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Vitamins and Minerals

This web page provides information on the function of vitamins and minerals in the human body and the foods they can be found it. This information is based chiefly on the 2006 Nutrient Reference Values for Australia and New Zealand Including Recommended Dietary Intakes.

The following information is based on the Nutrient Reference Values for Australia and New Zealand Including Recommended Dietary Intakes. Specific advice for individual needs should be sought from a qualified dietitian.

The term nutrient identifies those substances in food that provide essential nourishment to maintain life.

Nutrient (Vitamins)
Needed for
Key sources

Vitamin A

maintaining normal reproduction
good vision
formation and maintenance of healthy skin, teeth and soft tissues of the body
immune function (has anti-oxidant properties).
Milk, cheese, eggs, fatty fish, yellow-orange vegetables and fruits such as carrots, pumpkin, mango, apricots, and other vegetables such as spinach, broccoli.

Vitamin B1 (Thiamin)

supplying energy to tissues
breaking down and using the energy and nutrients in carbohydrates, proteins and fats
nerve function
Fortified breakfast cereals, baking flour, wholegrains, wheatgerm, yeast, legumes, nuts, pork.

Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin)

obtaining energy from food
making Vit B6 active in the body
reducing a key cardiovascular risk factor
production of red blood cells and body growth
Milk, cheese, yoghurt, fortified breads and breakfast cereals.

Vitamin B3 (Niacin)

obtaining energy from food
breaking down and using carbohydrates, proteins and fats and their building blocks
maintaining healthy skin and nerves
releasing calcium from cellular stores
Beef, pork, liver, beans, wholegrain cereals, eggs, cow’s milk.

Pantothenic acid

making, hormones, vitamin A and D and substances that help make nerves work
helps make new fats and proteins in the body
Chicken, beef, potatoes, oat-based cereals, tomatoes, egg yolks, whole grains.

Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine)

breaking down,using and reforming the building blocks of proteins
Muscle and organ meats, fortified breakfast cereals, brussel sprouts, green peas, beans, split peas, and fruit.

Vitamin B12 (Cyano-cobalamin)

normal nerve function
normal blood function
Beef, lamb, fish, veal, chicken, eggs, milk and other dairy products.

Folate

breaking down and using the building blocks of proteins
the processes of tissue growth and cell function
maintaining good heart health
preventing neural tube defects in newborns
Cereals, cereal products, vegetables eg broccoli, legumes and fruit eg oranges.

Biotin

breaking down and using the building blocks of fats and proteins
Meats and cereals.

Note: eating raw egg whites prevents absorption of biotin.

Choline

making nerve cell transmitters and cell membranes
inflammatory and allergic response
healthy kidneys and liver
reducing the risk of heart disease
fat and cholesterol transport and break down in the body
Milk, eggs, peanuts, wheat germ, dried soybeans.

Vitamin C (Ascorbic acid)

protects against oxidative damage
aiding absorption of iron and copper
formation of collagen
healthy bones
helps fight infection
helps regenerate and stabilise other vitamins such as vitamin E or folate
Blackcurrants, orange, grapefruit, guava, kiwi fruit, raspberries, sweet peppers (Capsicum), broccoli, sprouts.

Vitamin D

absorption of calcium and phosphorus
maintenance of calcium levels in blood
immune function
healthy skin
muscle strength
Sunlight on skin allows the body to produce Vitamin D. Few foods contain significant amounts however main dietary sources are fortified margarine, salmon, herring, mackerel, and eggs.

Vitamin E (Tocopherol)

acts as antioxidant particularly for fats
keeping heart, circulation, skin and nervous system in good condition
Oils and margarines, fats of meats, chicken, fish, wheat germ, , spinach, cashews, peanuts, almonds, sunflower seeds.

Vitamin K (phylloquinone)

normal blood clotting
Spinach, salad greens, cabbage, broccoli, brussel sprouts, soybean oil, canola oil, margarines

Calcium

development and maintenance of bones and teeth
good functioning muscles and nerves
heart function
Milk, cheese, yoghurt, bony fish, legumes, fortified soy beverages and fortified breakfast cereals.

Note: the body excretes calcium with salt in urine, so eat less salt to retain your calcium.

Chromium

enhancing the action of insulin to regulate blood sugar
Widely found in foods such as yeast, eggs, meat, whole grains, cheese.

Copper

the functioning of several enzymes
formation of connective tissue
iron metabolism and blood cell formation
nervous system, immune system and cardiovascular system function
Organ meats, seafood, nuts, seeds, wheat bran cereals, whole grains.

