• Water-soluble   vitamins • Fat-soluble   vitamins • Minerals

Water-Soluble vitamins
Vitamin	Effect	Food Sources	Warning
B6(pyridoxine)	Helps regulate nervous system; regenerates red blood cells	Chicken, fish, liver, pork and eggs
B12	Required for DNA synthesis, cell duplication	Liver, fish, eggs, seafood
Biotin	Helps metabolize glucose to form protein, fats and genetic material in cells	Meat, especially liver; cereal
C	Helps fight infection; promotes wound healing; increases iron absorption; helps metabolize protein	Citrus fruit, strawberries, sweet potatoes, broccoli, snow peas	Can mask presence of blood in stools, an important warning sign of colorectal cancer
Choline	Keeps cells strong; important for nerve cell signals; key to liver function	Milk, eggs, liver, peanuts, lecithin	High intake can cause low blood pressure, sweating, diarrhea, fishy body odor
Folate (folacin, folic acid)	Helps form red blood cells; has a role in cell division, DNA synthesis	Whole grains, cereal, pasta, rice, bread	Heavy use of NSAIDs-aspirin, ibuprofen-can impair folate status
Niacin	Helps to break down fats, carbohydrates and amino acids	Cereal, beans, meat
Pantothenic Acid	Key to metabolizing fats; helps form cholesterol and hormones	Chicken, beaf, potatoes, oat cereals, tomatoes, egg yolks, yeast, broccoli and whole grains
Riboflavin (B2)	Helps maintain skin, cornea, mucous membranes and nerves	Whole grains, liver, kidneys, milk, meat, eggs, green leafy vegetables
Thiamine	Helps body metabolize carbohydrates and fat	Whole grains, cereals and breads, pork, liver, organ meats

Fat-Soluble vitamins
Warning: Fat-soluble vitamins can be toxic in high doses because they are stored in fat cells throughout the body.
Vitamin	Effect	Food Sources
A	Important for vision, immune system, cell division and growth	Liver, fish liver oils, milk, eggs, carrots, dark green leafy vegetables
D	Key for formation of bones	Exposure to sunlight (vitamin D is synthesized in skin), milk and other dairy products, fish liver oils
E	Helps maintain hormones, muscles and neurological function	Vegetable oils (especially soy, corn, cottonseed and cornflower), wheat germ, nuts
K	Helps maintain cell membranes; important for blood clotting, bone crystal formation, synthesis of some fats in body	Green leafy vegetables, small amounts in milk and dairy products, normal bacteria in intestines

Minerals
Mineral	Effect	Food Sources
Calcium	Important for muscle contraction, nerve transmission, glandular secretion, contraction and dilation of blood vessels	Dairy products, fortified fruit juice, vegetables (broccoli)
Fluoride	Important for teeth, bones, saliva; helps prevent tooth decay	Flouridated water, brewed tea (decaffeinated contains levels twice as high as caffeinated tea), fish, toothpaste, dental rinses
Magnesium	Key for bones and regulating blood pressure; depletion can worsen diabetes	Green leafy vegetables, unpolished grains (brown rice), nuts, water
Phosphorus	Key component of blood and body fat	Naturally occurring in most food; common to food additives, cola and other soft drinks

SOURCES: Dietary Reference Intakes, Institute of Medicine, National Academy of Sciences; The Mount Sinai School of Medicine Complete Book of Nutrition, edited by Victor Herbert and Genell J. Subak-Sharpe (St. Martin's; 1990); the University of California San Diego Nutrition Book, by Paul Saltman, Joel Gurin and Ira Mothner (Little, Brown; 1993).