Micronutrient Summary Chart
Name: _____Answer Key_______________________
Vitamin
Function(s)
Concerns (Overdose/ Deficiencies)
How much
Nutrient-dense Food Sources
should I eat?
A
Three forms (retinol,
retinal and retinoic acid)
promote good vision,
maintain tissues and skin.
Supports reproduction and
growth.
700 mcg
(females)
900 mcg
(males)
Sweet potatoes, beef liver, spinach,
carrots, pumpkin pie, cantaloupe,
peppers, mangos, black-eyed peas,
apricots, broccoli, and vanilla ice
cream.
D
Antioxidant that protects
cells from oxidation
damage, especially the
lungs. May reduce the risk
of heart disease and some
cancers.
15 mcg or
600 IU
Fortified dairy products (milk since
1930s), egg yolks, fatty fish (herring,
salmon, mackerel), fortified
breakfast cereals. Dun.
E
Antioxidant that protects
cells from oxidation
damage, especially the
lungs. May reduce the risk
of heart disease and some
cancers.
Helps blood clot. Assists
proteins with bone health.
==Night blindness; eye disorders
- Rough, cracked skin; weakened
immunity
==Respiratory infections
Too much leads to:
-Yellow skin Vitamin A:
- Headache; vomiting; double vision;
hair loss; scaly skin; liver damage
- Rickets (deformed bones) in
children
- Frequent bone fractures in adults
from osteomalacia
Too much leads to �◆Calcium
deposits in kidneys and blood
vessels, especially in young children
-Too much causes nausea, vomiting
and hardening of soft body tissues.
No significant problems here.
15 mcg
Nuts, seeds, green leafy vegetables,
wheat germ, vegetable oils, soybean
oil.
Pregnant women who consume too
much Vitamin K might miscarry.
75 mcg/day
Green leafy vegetables, other
vegetables, some fruits. Body
produces Vitamin K.
K
Micronutrient Summary Chart
Vitamin
Function(s)
Turns carbohydrates into
B1
energy. Needed for muscle
Thiamin coordination and healthy
nerves.
B2
Helps body release energy
Riboflav from chos, fats and
-in
proteins. Helps body grow
and contributes to red cell
production.
B3
Helps body release energy
Niacin
from chos, fats and
proteins. Healthy nervous
system and mucous
membranes.
B5
Helps body release energy
Pantofrom chos, fats and
thenic
proteins. Helps body
Acid
produce cholesterol and
promotes normal growth
and development. Needed
for healthy nerves.
B6
Helps body release energy
Pyridox- from carbs, fats and
ine
proteins. Promotes healthy
nerves. Helps make
nonessential amino acids
used to build body cells and
antibodies.
Name: _____Answer Key_______________________
Concerns (Overdose/ Deficiencies)
Nutrient-dense Food Sources
Rare to have a deficiency. Light
sensitivity, gritty eyes, sore tongue,
mouth and lip sores and dry, flaky
skin.
How much
should I eat?
1
mg
(females)
1.2 mg
(males)
1 mg
(females)
1.3 mg
(males)
Pellegra (results in skin sores and
mental/digestive problems). Rare
when people eat enough protein
because tryptophan makes niacin.
14 mcg
females
15 mcg
males
Meat, poultry, fish, Enriched and
whole-grain breads and cereals, dry
beans, peas, peanuts, peanut butter.
Rarely occur. Can be manufactured
in intestinal bacteria.
5 mcg
Meat, poultry, fish, eggs, dry beans,
peas, whole grain breads and cereals,
enriched cereals, some fruits and
vegetables.
Skin disorders, confusion irritability
and insomnia. Serious deficiencies
result in convulsions. Too many
supplements can cause nerve
problems—difficulty in walking.
Deficiencies are rare.
1.2
mg
(females)
1.3
mg
(males)
Poultry, fish, pork, dry beans and
peas, nuts, whole grains, enriched
cereals, some fruits and vegetables,
(avocados) liver and kidneys.
Deficiency leads to nausea, apathy
and loss of appetite. Beriberi
(stiffness and weakness and joints.)
Enriched and whole-grain breads
and cereals, dry beans and peas, lean
pork and liver.
Enriched and whole-grain breads
and cereals; dairy products, green
leafy vegetables, eggs, meat, poultry,
fish.
Micronutrient Summary Chart
Name: _____Answer Key_______________________
B12
Cobalamin
Needed to process chos,
proteins and fats. Helps
maintain healthy nerves
and red blood cells and
used in making genetic
material. Works with
folate.
Some people cannot absorb B12
well and results in pernicious
anemia.
2.5 mcg
C
Maintains healthy blood
vessels, bones (collagen
needs this), skin and teeth.
Helps you heal wounds and
resist infection. Aids in the
absorption of iron. An
antioxidant.
Scurvy. Also: poor appetite,
weakness, bruising, soreness of
joints. No scientific basis for cold
connection. Large doses may cause
nausea, cramps and diarrhea.
65 mg
(females)
75 mg
(males)
Poultry, fish, pork, dry beans and
peas, nuts, whole grains, enriched
cereals, some fruits and vegetables,
(avocados) liver and kidneys. Meat,
poultry, fish, shellfish, eggs, dairy,
some fortified foods, some
nutritional yeasts. Only available in
fortified cereals—no other vegetable
sources.
Citrus, cantaloupe, guava, kiwi,
mango, papya, strawberries, bell
peppers, broccoli, cabbage, kale,
plantains, potatoes, tomatoes.
Vitamin Questions:
1. What are the two main groups of vitamins called? (Clue- where are these absorbed and stored in the body?)
Water soluble (B vitamins and Vitamin C) and Fat Soluble (Vitamins A, D, E, and K)
2. What is the main role of B vitamins? (Healthy nerve functioning.)
3. Which minerals work with Vitamin D to contribute to bone health? (Calcium and Phosphorus)
Micronutrient Summary Chart
Name: _____Answer Key_______________________
Mineral
Function(s)
Calcium
Builds and maintains bones Osteoporosis with deficiency. Works
and teeth. Assists with
with Vitamin D and phosphorus.
blood clotting and nerve
functioning.
Chloride
Part of stomach juices.
Needed for proper fluid
balance.
Copper
Helps form red blood cells
and functioning of
circulatory system. Also
assists immune system and
bone health.
Fluoride
Found in the body as
calcium fluoride. Prevent
tooth decay.
Component of thyroid
hormones: Needed for
thyroid functioning. Helps
immune system.
Iodine
Concerns (Overdose/ Deficiencies)
How much
should I eat
each day?
1300 mg
Increased blood pressure with too
much and build up of fluid with
congestive heart failure, kidney and
liver problems
Male infants may develop kinky hair
syndrome (rare). Lack of copper
associated with anemia and
osteoporosis. Copper is poisonous in
large amounts. Large amounts
associated with hepatitis, kidney
problems, and brain disorders.
Deficiency: cavities, weak bones and
teeth.
2.3 g
Goiter is the deficiency disease.
Large amounts associated with high
blood pressure.
Nutrient-dense Food Sources
Yogurt, mozzarella cheese,
sardines, cheddar cheese, milk,
soymilk (fortified), orange juice
(fortified), tofu, salmon, turnip
greens, kale.
Table salt or sea salt as sodium
chloride. Seaweed, rye, tomatoes,
lettuce, celery and olives.
890 mcg
Oysters and other shellfish, whole
grains, beans, nuts, poultry
3 mg
Fluoridated water.
150 mcg
Iodized salt
Micronutrient Summary Chart
Mineral
Iron
Function(s)
Important part of
hemoglobin. Also needed
for growth and development
of cells and hormone
synthesis.
Magnesium Helps cells use energy
nutrients, regulate body
temperature, helps muscles
and nerves work, and
improves the acid-alkali
balance in the body
Phosphorus Helps to build strong bones
and teeth.
Potassium
Selenium
Name: _____Answer Key_______________________
Concerns (Overdose/
Deficiencies)
Dietary forms: heme and nonheme. Non-heme is not absorbed
as readily by the body.
Deficiency is anemia.
Difficult to assess blood serum
levels of magnesium.
How much
should I eat
each day?
15 mg
females
11 mg males
410 mg
males
Nutrient-dense Food Sources
Plants and iron-fortified foods
contain non-heme iron. Meats,
seafood and poultry contain heme
and non-heme iron. Liver is one of
the best sources of iron
Beans,dark green leafy vegetables,
meat, nuts and whole grains
360 mg
females
Helps build strong bones and
teeth, regulates many internal
bodily activities.
Deficiency: hypokalemia related
to weak muscle, abnormal heart
rhythm, and rise in blood
pressure.
One of the body’s
electrolytes. That helps to
build proteins, break down
and use carbohydrates,
build muscles, maintain
normal body growth,
Overdose: hyperkalemia:
control the electrical activity abnormal heart rhythms.
of the heart, control the
acid-base balance in the
body.
Important for reproduction
and hormone metabolism.
1250 mg
Protein and calcium food sources.
Dairy produts.
4.7 g
All meats (red meat and chicken),
fish (salmon, cod, flounder, and
sardines) are good sources. Soy ,
citrus fruits, cantaloupe, bananas,
kiwi, prunes, and dairy products
also have potassium.
55 mcg
Seafood and organ meats are the
richest sources. Also found in
cereal and whole grains and eggs.
Micronutrient Summary Chart
Name: _____Answer Key_______________________
Mineral
Function(s)
Concerns (Overdose/
Deficiencies)
Sodium
Controls blood pressure and
blood volume. Helps
muscles and nerves work
properly.
Cellular metabolism ,
protein synthesis, wound
healing, DNA synthesis.
May have too much in processed
foods.
Zinc
How much
should I eat
each day?
2300 mg or
less
Nutrient-dense Food Sources
11 mg males
Oysters, beef, crab, fortified
breakfast cereals, lobster, pork,
baked beans, chicken, yogurt,
cashews, chickpeas, Swiss cheese,
milk, almonds, among others.
Processed foods, table salt.
Overdose: high pressure, edema.
Information excerpted from the NIH Database (2015)s
9 mg
females