Fluoride

healthy teeth and bones
Fluoridated water, fish, tea.

Iodine

normal thyroid function (important in the growth and development of central nervous system)
energy production
oxygen consumption in cells
Salt water fish, shellfish, seaweed, iodised salt, vegetables (if there is iodine in the soil where they are grown).

Note: Severe deficiencies can cause miscarriage, stillbirth, infant mortality, congenital abnormalities etc.

Iron

Haemoglobin in red blood cells (important for transport of oxygen to tissues)
component of myoglobin (muscle protein)
Red meats – beef, lamb, veal, pork, fish, chicken and wholegrain cereals.

Note: Iron absorption from plant sources eg cereals or green leafy vegetables is much lower than from animal sources so 80% more is required in the food to get the same amount absorbed. Vitamin C helps with absorption.

Magnesium

the functioning of more than 300 enzyme systems
energy production
regulating potassium levels
the use of calcium
healthy bones
Green vegetables, legumes, peas, beans, lentils, nuts, wholegrains and cereals

Manganese

healthy bones
carbohydrate, cholesterol and protein metabolism
Cereal products, tea, vegetables.

Molybdenum

breakdown of proteins
Legumes, wholegrain products, nuts.

Phosphorus

forms part of DNA and RNA
buffers the acidity of urine
protection of acid/base balance of blood
storage and transport of energy
helps activate some proteins
Widely distributed in natural foods eg dairy, meat, dried fruit, eggs, cereals.

Potassium

nerve impulses
muscle contraction
regulates blood pressure
Leafy green vegetables, tomatoes, cucumbers, zucchini, eggplant, pumpkin, root vegetables. Also moderately abundant in beans, peas, bananas, avocados, milk, yoghurt

Note: Potassium has a beneficial effect in offsetting the effects of sodium (salt) on blood pressure.

Selenium

antioxidant
thyroid metabolism
part of several functional proteins in body
Seafood, poultry, eggs and to a lesser extent other muscle meats and cereal foods (content varies widely with soil condition).

Sodium

maintain water balance throughout the body
nerve impulses
transport of molecules across cell walls
Found in most take-away and processed foods eg bread, butter, margarine, deli meats, cheese, cereals.

It is also a major component of table salt and baking soda

Note: It is important to use only moderate amounts of salt as recommended in the Dietary Guidelines.

Zinc

component of enzymes that help maintain structure of proteins and regulate gene expression
needed for growth, immunity appetite and skin integrity
Meats, fish, poultry, cereals, dairy foods.

Note: availability from animal sources is greater than that from plant sources so vegetarians need 50% higher intakes.

