Food source for essential vitamins:

What is the best source of vitamin?

There is no single food which will provide all the essential vitamins to the body. For this reason a variety of foods should be included in your diet. When it comes to vitamins, most of the people think of supplements or vitamin pills. But if you include all the food groups in a balanced way in your diet then your daily requirements of most of the vitamins can be fulfilled. I have made a list of all the different kinds of vitamins below and given their food sources too.


But remember if you have any vitamin deficiency then consult a specialist. This is because a severe deficiency may require medications or supplements for some time besides the foods rich in that particular vitamin.

1. Vitamin A and beta carotene helps to maintain good vision and boost immunity.
   
   
   Good sources are yellow orange fruits and vegetables like carrots, pumpkin, papaya, mango, sweet potato, winter squash, cantaloupe and spinach.
2. Vitamin B1 or thiamin sources include sunflower seeds, whole grains, pork, seafood and beans.
3. Vitamin B2 or riboflavin sources include yogurt, milk, leafy vegetables, fruits, almond and chicken.
4. Vitamin B3 or niacin sources include peanut butter, brewers yeast, tuna, chicken breast, sunflower seeds and beans.
5. Vitamin B5 or pantothenic acid good sources include egg, fish, meat, grains, peas and peanuts.
6. Vitamin B6 or pyridoxine good sources include bananas, baked potatoes, chicken, fortified cereals, oats, chick peas and peanuts.
7. Vitamin B12 or cobalamin good sources include dairy products, eggs, fish, beef, pork, yeast and fermented foods.
8. Folate or folic acid sources are spinach, broccoli, beans, other green leafy vegetables, oranges, wheat germ and mushrooms. 
9. Vitamin C good sources include citrus fruits like oranges, sweet lime, lemons, guava, Indian gooseberry, strawberries, melons, broccoli, green peppers, Brussels sprouts, red peppers and cranberry juice.
10. Vitamin D good sources are fatty fish, egg yolk, liver and fortified milk besides 5-10 minutes of exposure to direct sunlight 3-4 times a week.
11. Vitamin E good sources include vegetable oil, broccoli, whole grains, peanuts, sunflower seeds, mayonnaise, wheat germ, yam and sweet potato.
12. Vitamin K good sources include dark green leafy vegetables, potato, beets, fruits, dairy products, eggs, seeds, and meats.
    
    
    
13. Vitamin P or bioflavonoids which include cirtin, rutin, quercetin, hesperidin, calechin, flavones and flavanals; good sources include whole fruits, especially the layer just below the skin and pulp.

A healthy and balanced diet will fulfill all your requirements of these vitamins.

The human body requires various nutrients on a daily basis, so that it can meet its day to day demands. Vitamins and minerals are absolutely essential for the proper functioning of the body.


Therefore, most dieticians, doctors and health experts recommend that the foods we eat on a daily basis should be good sources of vitamins and minerals. There are many people who known that their diet is low in the required nutrients and therefore, they add supplements to their diet, just to make up for the deficiency. However, while these supplements may increase the levels of a certain vitamin or nutrient in the body, they may also lead to some adverse side effects. Hence it is much better to consume the right sources of vitamins in food.

It is not difficult for people to get their daily intake of the nutrition that is required by the body, by eating natural foods. There are many foods that are good sources of Vitamins A, B, C, D, E and K and therefore, increasing the consumption of such foods sources can increase the overall health and functioning of the body. People who follow a healthy diet plan, based on the food pyramid, generally tend to include a variety of foods in their diet. This is because the food pyramid contains adequate amounts of all the five food groups, which are rich sources of vitamins. Each food group contains different nutrients, based on their composition.

