Vitamin-holic?  Supplement Additions? Are you having a diet of vitamins?

Are you addicted to supplements?  Do you take one for energy?  One for gut health?  One for nervous tension?  Two for good hair and nails?  “Your not alone”, says Michele Chevalley Hedge, Nutritionist and Founder of A Healthy View.

We know that nutrient dense food will always be absorbed by our bodies more readily than supplements and a good nutritionist should recommend antioxidant rich foods before supplements, however sometimes people need a therapetic dose of a vitamin or mineral to restore their balance or bring them back to good physical or mental health. “For example, sometimes a sluggish thyroid needs a bit of iodine and selenium to get moving.  An anxious or depressed patient may require additional tryptophan.   An exhausted person may need absobable iron or some additional activated b vitamins.* When I see patients that are taking more than three supplements for a long period of time, we need to look at what they are not eating and their health history.  I recommend a supplement with a therapuetic dose we use it for a time period and then try to get them back onto food that has the nutrients their body needs.

What foods to eat from our 24 most popular supplements: Vitamin A

• Sweet potatoes, cooked – 1 whole = 28,058 IU (international units)
• Kale, cooked – 1 cup = 11470 IU
• Carrots, raw – ½ cup = 9114 IU
• Squash, Winter – 1 whole = 5726 IU
• Cod liver oil – 1 TBSP = 4051 IU
• Egg yolk – 1 large = 260 IU

Vitamin D

• Cod liver oil – 1 TBSP = 1360 IU
• Salmon (sockeye), baked – 3 oz = 447 IU
• Sardines, canned – 3 oz = 231 IU
• Eggs – 1 whole, large = 41 IU

Vitamin E

• Sunflower seeds – 1 oz = 7.4 mg
• Almonds, dry, roasted – 1 oz = 6.8 mg
• Olives – 1 cup = 4 mg
• Spinach, boiled – ½ cup = 1.9 mg

Vitamin K

• Natto – 3 oz = 850 mcg
• Kale, cooked – 1 cup = 113 mcg
• Spinach, cooked – 1 cup = 145 mcg
• Brussel sprouts, cooked – 1 cup = 115 mcg
• Asparagus – 1 cup = 92 mcg

Thiamin, B1

• Sunflower seeds – ¼ cup = 0.8 mg
• Split peas – 1 cup = 0.4 mg
• Sesame seeds – ¼ cup = 0.3 mg
• Lentils – 1 cup = 0.3 mg

Riboflavin, B2

• Beef liver, pan fried – 3 oz = 2.9 mg
• Crimini mushrooms, raw – 5 oz = 0.7 mg
• Venison – 4 oz = 0.68 mg
• Spinach – 1 cup = 0.4 mg
• Beef tenderloin, cooked – 4 oz = 0.4 mg

Niacin, B3

• Chicken breast – 4 oz = 14 mg
• Salmon, baked – 4 oz = 11 mg
• Lamb loin, roasted – 4 oz = 8 mg
• Green peas, boiled – 1 cup = 3 mg

Folate

• Lentils, cooked – 1 cup = 358 mcg
• Pinto beans, cooked – 1 cup = 294 mcg
• Chickpeas/Garbanzo beans, cooked – 1 cup = 282 mcg
• Asparagus – 1 cup = 263 mcg
• Beets – 1 cup = 136 mcg

Pyridoxine, B6

• Chickpeas, canned – 1 cup = 1.1 mg
• Banana – 1 whole, large = 0.68 mg
• Chicken – 3 oz = 0.54 mg
• Salmon, Sockeye– 3 oz = 0.52 mg
• Potato, with skin – 1 cup = 0.42 mg

Cobalamin, B12

• Liver, beef – 3 oz = 70.7 mcg
• Trout, baked – 3 oz = 5.4 mcg
• Salmon, Sockeye – 3 oz = 4.8 mcg
• Beef tenderloin – 4 oz = 3 mcg
• Egg – 1 whole = 0.6 mcg

