Vitamins and Foods Cheat Sheet

Hello everyone!!! I hope you all are doing great. This week's Blog posting is a continuation from last week's Vitamin Blog post. I have created a table of all the vitamins that are essential for obtaining an optimal level of health and fitness.

If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to send me an email or leave a comment. I hope this helps you all in your Health and Fitness Expeditions.

Vitamin Facts

Vitamin	RDA/AI* Men+        Women+		Best Sources	Functions
A (carotene)	900µg	700µg	Yellow or orange fruits and vegetables, green leafy vegetables, fortified oatmeal, liver, dairy products	Formation and maintenance of skin, hair, and mucous membranes; helps people see in dim light; bone and tooth growth
B1 (thiamine)	1.2mg	1.1mg	Fortified cereals and oatmeal’s, meats, rice and pasta, whole grains, liver	Helps the body release energy from carbohydrates during metabolism; growth and muscle tone
B2 (riboflavin)	1.3mg	1.1mg	Whole grains, green leafy vegetables, organ meats, milk, eggs	Helps the body release energy from protein, fat and carbohydrates during metabolism
B6 (pyridoxine)	1.3mg	1.3mg	Fish, poultry, lean meats, bananas, prunes, dried beans, whole grains, avocados	Helps build body tissue and aids in metabolism of protein
B12 (cobalamin)	2.4µg	2.4µg	Meats, milk products, seafood	Aids cell development, functioning of the nervous system, and the metabolism of protein and fat
Biotin	30µg	30 µg	Cereal/grain products, yeast, legumes, liver	Involved in metabolism of protein, fats and carbohydrates
Choline	550mg	425mg	Milk, liver, eggs, peanuts	A precursor of acetylcholine; essential for liver function
Folate (folacin, folic acid)	400 µg	400 µg±	Green leafy vegetables, organ meats, dried peas, beans, lentils	Aids in genetic material development; involved in red blood cell production
Niacin	16mg	14mg	Meat, poultry, fish, enriched cereals, peanuts, potatoes, dairy products, eggs	Involved in carbohydrate, protein, and fat metabolism
Pantothenic Acid	5mg	5mg	Lean meats, whole grains, legumes	Helps release energy from fats and vegetables
C (ascorbic acid)	90mg	75mg	Citrus fruits, berries, and vegetables-especially peppers	Essential for structure of bones, cartilage, muscle and blood vessels; helps maintain capillaries and gums and aids in absorption or iron
D	5 µg	5 µg	Fortified milk, sunlight, fish, eggs, butter, fortified margarine	Aids in bone and tooth formation; helps maintain heart action and nervous system function
E	15mg	15mg	Fortified and multigrain cereals, nuts, wheat germ, vegetable oils, green leafy vegetables	Protects blood cells, body tissue, and essential fatty acids from harmful destruction in the body
K	120 µg	90 µg	Green leafy vegetables, fruit, dairy, grain products	Essential for blood-clotting functions

* Recommended Dietary Allowances are presented in bold type: Adequate Intakes are presented in non-bolded type.

+ RDAs and AIs given are for men aged 31-50 and non-pregnant, non-breastfeeding women aged 31-50; mg = milligrams; µg= micrograms

± This is the amount women of childbearing age should obtain from supplements or fortified foods.

Source: ACE Lifestyle & Weight Management Consultant Manual: Second Edition