Nutrient (Vitamins)	Needed for	Key sources
Vitamin A	maintaining normal reproduction good vision formation and maintenance of healthy skin, teeth and soft tissues of the body immune function (has anti-oxidant properties).	Milk, cheese, eggs, fatty fish, yellow-orange vegetables and fruits such as carrots, pumpkin, mango, apricots, and other vegetables such as spinach, broccoli.
Vitamin B1 (Thiamin)	supplying energy to tissues breaking down and using the energy and nutrients in carbohydrates, proteins and fats nerve function	Fortified breakfast cereals, baking flour, wholegrains, wheatgerm, yeast, legumes, nuts, pork.
Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin)	obtaining energy from food making Vit B6 active in the body reducing a key cardiovascular risk factor production of red blood cells and body growth	Milk, cheese, yoghurt, fortified breads and breakfast cereals.
Vitamin B3 (Niacin)	obtaining energy from food breaking down and using carbohydrates, proteins and fats and their building blocks maintaining healthy skin and nerves releasing calcium from cellular stores	Beef, pork, liver, beans, wholegrain cereals, eggs, cow’s milk.
Pantothenic acid	making, hormones, vitamin A and D and substances that help make nerves work helps make new fats and proteins in the body	Chicken, beef, potatoes, oat-based cereals, tomatoes, egg yolks, whole grains.
Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine)	breaking down,using and reforming the building blocks of proteins	Muscle and organ meats, fortified breakfast cereals, brussel sprouts, green peas, beans, split peas, and fruit.
Vitamin B12 (Cyano-cobalamin)	normal nerve function normal blood function	Beef, lamb, fish, veal, chicken, eggs, milk and other dairy products.
Folate	breaking down and using the building blocks of proteins the processes of tissue growth and cell function maintaining good heart health preventing neural tube defects in newborns	Cereals, cereal products, vegetables eg broccoli, legumes and fruit eg oranges.
Biotin	breaking down and using the building blocks of fats and proteins	Meats and cereals. Note: eating raw egg whites prevents absorption of biotin.
Choline	making nerve cell transmitters and cell membranes inflammatory and allergic response healthy kidneys and liver reducing the risk of heart disease fat and cholesterol transport and break down in the body	Milk, eggs, peanuts, wheat germ, dried soybeans.
Vitamin C (Ascorbic acid)	protects against oxidative damage aiding absorption of iron and copper formation of collagen healthy bones helps fight infection helps regenerate and stabilise other vitamins such as vitamin E or folate	Blackcurrants, orange, grapefruit, guava, kiwi fruit, raspberries, sweet peppers (Capsicum), broccoli, sprouts.
Vitamin D	absorption of calcium and phosphorus maintenance of calcium levels in blood immune function healthy skin muscle strength	Sunlight on skin allows the body to produce Vitamin D. Few foods contain significant amounts however main dietary sources are fortified margarine, salmon, herring, mackerel, and eggs.
Vitamin E (Tocopherol)	acts as antioxidant particularly for fats keeping heart, circulation, skin and nervous system in good condition	Oils and margarines, fats of meats, chicken, fish, wheat germ, , spinach, cashews, peanuts, almonds, sunflower seeds.
Vitamin K (phylloquinone)	normal blood clotting	Spinach, salad greens, cabbage, broccoli, brussel sprouts, soybean oil, canola oil, margarines
Calcium	development and maintenance of bones and teeth good functioning muscles and nerves heart function	Milk, cheese, yoghurt, bony fish, legumes, fortified soy beverages and fortified breakfast cereals. Note: the body excretes calcium with salt in urine, so eat less salt to retain your calcium.
Chromium	enhancing the action of insulin to regulate blood sugar	Widely found in foods such as yeast, eggs, meat, whole grains, cheese.
Copper	the functioning of several enzymes formation of connective tissue iron metabolism and blood cell formation nervous system, immune system and cardiovascular system function	Organ meats, seafood, nuts, seeds, wheat bran cereals, whole grains.
Fluoride	healthy teeth and bones	Fluoridated water, fish, tea.
Iodine	normal thyroid function (important in the growth and development of central nervous system) energy production oxygen consumption in cells	Salt water fish, shellfish, seaweed, iodised salt, vegetables (if there is iodine in the soil where they are grown). Note: Severe deficiencies can cause miscarriage, stillbirth, infant mortality, congenital abnormalities etc.
Iron	Haemoglobin in red blood cells (important for transport of oxygen to tissues) component of myoglobin (muscle protein)	Red meats – beef, lamb, veal, pork, fish, chicken and wholegrain cereals. Note: Iron absorption from plant sources eg cereals or green leafy vegetables is much lower than from animal sources so 80% more is required in the food to get the same amount absorbed. Vitamin C helps with absorption.
Magnesium	the functioning of more than 300 enzyme systems energy production regulating potassium levels the use of calcium healthy bones	Green vegetables, legumes, peas, beans, lentils, nuts, wholegrains and cereals
Manganese	healthy bones carbohydrate, cholesterol and protein metabolism	Cereal products, tea, vegetables.
Molybdenum	breakdown of proteins	Legumes, wholegrain products, nuts.
Phosphorus	forms part of DNA and RNA buffers the acidity of urine protection of acid/base balance of blood storage and transport of energy helps activate some proteins	Widely distributed in natural foods eg dairy, meat, dried fruit, eggs, cereals.
Potassium	nerve impulses muscle contraction regulates blood pressure	Leafy green vegetables, tomatoes, cucumbers, zucchini, eggplant, pumpkin, root vegetables. Also moderately abundant in beans, peas, bananas, avocados, milk, yoghurt Note: Potassium has a beneficial effect in offsetting the effects of sodium (salt) on blood pressure.
Selenium	antioxidant thyroid metabolism part of several functional proteins in body	Seafood, poultry, eggs and to a lesser extent other muscle meats and cereal foods (content varies widely with soil condition).
Sodium	maintain water balance throughout the body nerve impulses transport of molecules across cell walls	Found in most take-away and processed foods eg bread, butter, margarine, deli meats, cheese, cereals. It is also a major component of table salt and baking soda Note: It is important to use only moderate amounts of salt as recommended in the Dietary Guidelines.
Zinc	component of enzymes that help maintain structure of proteins and regulate gene expression needed for growth, immunity appetite and skin integrity	Meats, fish, poultry, cereals, dairy foods. Note: availability from animal sources is greater than that from plant sources so vegetarians need 50% higher intakes.