Vitamins

Food Source

Vitamin A: Retinol

Dairy products, eggs (yolk especially), animal liver, fish liver oils. Vitamin A is only found in animal foods.

Vitamin A: provitamin A - carotenoids (betacarotenoids)

The red, yellow and orange pigments found in fruits and vegetables, for instance oranges, carrots, pumpkin, kumara. Dark leafy greens are also a good source.

Vitamin B Complex

Vitamin B1 – Thiamine

Brewers yeast, whole grains, wheat germ, rice bran, peanuts, sunflower seeds, pork, and organ meats.

Vitamin B2 – Riboflavin

Liver, brewers yeast and yeast products e.g. Vegemite, egg yolk, bee pollen, almonds, whole grains, wheat germ, mushrooms, seaweed and oily fish such as mackerel, eel, and trout.

Vitamin B3 – Niacin

Brewers yeast, organ and other meats, whole grains, peanuts, with lesser amounts in almonds and legumes.

Vitamin B5 – Pantothenic Acid

B5 is made in the body by bowel bacteria. Food sources. Meat contains much B5 (especially liver), brewers yeast, whole grains, other organ meats, and egg yolks. Lesser amounts in mushrooms, broccoli, avocado, sprouts, legumes, broad beans, rye flour, salt water fish, dairy products, soy beans, sunflower seeds, corn, peas and peanuts.

Vitamin B6 – Pyridoxine

Vegemite. B6 found in many animal and plant foods. Brewers yeast, liver, chicken, egg yolk, tuna, salmon, sunflower seeds, wheat and oat bran, rice, and soybean, bananas, walnuts, pistachio and other nuts, potatoes and legumes.

Vitamin B9 – Folic Acid / Folate / Folacin

Fresh green leafy vegetables, asparagus, broccoli, brewers yeast, brightly coloured fruit, lentils, wheat germ, split peas, organ meats, sprouts, legumes, and nuts.

Vitamin B12 – Cobalamin / Methylcobalamin

Active: Liver, sardines, oysters, egg yolk, fish, beef, kidney, cheese, milk and other dairy foods. Inactive: forms of B12 fermented foods, spirulina, chlorella, mushrooms and seaweed.

Vitamin C (Complex)

Brightly coloured fruit and vegetables: rosehip, guava, black currants, red capsicum, broccoli, strawberries, oranges, and tropical fruits.

Vitamin D – Calciferol

Sunlight (ultraviolet action on the skin), fish liver oils, fatty saltwater fish, dairy, egg yolks, oatmeal and oysters.

Vitamin E – Tocopherols

Avocado’s, dark green leafy vegetables, wheat germ, whole grains, nuts, seeds, cold pressed oils (olive, soybean, corn, canola, safflower, sunflower and nut oils).

Vitamin K

Vitamin K is made in the body by bowel bacteria. Food sources: Alfalfa, broccoli, cabbage, eggs, kale, kelp, lettuce, liver, soybeans, spinach, fish, Brussels sprouts, green tea, blackstrap molasses and oats are all good sources, but highest of all are camembert and cheddar cheese.

Minerals

Calcium

Dairy foods, seaweed, sardines and other fish with bones, clams, tofu, figs, lentils, nuts and seeds especially almonds, Brazil nuts, sesame seeds, blackstrap molasses and brewers yeast.

Magnesium

Legumes, wholegrain cereals, nuts, brewer’s yeast, kelp, avocado, dark green vegetables, cocoa, soy flour, seeds, mineral and hard water, dairy products, fish, meat, and seafood.

Phosphorous

Meats, fish, chicken, turkey, milk, eggs, nuts, whole grains, pumpkin and sunflower seeds, sardines, almonds, peanuts, soybeans and peas. Phosphate additives in soft drinks and refined goods contain high levels of phosphorus but due to their low calcium levels they are in an imbalanced form and may contribute to toxicity.

Potassium

Bananas, beef, wholemeal flour, cabbage, green beans, ham, oranges, peas, potatoes with skin on, raisins, sardines, tomatoes, mushrooms, molasses, whole grains and rice, dried fruit, avocado, and brewers yeast.

Sodium

Highest source from salt added to processed foods such as soups, stocks, MSG (monosodium glutamate), takeaways, and condiments etc. Good natural sources include kelp, miso, seaweed, seafood and sardines.

Chromium

Brewers yeast (nutritional yeast), beef, liver, whole wheat, rye and brown rice, cheese, oysters, peas, green peppers, potatoes, mushrooms, broccoli, apples, bananas, spinach, molasses and black pepper.

Copper

Oysters, beef or lamb liver, Brazil nuts, blackstrap molasses, cocoa, black pepper, lobster, nuts, sunflower seeds, green olives, avocados and wheat bran.

