We’ve put together a short, simple and handy nutrient cheat sheet for you! Print it out and hang it on the fridge. The “Cheat Sheet” shows you how to get all the vitamins and minerals you need from regular vegetarian food!
A lot of vitamins are known to modern science, but only 13 of them are really critical for health. All of them can be obtained from kill-free food:
· Vitamin A (beta-carotene) – important for vision, immunity and blood. Fat soluble; is an antioxidant. Sources: Most orange-yellow-red vegetables, e.g. carrots, zucchini, red peppers, pumpkin. As well as dark green vegetables and lettuce leaves. Fruits (also yellow and orange fruits, primarily): oranges, tangerines, mangoes, peaches, melons, apricots, papaya, etc.
· 8 B vitamins – important for the health of the skin, hair, eyes, nervous system. Prevent diseases of the cardiovascular system; water soluble. Sources: Milk, beans, potatoes, mushrooms, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, asparagus, peanuts, peas, avocados, oranges, tomatoes, watermelon, soybeans and soy products, spinach, beets, turnips, white and whole grain bran bread, whole grain cereal for breakfast and bread, food (“brewer’s”) yeast, wheat germ. Vitamin B12 – cobalamin – is not found in plant foods in a form available to the body, and must be consumed as a supplement (alone or with fortified soy milk, fortified breakfast cereals, etc. – it’s not difficult!).
· Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) – one of the most “popular” vitamins in the world. Water soluble. Helps the body to produce collagen, therefore it is extremely important for wound healing and for the condition of the skin and tissues of the body as a whole. Antioxidant. Sources: fresh fruits or freshly squeezed juices: grapefruit, pineapple, orange, as well as red and green bell peppers, blackcurrants, strawberries, tomatoes and tomato paste, raw spinach, jacket potatoes, etc.
· Vitamin D – important for bone health, for maintaining immunity, reducing inflammation; protects against Alzheimer’s disease. Fat soluble. Sources: milk, whole grains, ultraviolet (sun exposure in open clothing).
· Vitamin K – important for blood and blood vessels, helps to absorb calcium. Fat soluble. Sources: Butter, whole milk, spinach, cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, Brossels sprouts, nettles, wheat bran, pumpkin, avocados, kiwi fruit, bananas, olive oil, soy and soy products, incl. especially – Japanese soy cheese “”, etc.
· Vitamin E (tocopherol) – important for the immune and nervous system, for the eyes, protects against cardiovascular diseases and cancer, is important for the good condition of the skin and hair. Antioxidant. Sources: Mainly pulses, nuts, seeds.
In addition to the most important 13 vitamins, with which everything is now clear, the following inorganic elements are extremely necessary for health:
· Hardware: participates in the transport of oxygen to the tissues of the body, in oxidative processes, it is important for maintaining the body in good shape and for the health of the hair. Sources, including: beets, prunes, spinach, raisins.
· potassium – maintains a healthy water balance, participates in the transmission of nerve impulses, in the proper functioning of muscles; affects the acid-base balance, heart function, etc. Sources: fresh bananas and citrus fruits, baked potatoes, oatmeal and buckwheat porridge, wheat bran, etc.
· Sodium – participates in many important processes of the body, incl. transfer of water and glucose. Sources: salt, bread, cheese, all vegetables.
· Magnesium: involved in energy synthesis and protein metabolism in the body. Sources: cow’s milk, buckwheat, millet, peas, beans, watermelon, spinach, any bread, nuts and tahini halva.
· Calcium: essential for healthy bones and teeth. Sources: cottage cheese (maximum content!), sour cream, cheese, then other fermented milk and dairy products, almonds, spinach, sesame seeds.
· Phosphorus: important for bones and teeth, for the flow of some vital processes in the cells of the body. Sources: Brewer’s yeast, milk and dairy products.
· Zinc: important for blood formation, wound healing, maintaining a healthy appetite, as well as for men’s health. Sources: wheat germ, pumpkin seeds (pumpkin seeds), blueberries, oatmeal, green peas, cocoa, corn, nuts, etc.
· Copper – important for blood, absorption of vitamin C. Sources: fresh cucumbers, nuts, cocoa, rose hips, etc.
· Selenium – antioxidant, protects the cardiovascular system and prevents the growth of inflammatory processes. Sources: wheat germ, nuts, oatmeal, buckwheat, garlic, brewer’s yeast and baker’s yeast.
There are, of course, many other vitamins and minerals that are important for health. At one time or another, science – and with it the industry of supplements and superfoods! – “taken” first one, then the other (as was the case with vitamin E), emphasizing the importance of this substance. But it is important to remember that, firstly, everything – and even vitamins with minerals – is good in moderation, and secondly, the best source of nutrients is not a chemical, even of the highest quality, tablet – but fresh, organic, grown fruits and vegetables in the sun, i.e. simply in itself a complete, varied vegetarian diet!