Food sources of Vitamins and Minerals

Food sources of vitamins and minerals

A healthy, varied and balanced diet gives us the vitamins and minerals needed for health. If your child’s diet is limited, it makes it more difficult to make sure they get all their vitamins and minerals. For example, some children may only choose to eat food of one texture, or one colour. This leaflet gives some ideas of food with different vitamins and minerals which can help you in choosing foods to meet your child’s vitamin and mineral needs. Food sources alone are not able to give us the amount of vitamin D we need. Please be aware, free vitamin D supplements are available in Lanarkshire for:

• All pregnant women
• Breast feeding mums
• All mums in the 1 year post natal period
• All children up to the age of 3 years (please note these are not required if a baby is taking more than 500mls of formula milk).

You can pick these up from many distribution points throughout Lanarkshire including Health centre receptions. Please ask your health visitor or midwife for more information.

Vitamin/mineral Iron

Where to find:

• All meat
• Fish
• Egg yolk
• Beans & lentils
• Fortified breakfast cereals
• Nuts, nut butters & seeds
• Dried fruit
• Green leafy vegetables e.g. kale/spinach/cabbage/brocolli

Vitamin/mineral Magnesium 

Where to find:

• Green leafy vegetables e.g. kale/spinach/cabbage/brocolli
• Nuts
• Brown rice
• Bread (especially wholegrain)
• Fish
• Meat
• Milk and dairy products

Vitamin/mineral Calcium

Where to find:

• Milk and dairy products
• Calcium enriched milk alternatives
• Sardines
• Fortified bread & cereal
• Green leafy vegetables e.g. kale/spinach/cabbage/brocolli

Vitamin/mineral Folic Acid

Where to find:

• Green leafy vegetables e.g. kale/spinach/cabbage/brocolli
• Beans
• Oranges
• Wholegrain foods such as wholemeal bread and whole oats
• Chicken
• Fortified breakfast cereal

Vitamin/mineral Iodine

Where to find:

• Fish
• Shellfish
• Milk and dairy products

Vitamin/mineral Chromium

Where to find:

• Meat
• Whole grains – such as wholemeal bread and whole oats
• Lentils
• Green leafy vegetables e.g. kale/spinach/cabbage/broccoli
• Potatoes
• Spices

Vitamin/mineral Copper 

Where to find:

• Nuts
• Shellfish
• Offal

Vitamin/mineral Manganese

Where to find:

• Bread
• Nuts
• Fortified breakfast cereals
• Peas & runner beans

Vitamin/mineral Molybdenum

Where to find:

• Nuts
• Tinned vegetables
• Cereals – such as oats
• Peas
• Green leafy vegetables e.g. kale/spinach/cabbage/brocolli
• Cauliflower

Vitamin/mineral Phosphorus  

Where to find:

• Red meat
• Milk and dairy products
• Fish
• Chicken
• Bread
• Brown rice
• Oats

Vitamin/mineral Potassium

Where to find:

• Fruit – such as bananas
• some vegetables – such as broccoli, parsnips & brussels sprouts
• Pulses
• Nuts & seeds
• Fish
• Shellfish
• Beef
• Chicken
• Turkey

Vitamin/mineral Selenium          

Where to find:

• Brazil nuts
• Fish
• Meat
• Eggs

Vitamin/mineral Zinc

Where to find:

• Meat
• Shellfish
• Milk and dairy products
• Bread
• Fortified breakfast cereals

If you need this information in another language or format, please e-mail:

Translation.Services@lanarkshire.scot.nhs.uk