boost your immunity<\/a>, save you from many diseases, and also keep you feeling happy and energetic. That is why eating a balanced diet is of prime importance for maintaining a healthy body.<\/p>\nFor a diet to be nutritious, it should have sufficient quantities of the following:<\/p>\n
13 essential vitamins <\/strong>Vitamins A, C, D, E, K, and the B vitamins<\/strong> that include thiamine (B1), riboflavin (B2), niacin (B3), pantothenic acid (B5), pyridoxine (B6), biotin (B7), folate (B9) and cobalamin (B12).
\nVitamins are needed for the proper functioning of all organs. They help in keeping the immunity strong and maintaining the general wellbeing of the body. From healthy skin to healthy eyes, strong bones to a healthy reproductive system \u2014 vitamins play a vital role in your overall health. Acting as antioxidants, essential vitamins protect your cells from damage. Vitamins are even needed to ensure normal blood clotting.<\/p>\nDifferent food items are rich in different vitamins. So, eat food items from all 5 food groups. That is, include grains, vegetables, fruits, dairy products, and meats or beans in your diet. Try to make your diet varied in color. This will help in ensuring your meals are rich in all essential vitamins.<\/p>\n
11 essential minerals <\/strong>Iron, calcium, phosphorus, zinc, copper, magnesium, manganese, iodine, molybdenum, selenium, and chromium.<\/p>\nJust like vitamins, a balance of minerals in the body is essential for good health. Minerals help in maintaining blood pressure, as well as the fluid & electrolyte balance. Minerals are essential for bone health, generation of new cells, delivering oxygen to cells, and helping in muscle and nerve functioning. Different food items are rich in different minerals. So the health tip here is the same as for vitamins. Eat food items from all food groups and of every color.<\/p>\n
What amount of vitamins and minerals should you take to stay healthy?<\/strong><\/h3>\nPeople of different age groups and health conditions have different needs for vitamins and minerals. The following table from the Institute of Medicine suggests the recommended daily requirements for adults ages 19 or older. It doesn’t apply to pregnant or lactating women or growing children.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\n\n\n\nVitamin \nor Mineral<\/strong><\/div>\n<\/td>\n\nRecommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) or Adequate Intake (AI) \nNutrients with AIs are marked with an (*)<\/em><\/strong><\/div>\n<\/td>\n\nUpper Tolerable Limit (UL) \nThe highest amount you can take without risk<\/em><\/strong><\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n\nBoron<\/strong><\/div>\n<\/td>\nNot determined.<\/em><\/td>\n\n20 mg\/day<\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n\n \nCalcium \n<\/strong><\/div>\n<\/td>\n\n\n- Age 19-50: <\/i>1,000 mg\/day<\/li>\n
- Women age 51+<\/i>: 1,200 mg\/day<\/li>\n
- Men age 71+<\/i>: 1,200 mg\/day<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n
\n\n \n- Age19-50: <\/i>2,500 mg\/day<\/li>\n
- Age 51 and up:\u00a0<\/i>2,000 mg\/day<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n\nChloride<\/strong><\/div>\n<\/td>\n\n\n- Age 19-50: <\/i>2,300 mg\/day<\/li>\n
- Age 50-70:<\/i> 2,000 mg\/day<\/li>\n
- Age 70 and older: <\/i>1,800 mg\/day<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n
\n3,600 mg\/day<\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n\nCholine \n(Vitamin B complex)<\/strong><\/div>\n<\/td>\n\n\n- Women:<\/i> 425 mg\/day *<\/li>\n
- Men: <\/em>550 mg\/day *<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n
\n3,500 mg\/day<\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n\nCopper<\/strong><\/div>\n<\/td>\n\n 900 micrograms\/day<\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n10,000 mcg\/day<\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n\n \nFluoride \n<\/strong><\/div>\n<\/td>\n\n\n- Men:<\/em> 4 mg\/day *<\/li>\n
