important for healthy bones and skin. |
Nuts, shellfish, offal, whole grains, legumes, vegetables and cocoa |
| Manganese |
Needed to activate enzymes. Important for bones, cartilage and brain function. |
Nuts, wholegrain, vegetables, fruit and tea |
| Molybdenum |
Needed for enzyme function. |
Vegetables, legumes, fruit, nuts and cereals |
| Selenium |
Needed for enzyme function. Is an antioxidant, which protects cells from oxygen damage |
Brazil nuts, sunflower seeds, fish, barley, wholemeal bread |
| Chromium |
Enhances the action of insulin. |
Egg yolk, fish, shellfish, beef, wholemeal bread, whole grains, potatoes |
| Iodine |
Helps make thyroid hormones. |
Oily fish, seaweed, bread made with iodised salt |
| Phosphorus |
Needed to produce energy from food and important for bones and teeth. |
Dairy products, eggs, meat, fish, soya beans, soya products and lentils |
