Vitamins and Minerals

When it comes to vitamins and minerals, you're probably looking for the bottom line: How much do you need, and what foods have them? The list below will help you out. It covers all the vitamins and minerals you should get, preferably from food.

Calcium

Foods that have it: Milk, fortified nondairy alternatives like soy milk, yogurt, hard cheeses, fortified cereals, kale

How much you need:

• Adults ages 19-50: 1,000 milligrams per day
• Women age 51 and older: 1,200 milligrams per day
• Men age 51 - 70: 1,000 milligrams per day
• Men 71 and older: 1,200 milligrams per day

What it does: Needed for bone growth and strength, blood clotting, muscle contraction, and more

Choline

Foods that have it: Milk, liver, eggs, peanuts

How much you need:

• Men: 550 milligrams per day
• Women: 425 milligrams per day
• Pregnant women: 450 milligrams per day
• Breastfeeding women: 550 milligrams per day

What it does: Helps make cells

Chromium

Foods that have it: Broccoli, potatoes, meats, poultry, fish, some cereals

How much you need:

• Men ages 19-50: 35 micrograms per day
• Women ages 19-50: 25 micrograms per day, unless pregnant or breastfeeding
• Pregnant women: 30 micrograms per day
• Breastfeeding women: 45 micrograms per day
• Men age 51 and up: 30 micrograms per day
• Women age 51 and up: 20 micrograms per day

What it does: Helps control blood sugar levels

Copper

Foods that have it: Seafood, nuts, seeds, wheat bran cereals, whole grains

How much you need:

• Adults: 900 micrograms per day, unless pregnant or breastfeeding
• Pregnant women: 1,000 micrograms per day
• Breastfeeding women: 1,300 micrograms per day

What it does: Helps your body process iron

Fiber

Foods that have it: Plant foods, including oatmeal, lentils, peas, beans, fruits, and vegetables

How much you need:

• Men ages 19-50: 38 grams per day
• Women ages 19-50: 25 grams per day, unless pregnant or breastfeeding
• Pregnant women: 25 to 30 grams per day
• Men age 51 and up: 30 grams per day
• Women age 51 and up: 21 grams per day

What it does: Helps with digestion, lowers LDL ("bad") cholesterol, helps you feel full, and helps maintain blood sugar levels

Folic acid (folate)

Foods that have it: Dark, leafy vegetables; enriched and whole grain breads; fortified cereals

How much you need:

• Adults: 400 micrograms per day, unless pregnant or breastfeeding
• Pregnant women: 600 micrograms per day
• Breastfeeding women: 500 micrograms per day

What it does: Helps prevent birth defects, important for heart health and for cell development

Iodine

Foods that have it: Seaweed, seafood, dairy products, processed foods, iodized salt

How much you need:

• Adults: 150 micrograms per day, unless pregnant or breastfeeding
• Pregnant women: 209 micrograms per day
• Breastfeeding women: 290 micrograms per day

What it does: Helps make thyroid hormones

Iron

Foods that have it: Fortified cereals, beans, lentils, beef, turkey (dark meat), soy beans, spinach

How much you need:

• Men age 19 and up: 8 milligrams per day
• Women ages 19-50: 18 milligrams per day, unless pregnant or breastfeeding
• Pregnant women: 27 milligrams per day
• Breastfeeding women: 10 milligrams per day
• Women age 51 and up: 8 milligrams per day

What it does: Needed for red blood cells and many enzymes