For our body to function, grow, and stay healthy, we need to provide it with the necessary nutrition. This comes in the form of vitamins and various minerals that are essential for the everyday functioning of our bodies.
However, many turn to bottles for supplements, when they are available in the most natural form in the foods that we choose to consume.
Moreover, vitamins and mineral supplements from a bottle cannot match the active compounds in these foods.
These vitamins, minerals and micronutrients are needed to keep our body healthy and to ward off diseases.
What are vitamins and minerals?
According to the Cleveland Clinic, they’re both micronutrients that are important to our bodies. But while minerals come from the soil, vitamins come from plants and animals.
Minerals are absorbed by plants or eaten by animals, which we later ingest or use in other types of products.
Here are 3 important vitamins and minerals, plus the best sources for each:
vitamin A — carrots, sweet potatoes, spinach, kale
vitamin B12 — meat, poultry, fish
vitamin E — nuts, seeds, vegetable oils
Iron: Red meat, chicken, fish, beans, lentils, spinach, jaggery
Magnesium: Nuts (almonds, cashews), seeds (pumpkin, sunflower), whole grains, bananas
Calcium: Milk, yogurt, cheese, ragi (finger millet), sesame seeds, almonds, leafy greens (spinach, kale)
Please consult an expert before making dietary changes.