Nutrition 101 - Micronutrients

Micronutrients are one of the major groups of nutrients your body needs. They include vitamins and minerals.

Your body needs smaller amounts of micronutrients relative to macronutrients. That’s why they’re labeled “micro” (micro meaning small). Remember, macronutrients are the proteins, fats and carbohydrates.

For the most part, we must obtain micronutrients from food since our bodies cannot produce vitamins and minerals. That’s why they’re also referred to as essential nutrients.

Vitamins are organic compounds made by plants and animals which can be broken down by heat, acid or air. On the other hand, minerals are inorganic, exist in soil or water and cannot be broken down. When you eat, you consume the vitamins that plants and animals created or the minerals they absorbed.

There are a few main kinds of micronutrients that you should have in your diet:

• Water-soluble vitamins - vitamin C and the B vitamins: thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, B6, biotin, folic acid, and B12.

Best food sources of vitamin C-

• Citrus (oranges, kiwi, lemon, grapefruit)

• Bell peppers

• Strawberries

• Tomatoes

• Cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower)

• White potatoes

Best food sources of B vitamins-

• Whole grains (brown rice, barley, millet)

• Meat (red meat, poultry, fish)

• Eggs and dairy products (milk, cheese)

• Legumes (beans, lentils)

• ​Seeds and nuts (sunflower seeds, almonds)

• Dark, leafy vegetables (broccoli, spinach, kai lan)

• Fruits (citrus fruits, avocados, bananas)

• Fat-soluble vitamins - Unlike water-soluble vitamins, fat-soluble vitamins dissolve in fat, not water - Vitamins A, D, E, and K. Pointer, these are the vitamins that you have to take with food if you are supplementing, otherwise they are not absorbed.

Best food sources of Vitamin A-

• Leafy green vegetables (kale, spinach, broccoli), orange and yellow vegetables (carrots, sweet potatoes, pumpkin and other winter squash, summer squash)

• Tomatoes

• Red bell pepper

• Cantaloupe, mango

• Beef liver

• Fish oils

• Milk

• Eggs

Best food sources of Vitamin D-

• Cod liver oil

• Salmon

• Swordfish

• Tuna fish

• Orange juice fortified with vitamin D

• Dairy and plant milks fortified with vitamin D

• Sardines

• Beef liver

Best food sources of Vitamin E-

• Wheat germ oil

• Sunflower, safflower, and soybean oil

• Sunflower seeds

• Almonds

• Peanuts, peanut butter

• Beet greens, collard greens, spinach

• Pumpkin

• Red bell pepper

Best food sources of Vitamin K-

• Green leafy vegetables such as kale, collard greens

• Broccoli

• Spinach

• Cabbage

• Lettuce

• Minerals - These include calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, manganese, iodine, phosphorus, selenium, potassium, cobalt , and zinc. These are sometimes divided into trace and major minerals. Trace minerals are needed in smaller amounts than major minerals.

Best food sources of Calcium-

• Cheese

• Yogurt

• Milk

• Sardines

• Dark leafy greens like spinach, kale, turnips, and collard greens

• Fortified cereals such as Total, Raisin Bran, Corn Flakes (a lot of calcium in one serving)

• Fortified orange juice

• Soybeans

Best food sources of Copper-

• Oysters and other shellfish

• Whole grains

• Beans

• Nuts

• Potatoes

• Organ meats (kidneys, liver)

• Dark leafy greens,

• Dried fruits such as prunes

• Cocoa

• Black pepper

• Yeast

Best food sources of Iron-

• Fortified breakfast cereals

• Cooked oysters

• White beans

• Dark chocolate

• Organ meats

• Soybeans

• Lentils

• Spinach

Best food sources of Iodine-

• Seaweed (nori, kelp, kombu, wakame)

• Fish, shellfish (cod, canned tuna, oysters, shrimp)

• Table salts labeled “iodized”

• Dairy (milk, cheese, yogurt)

• Eggs

• Beef liver

• Chicken

Best food sources of Phosphorus-

• Meats and other proteins: beef, chicken, fish, and organ meat like liver

• Milk and dairy foods: eggs, cottage cheese, and ice cream

• Beans: navy, kidney, soy, pinto, and garbanzo

• Grains: bran and wheat germ

• Nuts and seeds: almonds, cashews, peanut butter, and sunflower seeds

Best food sources of Selenium-

• Brazil nuts

• Tuna

• Halibut

• Sardines

• Roasted ham

• Shrimp

• Enriched macaroni

• Turkey

Best food sources of Potassium-

• Leafy greens, beans, nuts, dairy foods, and starchy vegetables like winter squash are rich sources

• Dried fruits (raisins, apricots)

• Beans, lentils

• Potatoes

• Winter squash (acorn, butternut)

• Spinach, broccoli

• Beet greens

• Avocado

• Bananas

Best food sources of Cobalt-

• Fish

• Nuts

• Green leafy vegetables, such as broccoli and spinach

• Cereals, such as oats

Best food sources of Zinc-

• Meat

• Shellfish

• Legumes- like chickpeas, lentils and beans

• Seeds

• Nuts

• Dairy

• Eggs

• Whole grains

As you can see from this list, it’s best to eat a variety of foods to get enough vitamins and minerals. You can supplement some vitamins and minerals, but it is so much better to get them from food. We are only beginning to understand they way they all work together.

All material gathered and researched through my amazing fellowship program, The Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine.

https://integrativemedicine.arizona.edu/