Pantothenic Acid

• Shitake mushrooms – 100 gm = 3.6 mg
• Sunflower seeds – ¼ cup = 2 mg
• Avocado – 1 whole = 2 mg
• Broccoli, steamed – 1 cup = 0.8 mg

Biotin

• Egg, cooked – 1 large = 25 mcg
• Swiss chard – 1 cup = 10.5 mcg
• Avocado – 1 whole = 6 mcg
• Cauliflower, raw – 1 cup = 4 mcg

Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C)

• Papaya – 1 whole = 188 mg
• Peppers, red, raw – 1 cup = 175 mg
• Broccoli, cooked – 1 cup = 123 mg
• Brussel sprouts – 1 cup = 97 mg
• Strawberries – 1 cup = 82 mg

Calcium (Non Dairy)

• Sardines – 3 oz = 325 mg
• Salmon, pink, canned – 3 oz = 181 mg
• Kale, raw – 1 cup = 100 mg
• Turnip greens – 1 cup = 99 mg
• Broccoli, raw – ½ cup = 21 mg

Chromium

• Onions – 1 cup = 25 mcg
• Romaine lettuce – 2 cups = 16 mcg
• Broccoli – ½ cup = 11 mcg
• Tomato – 1 cup = 9 mcg
• Turkey breast – 3 oz = 2 mcg

Copper

• Sunflower seeds – ¼ cup = 1 mg
• Sesame seeds – ¼ cup = 1 mg
• Crimini mushrooms – 5 oz = 1 mg
• Avocado – 1 cup = 0.4 mg

Iodine

• Seaweed – whole sheet = up to 2984 mcg
• Kelp – ¼ cup = 415 mcg
• Cranberries – 2 oz = 200 mcg
• Cod – 3 oz = 99 mcg
• Turkey breast, baked – 3 oz = 34 mcg

Iron

• White beans, canned – 1 cup = 8 mg
• Lentils – 1 cup = 7 mg
• Spinach, boiled – 1 cup = 6 mg
• Garbanzo beans, cooked – 1 cup = 5 mg
• Swiss chard – 1 cup = 4 mg

Magnesium

• Almonds, dry roasted – 1 oz = 80 mg
• Pumpkin seeds, raw – 1 oz = 80 mg
• Spinach, boiled – ½ cup = 74 mg
• Swiss chard – ½ cup = 73 mg
• Black beans, cooked – ½ cup = 60 mg

Manganese

• Pineapple – 1 cup = 2.6 mg
• Spinach, boiled – 1 cup = 1.7 mg
• Chickpeas – 1 cup = 1.7 mg
• Raspberries – 1 cup = 1.2 mg

Phosphorus

• Swiss chard, boiled – 1 cup = 961 mg
• Winter squash, baked – 1 cup = 896 mg
• Broccoli, steamed – 1 cup = 505 mg
• Cantaloupe – 1 cup = 494 mg

Potassium

• Swiss chard, boiled – 1 cup = 961 mg
• Lima beans – 1 cup = 955 mg
• Avocado – 1 cup = 875 mg
• Lentils – 1 cup = 730 mg

Selenium

• Brazil nuts – 6 whole = 544 mcg
• Sardines – 3 oz = 47 mg
• Salmon, boiled – 3 oz = 47 mg
• Turkey – 3 oz = 33 mg

Zinc

• Mushrooms – 4 oz = 11 mg
• Beef tenderloin – 3 oz = 7 mg
• Lamb loin, cooked – 4 oz = 5 mg
• Sesame seeds – ¼ cup = 3 mg *

Do not use the information on article for diagnosing or treating a health problem or disease, or prescribing medication or other treatment. Always speak with your GP, nutritionist, n or other healthcare professional before taking any medication or nutritional, herbal or homeopathic supplement, or using any treatment for a health problem.