When it comes to vitamins and minerals, you're probably looking for the bottom line: how much do you need, and what foods have them? The list below will help you out. It covers all the vitamins and minerals you should get, preferably from food.
Calcium
Foods that have it: Milk, fortified nondairy alternatives like soy milk, yogurt, hard cheese, fortified cereals, unfortified almond milk, kale
How much you need:
- Adults aged 19-50: 1,000 milligrams per day
- Women aged 51 and older: 1,200 milligrams per day
- Men aged 51-70: 1,000 milligrams per day
- Men aged 71 and older: 1,200 milligrams per day
What it does: Needed for bone growth and strength, blood clotting, muscle contraction, and more
Don't get more than this a day: 2,500 milligrams per day for adults aged 50 and younger and 2,000 milligrams per day for those aged 51 and older
Choline
Foods that have it: Milk, liver, eggs, peanuts
How much you need:
- Men: 550 milligrams per day
- Women: 425 milligrams per day
- During pregnancy: 450 milligrams per day
- While breastfeeding: 550 milligrams per day
What it does: Helps make cells
Don't get more than this much: 3,500 milligrams per day
Chromium
Foods that have it: Broccoli, potatoes, meats, poultry, fish, some cereals
How much you need:
- Men aged 19-50: 35 micrograms per day
- Women aged 19-50: 25 micrograms per day, unless pregnant or breastfeeding
- During pregnancy: 30 micrograms per day
- While breastfeeding: 45 micrograms per day
- Men aged 51 and older: 30 micrograms per day
- Women aged 51 and older: 20 micrograms per day
What it does: Helps control blood sugar levels
Don't get more than this much: No upper limit known for adults
Copper
Foods that have it: Seafood, nuts, seeds, wheat bran cereals, whole grains
How much you need:
- Adults: 900 micrograms per day
- During pregnancy: 1,000 micrograms per day
- While breastfeeding: 1,300 micrograms per day
What it does: Helps your body process iron
Don't get more than this much: 8,000 micrograms per day for adults
Fiber
Foods that have it: Plant foods, including oatmeal, lentils, peas, beans, fruits, and vegetables
How much you need:
- Men aged 19-50: 38 grams per day
- Women aged 19-50: 25 grams per day
- During pregnancy: 25-30 grams per day
- Men aged 51 and older: 30 grams per day
- Women aged 51 and older: 21 grams per day
What it does: Helps with digestion, lowers LDL (bad) cholesterol, helps you feel full, and helps maintain blood sugar levels
Don't get more than this much: No upper limit from foods for adults
Fluoride
Foods that have it: Fluoridated water, some sea fish
How much you need:
- Men: 4 milligrams per day
- Women: 3 milligrams per day, including while pregnant or breastfeeding
What it does: Prevents cavities in teeth, helps with bone growth
Don't get more than this much: 10 milligrams per day for adults
Folic acid (folate)
Foods that have it: Dark, leafy vegetables, enriched and whole-grain breads, fortified cereals
How much you need:
- Adults: 400 micrograms per day
- During pregnancy: 600 micrograms per day
- While breastfeeding: 500 micrograms per day
What it does: Helps prevent birth defects, important for heart health and for cell development
Don't get more than this much: 1,000 micrograms per day for adults
Iodine
Foods that have it: Seaweed, seafood, dairy products, processed foods, iodized salt
How much you need:
- Adults: 150 micrograms per day
- During pregnancy: 220 micrograms per day
- While breastfeeding: 290 micrograms per day
What it does: Helps make thyroid hormones
Don't get more than this much: 1,100 micrograms per day for adults
Iron
Foods that have it: Fortified cereals, beans, lentils, beef, turkey (dark meat), soybeans, spinach
How much you need:
- Men aged 19 and older: 8 milligrams per day
- Women aged 19-50: 18 milligrams per day
- During pregnancy: 27 milligrams per day
- While breastfeeding: 10 milligrams per day
- Women aged 51 and older: 8 milligrams per day
What it does: Needed for red blood cells and many enzymes
Don't get more than this much: 45 milligrams per day for adults
Magnesium
Foods that have it: Green leafy vegetables, nuts, dairy, soybeans, potatoes, whole wheat, quinoa
How much you need:
- Men aged 19-30: 400 milligrams per day
- Men aged 31 and older: 420 milligrams per day
- Women aged 19-30: 310 milligrams per day, unless pregnant or breastfeeding
- Women aged 31 and older: 320 milligrams per day, unless pregnant or breastfeeding
- During pregnancy: 350-360 milligrams per day
- While breastfeeding: 310-320 milligrams per day
What it does: Helps with heart rhythm, muscle and nerve function, bone strength
Don't get more than this much: For the magnesium that's naturally in food and water, there is no upper limit.
