Are you trying to get the maximum vitamins and minerals you need but are confused as to which are the most beneficial and which ones are not quite so necessary? Is all the contradictory research results muddying the waters, making you wonder why you bother with vitamins at all?
Your body definitely needs certain vitamins and minerals to keep functioning effectively and efficiently. While each one serves a purpose, some are clearly more important than others.
Here are the five that you want to make sure you get in your diet for maximum health:
- Vitamin B Complex – These water soluble vitamins give you energy and help your body break down and metabolize fat. Good sources include turkey, tuna, liver, garlic, cabbage and asparagus.
- Vitamin A – Necessary for good vision, vitamin A can keep your eyes healthy well into your later years. Carrots are high in vitamin A and so are other foods such as cantaloupe, eggs, cheese, spinach and kale.
- Vitamin D – In order to have strong bones and skin, you have to have vitamin D in your diet. You can get it by spending just 15 minutes a day in the sunlight or drinking a couple glasses of milk, preferably the low-fat variety.
- Vitamin K – This fat soluble vitamin is essential for proper blood functioning, such as clotting. Make sure you get a good amount of vitamin K by eating foods such as soy beans, Brussels sprouts, broccoli and dandelion greens
- Vitamin C – This vitamin is best known for a strong immune system, which is why a lot of cough and cold drops have vitamin C in them. Some great sources of this vitamin are oranges, papaya, fortified cereals, green peppers and watermelon.
While it’s best to eat a diet that includes a variety of foods to make sure your body gets all the essential vitamins and minerals it needs, you may want to take a multivitamin to be sure. Select one that has no more than 100% of the Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) as your body doesn’t need any more than that.
Get these vitamins in your diet regularly and you will enjoy the best health possible!
