Vitamins & Minerals
It’s important to make sure you are getting enough vitamins and minerals in your diet. Here are a couple of particularly important vitamins for women.
| Vitamin/Minerals | Best Sources | Functions |
| Folic Acid | Green leafy vegetables, organ meats, dried beans | Red blood cell formation, breaking down protein, growth and cell division, prevents brain and spine defects when taken in very early stages of pregnancy |
| C | Citrus fruits, melon, berries, vegetables | Helps heal wounds, strengthens blood vessels, collagen maintenance, resistance to infection |
| Calcium | Milk and milk products | Strong bones, teeth, muscle tissue, regulates heart beat, muscle action and nerve function, blood clotting |
| Iron | Organ meats, meat, fish, poultry, dried beans, whole grains, enriched grains, green leafy vegetables | Formation of elements that supply oxygen to cells |
| Fluoride | Tea, marine fish, fluoridated water, foods cooked in Teflon | Prevents dental problems, may strengthen bones |
It is hard to get all the nutrients your body needs from eating these foods alone. Taking a daily multivitamin is a good way to help get all the vitamins you need.
Here are some things to remember when choosing a multivitamin:
- Make sure that it contains 400 micrograms of folic acid
- Avoid multivitamins that contain herbs, enzymes and amino acids
- Check the expiration date because old vitamins can lose their potency
- Choosing less expensive store brands is okay as long as they have all the vitamins and minerals you need