Iodine

Iodised salt and therefore the processed foods that this is added to, seafood, saltwater fish, sea vegetables, asparagus (if iodine is in the soil), sesame, sunflower seeds and garlic.

Iron

Haem sources (meat) include liver, kidneys, heart, mussels, beef, lamb and sardines. Sources of non-haem (plant) iron include lentils, oats, baked beans, spinach, silverbeet, peas, eggs, green leafy vegetables, dried fruit, kelp, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, molasses and chickpeas.

Manganese

Nuts, avocado, tea, cloves, seeds, seaweeds, whole grains, ginger.

Selenium

Brazil nuts, brewers yeast, wheat germ, meats, fish and prawns.

Zinc

Oysters, muscle and organ meats, eggs, seafood especially shellfish, whole grains, nuts, pumpkin seeds, sunflowers seeds, molasses, soy legumes, miso, tofu, brewers yeast, mushrooms and green beans.

Silica

Oats, millet, barley, potatoes, whole wheat grain, Jerusalem artichoke, red beets, corn, asparagus, rye, radish, alfalfa, cucumbers, Romaine lettuce, watercress, capsicum, tomatoes, wheatgrass, marjoram.

Sulphur

Onions, radish, turnip, garlic, celery, horseradish, string beans, kale, brassicas, eggs, nuts and seeds.

Lipids

(Fats and Oils)

Monounsaturated fats

Coconut oil, Olive oil, canola oil, peanut oil, avocado.

Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids:

Omega 3

Essential Fatty Acids (EFA)

Fish (wild caught): blue mussel, flounder, herring, mackerel, rainbow trout, redfish, rock oyster, salmon, sea mullet, tailor, tarwhine, trevally, tuna, whiting.

Vegetarian: canola oil, flaxseed oil, hempseed oil, soybean oil, soybeans, walnuts.

Omega 6

EFA

Fish: brown trout, gemfish, herring, mackerel, salmon, silver perch, Swordfish,

Also include omega 3 fish

Vegetarian: avocado, canola oil, corn oil, pumpkin seeds, safflower oil, soybeans, soybean oil, sunflower oil, sesame oil, walnuts.

Essential Amino Acids

Need to be eaten not made within body.

Isoleucine

High in fish meats, cheeses, relatively high in wheat germ, nuts and seeds.

Leucine

Animal proteins (poultry and red meats) dairy products, wheat germ and oats.

Lysine

Most protein based foods particularly fish, meats and dairy, limited in cereals and peanuts. Can also be found in wheat germ, legumes, many fruits and vegetables.

Methionine

Dairy foods, eggs, fish and meats, nuts, seeds, corns, rice, grains. Low in legumes, soybeans, peanuts egg yolks, red peppers, garlic, onions, broccoli and Brussel sprouts.

Phenylalanine

Meats, dairy, lower in oats and wheat germ.

Threonine

Animal food, dairy, eggs, moderate in wheat germ, nuts, beans seeds and some vegetables, low in corn and other grain cereals.

Tryptophan

Low in most foods, eggs, dairy some nuts and seeds, aspect of casein in dairy. Higher amounts in chicken and pistachio nuts.

Valine

Found in most protein based foods.

Conditional Essential Amino acids

Can be synthesised in the body but dietary input is supportive.

Arginine

Most proteins meats, nuts, dairy, eggs, nuts and seeds.

Cysteine

Poultry, yoghurt, wheat germ, egg yolks, red peppers, garlic, onions, broccoli and Brussel sprouts.

Glycine

Formed from choline in the kidneys or liver

Histidine

Most protein sources, especially pork, poultry, cheese and wheat germ.

Proline

Dairy, eggs, meats and wheat germ.

None Essential Amino Acids

Made within the body – some food sources.

Alanine

Most protein sources including beef, pork, turkey, cheese, wheat germ, oats, yoghurt, and avocado

Aspartic acid

Most protein based foods

Carnitine

Red meats, fish, dairy, tempeh (fermented soybeans) wheat, avocados.

Citrulline

Water melon including leaves, cucumbers, pumpkins, squash, gourds

Glutamic acid (glutamate)

Abundant in animal and plant sources of protein.

Glutathione

Broccoli, parsley, garlic, spinach, cabbage, Brussel sprouts, beets, avocado milk thistle (seeds and leaves)

Homocysteine

Made within the body

Ornithine

Meat, fish, eggs, dairy

Serine

Eggs, seaweed, peanuts,  white fish, dairy, wheat gluten, soya

Taurine

Meats, fish, shellfish (oysters / clams)

Tyrosine

Sesame seeds, cheese, soybeans, meat, poultry, fish, nuts