The Complete Guide to Vitamins in Everyday Foods

We’ve all heard dietitians say that it’s important to “eat the rainbow.” Sure, a diverse shopping cart makes our meals more novel and fun, but that’s not the only reason they emphasize the dictum. In fact, it’s really all about getting your vitamins. We’re not talking about a multivitamin supplement, either. The truth is, most healthy adults can meet their nutritional needs from the essential micronutrients in their regular diets, no supplementation necessary.

“Vitamins are the small but mighty nutrients that help our bodies function at their best. And we know that we don’t necessarily need huge amounts of vitamins, but we know that we want to get enough of each, and we can do that through our food first,” says Gina Rancourt, M.S., RD, CD.

But how do you ensure that you’re getting everything you need from your meals every day? This handy guide breaks down vitamins A through K, including all eight B vitamins. We’ll share their primary functions, what happens if you don’t get enough, and the best foods to get on your table to help you feel your best. 

Vitamin A

• What It Does: When your parents told you to eat your carrots for your vision, they were right. That’s because the root vegetable is among the orange-hued foods rich in vitamin A. According to Heather Fiore, M.S.Ed., RD, LD, CDCES, vitamin A also supports your immune system and skin health. You may recognize the names beta carotene and retinol. Both are converted in the body to vitamin A.
• How Much You Need: 700 to 900 mcg daily
• What Deficiencies Cause: Weakened immune system, dry eyes and poor night vision
• Food Sources: Sweet potatoes, carrots, cantaloupe, leafy greens and eggs. Because vitamin A is fat-soluble, it’s best to combine it with healthy fats. An ideal pairing would be sautéing kale in olive oil.

Vitamin B1

• What It Does: Also known as thiamin, vitamin B1 helps convert the food we eat into energy. Like all B vitamins, B1 is found mostly in animal products, but there are vegan sources, too.
• How Much You Need: 1 to 1.2 mcg daily
• What Deficiencies Cause: Confusion, muscle weakness, enlarged heart and short-term memory issues
• Food Sources: Pork, beans, and grains (like bread and pasta) that are fortified with the vitamin

Vitamin B2

• What It Does: You may already know B2 by its other name, riboflavin. Like B1, it helps turn food into fuel for our bodies, and it keeps our skin and eyes healthy, among the many other cells in the body that it helps to grow and restore.
• How Much You Need: 1.1 to 1.3 mcg daily
• What Deficiencies Cause: Anemia, migraines, cataracts and skin problems
• Food Sources: Milk, yogurt, eggs and almonds

Vitamin B3

• What It Does: Alternatively known as niacin, when vitamin B3 is absorbed, it’s converted into a form that is used by more than 400 enzymes to spur reactions. And like other B vitamins, B3 helps metabolize food into fuel. 
• How Much You Need: 14 to 16 mg daily
• What Deficiencies Cause: Extreme deficiency can lead to pellagra, which causes skin to become rough (like a sunburn) and brown when exposed to the sun. It can also cause depression, headaches and fatigue
• Food Sources: Poultry, fish, peanuts and whole grains

Vitamin B5

• What It Does: Pantothenic acid, as vitamin B5 is also known, is a standout among B vitamins. “This one actually plays a bigger role in our hormones, and then again, with turning food into energy, it helps break down and metabolize our food like fats and carbohydrates,” says Rancourt.
• How Much You Need: 5 mg daily
• What Deficiencies Cause: Gastrointestinal issues, sleeplessness, numbness or burning in the extremities
• Food Sources: Organ meats, fortified cereals, mushrooms, sunflower seeds

Vitamin B6

• What It Does: Also called pyridoxine, the role of B6 is to convert food into fuel to help grow and regenerate our brain cells. It also supports immune function. 
• How Much You Need: 1.3 to 1.7 mg daily
• What Deficiencies Cause: Low immunity, depression and anemia
• Food Sources: Chickpeas, bananas, potatoes and fortified cereals

Vitamin B7

• What It Does: Also known as biotin, B7 supports brain health and, like other B vitamins, helps create fuel from the carbs, protein and fat that we eat.
• How Much You Need: 30 mcg daily
• What Deficiencies Cause: Hair loss, brittle nails, seizures, depression and fatigue
• Food Sources: Eggs (especially the yolk), nuts and seeds

Vitamin B9

• What It Does: Anyone who’s been pregnant knows B9, also called folate. “This one’s especially important during pregnancy in particular, because it does help with cell growth and DNA production,” says Rancourt.
• How Much You Need: 400 mcg (600 mcg during pregnancy) daily
• What Deficiencies Cause: It can cause neural tube defects in fetuses. For adults, anemia and fatigue are the main potential issues
• Food Sources: Leafy greens, beans and lentils

Vitamin B12

• What It Does: Perhaps the most famous of the B vitamins, B12 is a powerhouse for creating energy, but it also supports nerve health and the formation of red blood cells. 
• How Much You Need: 2.4 mcg daily
• What Deficiencies Cause: Anemia and fatigue
• Food Sources: Meat, fortified cereals, blackstrap molasses and nutritional yeast

Vitamin C

• What It Does: There’s more to vitamin C than staving off colds. It also helps our bodies absorb iron and plays a role in producing collagen. 
• How Much You Need: 75 to 90 mg daily
• What Deficiencies Cause: Yes, scurvy is a possibility, but it’s more likely that you’ll notice your gums bleeding when you brush your teeth or that you bruise more easily. 
• Food Sources: Kiwi, citrus, strawberries, bell peppers, tomatoes and broccoli. Pairing iron-rich foods with a food rich in vitamin C can help with iron absorption. 

Vitamin D

• What It Does: Vitamin D helps absorb calcium, which keeps our bones and teeth strong. It also helps reduce inflammation.
• How Much You Need: 15 to 20 mcg (600 to 800 IUs) daily
• What Deficiencies Cause: Low energy, higher risk of depression and osteoporosis
• Food Sources: Fatty fish (like salmon), egg yolks and fortified dairy

Vitamin E

• What It Does: Vitamin E is an antioxidant. “These little things are these tiny warriors, if you will, that help protect our cells from damage. So it’s helpful for a number of reasons at the cellular level,” says Rancourt. This includes helping with both immunity and blood flow.
• How Much You Need: 15 mg daily
• What Deficiencies Cause: Low immunity and nerve damage
• Food Sources: Nuts, seeds, olive oil, leafy greens and avocado. Like vitamin A, it’s best to pair vitamin E with healthy fats for optimal absorption. Making a healthy vinaigrette with olive oil for your salad will do, says Fiore.

Vitamin K

• What It Does: Instrumental in our bone health and blood clotting, vitamin K might not be as much of a household name as many of the other vitamins, but we still need to include dark-green vegetables in our diets to make sure we get enough of it each day.
• How Much You Need: 90 to 120 mcg daily
• What Deficiencies Cause: Uncontrolled bleeding and osteoporosis
• Food Sources: Kale, spinach, broccoli and Brussels sprouts. Vitamin K is also fat-soluble, so Rancourt recommends side dishes like roasted broccoli drizzled with olive oil. 

Our Expert Take

The takeaway here is that you can get what you need to power your body on a daily basis through everyday foods. Each trip to the grocery store is an exercise in both art and science—planning your meals with vitamin intake in mind should be a color-filled palette for your creativity. As long as you keep your diet varied, you will likely get the vitamins you need. 

Dietitians encourage mixing and matching whole, minimally processed foods to create a rainbow of flavors and nutrition that covers the entire spectrum of our vitamin needs.