For magnesium in supplements or fortified foods: 350 milligrams per day
Manganese
Foods that have it: Nuts, beans and other legumes, tea, whole grains
How much you need:
- Men: 2.3 milligrams per day
- Women: 1.8 milligrams per day, unless pregnant or breastfeeding
- During pregnancy: 2.0 milligrams per day
- While breastfeeding: 2.6 milligrams per day
What it does: Helps form bones and make some enzymes
Don't get more than this much: 11 milligrams per day for adults
Molybdenum
Foods that have it: Legumes, leafy vegetables, grains, nuts
How much you need:
- Adults: 45 micrograms per day, unless pregnant or breastfeeding
- While pregnant or breastfeeding: 50 micrograms per day
What it does: Needed to make some enzymes
Don't get more than this much: 2,000 micrograms per day for adults
Phosphorus
Foods that have it: Milk and other dairy products, peas, meat, eggs, some cereals and breads
How much you need:
- Adults: 700 milligrams per day
What it does: Cells need it to work normally, helps make energy, needed for bone growth
Don't get more than this much:
- Adults up to age 70: 4,000 milligrams per day (The limit is lower if you're pregnant.)
- During pregnancy: 3,500 milligrams per day
- Adults aged 70 and older: 3,000 milligrams per day
Foods that have it: Potatoes, bananas, yogurt, milk, yellowfin tuna, soybeans, variety of fruits and vegetables
How much you need:
- Adults: 4,700 milligrams per day, unless breastfeeding
- While breastfeeding: 5,100 milligrams per day
What it does: Helps control blood pressure, makes kidney stones less likely
Don't get more than this much: No upper limit known for adults. But high doses of potassium can be fatal.
Selenium
Foods that have it: Organ meats, seafood, dairy, some plants (if grown in soil with selenium), Brazil nuts
How much you need:
- Adults: 55 micrograms per day, unless pregnant or breastfeeding
- During pregnancy: 60 micrograms per day
- While breastfeeding: 70 micrograms per day
What it does: Protects cells from damage, helps manage thyroid function
Don't get more than this much: 400 micrograms per day for adults
Sodium
Foods that have it: Foods made with added salt, such as processed and restaurant foods
How much you need:
- Adults aged 19-50: up to 1,500 milligrams per day
- Adults aged 51-70: up to 1,300 milligrams per day
- Adults aged 71 and older: up to 1,200 milligrams per day
What it does: Important for fluid balance
Don't get more than this much: 2,300 milligrams per day for adults, or as instructed by your doctor, depending on whether you have certain conditions, like high blood pressure
Vitamin A
Foods that have it: Sweet potatoes, carrots, spinach, fortified cereals
How much you need:
- Men: 900 micrograms per day
- Women: 700 micrograms per day
- During pregnancy: 770 micrograms per day
- While breastfeeding: 1,300 micrograms per day
What it does: Needed to support vision, the immune system, and reproduction
Don't get more than this much: 3,000 micrograms per day for adults
Vitamin B1 (thiamine)
Foods that have it: Whole-grain, enriched, fortified products like bread and cereals
How much you need:
- Men: 1.2 milligrams per day
- Women: 1.1 milligrams per day
- While pregnant or breastfeeding: 1.4 milligram per day
What it does: Helps the body process carbs and some proteins
Don't get more than this amount: No upper limit known for adults
Vitamin B2 (riboflavin)
Foods that have it: Milk, bread products, fortified cereals
How much you need:
- Men: 1.3 milligrams per day
- Women: 1.1 milligrams per day
- During pregnancy : 1.4 milligrams per day
- While breastfeeding: 1.6 milligrams per day
What it does: Helps convert food into energy, helps make red blood cells
Don't get more than this much: No upper limit known for adults
Vitamin B3 (niacin)
Foods that have it: Meat, fish, poultry, enriched and whole-grain breads, fortified cereals
How much you need:
- Men: 16 milligrams per day
- Women: 14 milligrams per day
- During pregnancy: 18 milligrams per day
- While breastfeeding: 17 milligrams per day
What it does: Helps with digestion and with making cholesterol
Don't get more than this amount: No upper limit from natural sources. If you're an adult who takes niacin supplements or you get niacin from fortified foods, don't get more than 35 milligrams per day.
Vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid)
Foods that have it: Chicken, beef, potatoes, oats, cereals, tomatoes
How much you need:
- Adults: 5 milligrams per day
- During pregnancy: 6 milligrams per day
- While breastfeeding: 7 milligrams per day
What it does: Helps turn carbs, protein, and fat into energy
Don't get more than this much: No upper limit known for adults
Vitamin B6
Foods that have it: Fortified cereals, fortified soy products, chickpeas, potatoes, organ meats
How much you need:
- Men and women aged 19-50: 1.3 milligrams per day
- During pregnancy: 1.9 milligrams per day
- While breastfeeding: 2 milligrams per day
- Men aged 51 and older: 1.7 milligrams per day
- Women aged 51 and older: 1.5 milligrams per day
What it does: Helps with metabolism, the immune system, babies' brain development
Don't get more than this amount: 100 milligrams per day for adults
Vitamin B7 (biotin)
Foods that have it: Liver, fruits, meats
How much you need:
- Adults: 30 micrograms per day, except for breastfeeding women
- Breastfeeding adults: 35 micrograms per day
What it does: Helps your body make fats, protein, other things your cells need
Don't get more than this amount: No upper limit known
Foods that have it: Fish, poultry, meat, dairy products, fortified cereals
How much you need:
- Adults: 2.4 micrograms per day
- During pregnancy: 2.6 micrograms per day
- While breastfeeding: 2.8 micrograms per day
What it does: Helps your body make red blood cells
Don't get more than this amount: No upper limit known
Foods that have it: Red and green peppers, kiwis, oranges and other citrus fruits, strawberries, broccoli, tomatoes
How much you need:
- Men: 90 milligrams per day
- Women: 75 milligrams per day, unless pregnant or breastfeeding
- During pregnancy: 85 milligrams per day
- While breastfeeding : 120 milligrams per day
- Smokers: Add 35 milligrams to the numbers above
What it does: Helps protect against cell damage, supports the immune system, helps your body make collagen
Don't get more than this much: 2,000 milligrams per day for adults
Foods that have it: Fish liver oils, fatty fish, fortified milk products, fortified cereals
How much you need:
- Adults aged 19-70: 600 international units (IU) per day
- Adults aged 71 and older: 800 IU per day
What it does: Needed for bones, muscles, the immune system, communication between the brain and the rest of your body
Don't get more than this much: 4,000 IU per day for adults unless directed by your doctor
Vitamin E
Foods that have it: Fortified cereals, sunflower seeds, almonds, peanut butter, vegetable oils
How much you need:
- Adults: 15 milligrams per day, including during pregnancy
- While breastfeeding: 19 milligrams per day
What it does: Helps protect cells against damage
Don't get more than this amount: 1,000 milligrams per day for adults
Foods that have it: Green vegetables like spinach, collards, and broccoli; Brussels sprouts; cabbage
How much you need:
- Men: 120 micrograms per day
- Women: 90 micrograms per day
What it does: Important in blood clotting and bone health
Don't get more than this amount: No upper limit known for adults
Zinc
Foods that have it: Red meats, some seafood, fortified cereals
How much you need:
- Men: 11 milligrams per day
- Women: 8 milligrams per day, unless pregnant or breastfeeding
- During pregnancy: 11 milligrams per day
- While breastfeeding: 12 milligrams per day
What it does: Supports your immune system and nerve function, aids reproduction
Don't get more than this amount: 40 milligrams per day for adults
