Micronutrients
| 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 | Food Source |
| 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. |
| Lipids (Fats and Oils) | Food Source |
| 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. |
| Essential Amino Acids | Need to be eaten not made within the 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. |
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