For most people, a balanced and varied diet should support all the vitamins that you need. Speak to your GP or healthcare provider if you are concerned about nutritional deficiencies or are considering taking supplements.
Calcium
How can I get it?
Three portions of dairy per day, such as three slices of cheddar, a yogurt and large glass of milk will provide your Nutrient Reference Value (NRV).
Some useful food sources of calcium are dairy produce, small-boned fish such as sardines and anchovies, green leafy vegetables, nuts and seeds such as almonds and sesame seeds, tofu and apricots. You can also buy calcium-fortified bread, although it is much better to get it from natural sources.
Phosphorous

How can I get it?
The main food sources are meat, milk and wholegrains, nuts and seeds.
Magnesium
How can I get it?
Magnesium occurs abundantly in whole foods and the best dietary sources are kelp, seaweeds, citrus fruits, green leafy vegetables such as broccoli, cabbage, nuts, wholegrains and tofu.
Chromium
How can I get it?
The best sources are brewer’s yeast, wholegrains, potatoes, apples, parsnips and bananas.
Iron
How can I get it?
A portion of red meat or sardines served with a dark green leafy vegetable such as kale will help you on your way to meeting the NRV. Other good sources include offal, egg yolk and fortified cereals.
Selenium
How can I get it?
A few Brazil nuts or a prawn sandwich made with wholemeal bread would provide the daily intake. Other good sources include offal, shellfish, butter, avocados and wholegrains.
Zinc
How can I get it?
Zinc is found in fish, shellfish, lean red meat, seeds, nuts, legumes and wholegrains.
Potassium
How can I get it?
Potassium is found in many foods, and is especially easy to obtain in fruits and vegetables such as chard, mushrooms and spinach.
Sodium
Sodium is a component of salt, which is naturally present in the majority of foods we eat. Most people eat more salt than is good for their health. It is recommended that adults eat no more than 6g of salt (equivalent to 2.5g of sodium) per day and children less. Three quarters of our salt consumption comes from packaged foods such as breakfast cereals, soups, sauces and ready meals.
UK dietary recommendations
Dietary recommendations for any nutrient are based on the daily intake thought to be adequate to safely satisfy the needs of the majority of the population. Despite much research, values for optimum intakes are still being debated. The Reference Nutrient Intake (RNI) measure used in the UK is calculated from studies of the physiological requirements of healthy people, but because these studies are subject to wide interpretation, the RNI value for a nutrient can vary from country to country. Recommended Daily Allowances (RDAs) are said to apply to ‘average adults’ and are only very rough guides.
RDAs (Recommended Daily Allowance) is the old system which has now changed to NRVs. The values for RDA and NRV are the same.
NRVs are the levels of essential nutrients considered adequate for most healthy people, and are only rough guides. Nutritional requirements often vary slightly for specific groups of the population, for example during pregnancy and old age. If you’re concerned that you might be at risk of deficiencies, speak to your GP or healthcare provider.
For more information see the Department for Health website.
This article was last reviewed on 13 September 2019 by Kerry Torrens.
Kerry Torrens BSc. (Hons) PgCert MBANT is a Registered Nutritionist with a post graduate diploma in Personalised Nutrition & Nutritional Therapy. She is a member of the British Association for Nutrition and Lifestyle Medicine (BANT) and a member of the Guild of Food Writers. Over the last 15 years she has been a contributing author to a number of nutritional and cookery publications including BBC Good Food.
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