Getting Your Recommended Daily Vitamins from Your Diet

Vitamins are essential to ensuring your body remains healthy and functions as it should. Yet many patients are often lacking the daily recommended vitamins they need. 

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When blood work shows that you’re not getting a sufficient amount of a certain vitamin, you might be tempted to simply pick up an oral supplement, but that isn’t always the complete answer to getting the vitamins you need.

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The best way to fuel your body and pack in vitamins is through a balanced, nutritious diet. While supplements can be helpful and your doctor may recommend them, it’s important to note that they’re not regulated the same way medications are by the FDA. By laying a solid vitamin-packed foundation of food you can decrease your reliance on supplements and stay on track to meet your daily vitamin minimum requirements.

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Always be sure to consult with your doctor on the best way to get your daily vitamins and always seek professional advice before changing your diet or starting a new over-the-counter supplement. 

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Let’s dive into how you can get your daily vitamins from your diet!

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What Are Vitamins?

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Vitamins are naturally occurring, organic compounds that are essential for the body's normal growth, development, and maintenance. 

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Though they may be needed in small quantities, they play crucial roles in a variety of physiological processes, such as supporting the immune system, helping cells and organs function properly, and aiding in the conversion of food you eat into energy. Since the human body cannot produce most vitamins in sufficient quantities, they must be obtained through a healthy diet.

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Vitamin-Packed Fruits and Vegetables

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If you were to look at the classic healthy eating chart, there’s a good reason why such an emphasis is placed on fruits and vegetables. These foods are densely packed with the nutrients and vitamins you need. Let’s go through some good examples of vitamin-packed fruits and vegetables to explore adding to your diet:

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• Bananas: Bananas are a great option for vitamin intake and are also easy on your digestive system. Bananas contain vitamin B6 and vitamin C.
• Strawberries: These berries are not only sweet and delicious but are also a good source of vitamin C.
• Watermelons: Along with being a healthy, low-calorie snack that’s packed with water to hydrate your body, watermelons also contain the vitamin B1.
• Oranges: Oranges are probably most well-known as a source of vitamin C, but they’re also a good source of vitamin B9.
• Asparagus: These stalk vegetables are delicious when baked or barbequed and they can add more vitamin B9 to your diet.
• Kale: Kale and other greens like broccoli and spinach go great in a salad and can be a good source of vitamin K.

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Other Dietary Sources of Vitamins

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While fruits and vegetables should make up a good portion of your daily food intake, they’re not the full answer to getting a complete and balanced diet.

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Carbohydrates, especially complex carbohydrates, can add much-needed B vitamins into your diet and provide the energy your body needs to function. You can get much of the carbohydrates you need from fruits and vegetables, but adding whole grains into your diet can also give you a healthy carbohydrate boost.

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Milk, cheese, and other dairy products can also help round out your diet and provide a good source of nutrients and vitamin D.

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If you’re concerned about your daily vitamin intake, be sure to consult with your doctor or dietician about how you can make healthy lifestyle changes for success. Should your provider determine you need to incorporate oral supplements, your pharmacist is a great resource for choosing the right vitamin supplement for you!

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The information on this site is for informational purposes only and should not replace direct medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment from your doctor or another qualified healthcare provider.

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Sources:

“Facts about Dietary Supplements.” The U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

“The best foods for vitamins and minerals.” Harvard Health Publishing.

“Bananas.” Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.

“Carbohydrates: How carbs fit into a healthy diet.” Mayo Clinic.