Sources of vitamins chart

Apart from a food pyramid, you could also refer to a chart that highlights the various foods that are good sources of vitamins. Given below is a list of the various vitamins that are required by our body as well as the foods that can provide them:

Vitamin A food sources

Vitamin A plays an important role in the proper functioning of the human body. It can help improve vision, bone growth and cell division. Foods that are high in Vitamin A include both plant sources as well as animal sources. Animal sources of Vitamins A are cheese, eggs, beef, chicken, fish and other seafood. There are several fruits that are also regarded as some of the best Vitamin A food sources, such as apples, cantaloupe, apricots, oranges, mangos, watermelons, kiwis, plums, peaches and blackberries. Some of the vegetables that contain high amounts of Vitamin A are greens, collards, carrots, spinach, pumpkin, peas, broccoli, tomato, sweet potato, escarole, turnip and wheat germ. Dairy products, like milk, yogurt, cheese and butter are also high in Vitamin A.

B vitamin foods

There are 12 different complex vitamins that are included in the Vitamin B group. Since the body requires smaller amounts of Vitamins B1, B2 and B3 as compared to the other B complex vitamins. In order to boost the levels of this vitamin in the body, some of the best B vitamin foods that should be consumed are bananas, spinach, asparagus, potatoes, broccoli, figs, dates, dairy products, fish, nuts, seeds and pulses, to name a few. Dried beans are generally regarded as some of the highest B Vitamin foods

Food sources of Vitamin C

This vitamin is required by the body, for proper growth and good tissue health. Foods that are high in Vitamins C can also help improve the immune system and prevent several diseases. Some of the conditions that can be controlled by food sources of Vitamins C are high blood pressure, cholesterol and the absorption of iron. When most of us want to increase our consumption of Vitamin C, we tend to reach out for oranges and orange juice. However, there are other foods that are high in Vitamin C too, such as broccoli, green peppers, spinach, peas, sweet potatoes, lemons, strawberries, mangoes, pears and lime, just to name a few. Certain animal based foods like chicken, seafood and pork are also high in Vitamins C

Vitamin D food sources

While most of us are aware of the fact that one of the best sources of Vitamin D is the sun, not many people are aware of the foods that contain this nutrient and therefore often end up asking a dietician, “what foods are good sources of vitamin D?”. The sun is definitely one of the sources of Vitamin D, but it is not the only source. There are several food sources of Vitamin D too, which include plant based foods as well as animal based foods. Some of the best sources of vitamin D for vegetarians are breakfast cereals, especially corn flakes, mashed potatoes, dairy products and dark green leafy vegetables. The best sources of Vitamin D for toddlers and children are milk, ice cream and yogurt. Therefore the consumption of dairy products is usually recommended, as they are good sources of vitamin D and calcium too. Animal based foods that are good sources of vitamin D are liver, eggs, mackerel, salmon and fish oils (like cod liver oil, shark liver oil and halibut liver oil). It is essential to include good sources of vitamin D in a diet, so that the body can absorb calcium, without any problems.

Food sources of Vitamin E

Vitamin E helps in maintaining the cells in the body, as well as the heart and the circulation of blood. Foods that are high in Vitamin E include tomato, avocado, Brussels sprouts, watercress, spinach, mangoes, berries, mackerel, salmon, whole grain products, certain nuts, olive oil, sunflower oil, corn oil and safflower oil.

K Vitamin sources

This vitamin is essential for the proper blood clotting process in the body as well as the maintenance of strong bones. This vitamin can be found in certain types of meat, whole grains and vegetables. Some of the foods sources that can increase the levels of Vitamin K in the body are spinach, Brussels sprouts, parsley, celery, ice berg lettuce, asparagus, peas, cabbage, broccoli, romaine lettuce, cucumbers, spring onions, soy bean, cheese, bread, egg yolks and beef liver.  However, when some of the vegetables are cooked too much, a major part of the nutrient could be lost.

Some of the food sources of vitamins mentioned above may not be safe for consumption, by people who are suffering from allergies or other preexisting medical conditions. Therefore, it is best to get a go ahead from a doctor, before adding any of the foods mentioned above to a diet.