- Women:<\/em> 3 mg\/day *<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n
\n10 mg\/day<\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n\n \nFolic Acid (Folate)<\/strong><\/div>\n<\/td>\n\n 400 mcg\/day<\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n\n 1,000 mcg\/day<\/p>\n This applies only to synthetic folic acid in supplements or fortified foods. There is no upper limit for folic acid from natural sources.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n\nIodine<\/strong><\/div>\n<\/td>\n\n 150 mcg\/day<\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n1,100 mcg\/day<\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n\nIron<\/strong><\/div>\n<\/td>\n\n\n- Men:<\/em> 8 mg\/day<\/li>\n
- Women age 19-50:<\/em> 18 mg\/day<\/li>\n
- Women age 51 and up:<\/em> 8 mg\/day<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n
\n45 mg\/day<\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n\n \nMagnesium \n<\/strong><\/div>\n<\/td>\n\n\n- Men age 19-30:<\/em> 400 mg\/day<\/li>\n
- Men age 31 and up:<\/em> 420 mg\/day<\/li>\n
- Women age 19-30:<\/em> 310 mg\/day<\/li>\n
- Women age 31 and up:<\/em> 320 mg\/day<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n
\n 350 mg\/day<\/p>\n This applies only to magnesium in supplements or fortified foods. There is no upper limit for magnesium in food and water.<\/em><\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n\nManganese<\/strong><\/div>\n<\/td>\n\n\n- Men:<\/em> 2.3 mg\/day *<\/li>\n
- Women:<\/em> 1.8 mg\/day*<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n
\n11 mg\/day<\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n\nMolybdenum<\/strong><\/div>\n<\/td>\n45 mcg\/day<\/td>\n | \n2,000 mcg\/day<\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n\nNickel<\/strong><\/div>\n<\/td>\nNot determined<\/em><\/td>\n\n1\u00a0mg\/day<\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n\nPhosphorus<\/strong><\/div>\n<\/td>\n700 mg\/day<\/td>\n | \n\n- Up to age 70:<\/em> 4,000 mg\/day<\/li>\n
- Over age 70:<\/em> 3,000 mg\/day<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n\n \nSelenium \n<\/strong><\/div>\n<\/td>\n\n 55 mcg\/day<\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n400 mcg\/day<\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n\nSodium<\/strong><\/div>\n<\/td>\n\n\n- Age 19-50:<\/em> 1,500 mg\/day *<\/li>\n
- Age 51-70:<\/em> 1,300 mg\/day *<\/li>\n
- Age 71 and up:<\/em> 1,200 mg\/day *<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n
\n2,300 mg\/day<\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n\nVanadium<\/strong><\/div>\n<\/td>\nNot determined<\/em><\/td>\n\n1.8 mg\/day<\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n\n \nVitamin A \n<\/strong><\/div>\n<\/td>\n\n\n- Men<\/em>: 900 mcg\/day<\/li>\n
- Women<\/em>: 700 mcg\/day<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n
\n3,000 mcg\/day<\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n\n \nVitamin B3 (Niacin)<\/strong><\/div>\n<\/td>\n\n\n- Men:<\/em> 16 mg\/day<\/li>\n
- Women:<\/em> 14 mg\/day<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n
\n 35 mg\/day<\/p>\n This applies only to niacin in supplements or fortified foods. There is no upper limit for niacin in natural sources.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n\n \nVitamin B6 \n<\/strong><\/div>\n<\/td>\n\n\n- Men age 19-50:<\/em> 1.3 mg\/day<\/li>\n
- Men age 51 up:<\/em>1.7 mg\/day<\/li>\n
- Women age 19-50:<\/em> 1.3 mg\/day<\/li>\n
- Women age 51 up:<\/em> 1.5 mg\/day<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n
\n100 mg\/day<\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n\n \nVitamin C <\/strong><\/div>\n<\/td>\n\n\n- Men:<\/em> 90 mg\/day<\/li>\n
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |