Health and Nutrition Information: 5-A-DAY

It is recommended that you have 5 or more servings of vitamin and mineral rich fruits and vegetables per day. 

Vitamins and minerals are essential to your health. Although they do not give you energy, they do assist in energy-yielding reactions and promote body growth and development.

Vitamins and minerals are vital for human function, each one playing a different role.

Read on to find out what select vitamins and minerals do and where you can find them!

- Prevents night blindness

- Promotes healthy eye function

- Keeps skin, hair, and nails healthy

- Helps ward off bacterial infection

Sources: Green, yellow, or orange vegetables, cantaloupe, apricots and sweet potatoes

Folic Acid

- DNA and RNA synthesis

- Helps form red blood cells

- Important in growth and development

- Helps prevent birth defects

Sources: Orange and grapefruit juice and green leafy vegetables

Vitamin B6

- Carbohydrates and protein metabolism

- Helps form red blood cells

- Proper nerve function
 

Sources: Bananas, potatoes, broccoli

Vitamin C 

- Promotes healing of cuts and wounds
- Helps resist infection
- Keeps gums healthy
- Strengthens blood vessel walls

Souorces: Citrus fruits, strawberries, cantaloupe, green or red peppers, broccoli

Potassium

- Vital for muscle contractions & nerve transmission. Important for hea& kidney function. Helps regulate fluid balance & blood pressure

Sources: Many fruits and vegetables (especially oranges, bananas, and potatoes)

Vitamin A