Modern food processing removes much of the goodness in our food, and the way food is grown means that many of the nutrients which should have been present are missing even before the factories get their hands on it. If you have difficulty following health guidelines, whether for lack of funds or for any other reason, it's helpful to add some supplements to your daily diet.

If you find yourself lacking in energy, or you get ill frequently, you're probably short on at least one of the nutrients normally found in the almost mythical 'balanced diet' that so few of us actually eat! Some of these are so important that Governments around the world have issued minimum Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) levels for them - though not all Government agree on the amounts.

European RDA except US RDA, Thorsons none established

Nutrient	RDA	Affects	Food sources (highest first)
Vitamin A	800 mcg	eyesight, skin, bones, growth, appetite and taste, fights infection, anti-anaemia	fish-liver oil, liver, margarine, butter, cheese, egg yolks, carrots, green leafy vegetables, milk products, yellow fruit
Vitamin B1 (Thiamin)	1.4 mg	energy levels, nervous system, digestion, muscles, heart, alcohol-damaged nerve tissues	yeast, brown rice, wheatgerm, nuts, pork, wheat bran, soya, oatflakes, wholegrains, liver, wholemeal bread, milk
Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin)	1.6 mg	energy levels, repair and maintenance of body tissues, growth, skin, nails, hair, eyesight	yeast, liver, wheatgerm, cheese, eggs, wheat bran, meats, soya flour, yoghurt, milk, green leafy vegetables, pulses (beans), fish
Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine)	2 mg	energy levels, amino acid absorption, formation of brain, nerves and blood, anti-allergy, anti-depressant, protein and carbohydrate absorption, preventing skin conditions and nerve problems	yeast, wheat bran, wheatgerm, oatflakes, pig's liver, soya flour, bananas, wholewheat, nuts, chicken, pork, fatty fish, brown rice, potatoes, vegetables, eggs, whole grains, dried beans
Vitamin B12 (Colbalamin)	1 mcg	DNA metabolism, making red blood cells, formation of the nerves, detoxifies cyanide in smoke	pig's liver, pig's kidney, fatty fish, pork, beef, lamb, white fish, eggs, cheese, milk (only found in foods of animal origin)
Vitamin C (Ascorbic acid)	60 mg	anti-oxidant, assists iron absorption, activates folic acid, anti-stress, brain and nerves, immune system, protection against viruses and bacteria, healing wounds, reducing cholesterol, cell lifespan, preventing scurvy. Also a natural laxative.	acerola cherry juice, camu pulp, rosehip syrup, blackcurrants, guavas, parsley, kale, horseradish, broccoli tops, green peppers, citrus fruit, kiwi fruit, berries, tomatoes, cauliflower, potatoes, green leafy vegetables
Vitamin D (Calciferol)	5 mcg	bones and teeth, promotes absorption of calcium and phosphate	cod-liver oil, kippers, mackerel, tinned salmon, sardines, tuna, eggs, milk, herring, sunlight
Vitamin E (Tocopherol)	10 mg	anti-oxidant properties, reduces oxygen requirement, aids blood clotting, dilates blood vessels, maintains healthy blood vessels	wheatgerm oil, soyabean oil, maize oil, safflower oil, sunflower oil, peanut oil, nuts, soya beans, vegetable oil, broccoli, sprouts, spinach, wholemeal products, eggs
Vitamin K*: men	70-80 mcg	blood clotting, bone formation and repair, glucose absorption. Deficiency in newborn babies results in haemorrhagic disease	cauliflower, brussels sprouts, broccoli, lettuce, spinach, pig's liver, cabbage, tomatoes, french and runner beans, ox liver, meat, potatoes, pulses (beans)
women	60-65 mcg
Biotin (formerly known as B8)	150 mcg	energy levels, maintaining healthy skin, hair, sweat glands, nerves, bone marrow and sex glands	yeast, pig's kidney, pig's liver, eggs, wholegrains, wheat bran, wheatgerm, wholemeal bread, maize (corn), fish, meats, rice, vegetables
Choline**	500-1,000 mg	fat-stabilising agent, cell membranes, brain function	lecithin granules, desiccated liver, beef heart, egg yolk, lecithin oil, liver, beef steak, wheatgerm, dried brewer's yeast, cereals, nuts, pulses, citrus fruits, wholemeal bread, green vegetables, other fruits, root vegetables, milk
Folate, folacin, folic acid (formerly known as B9)	200 mcg	RNA and DNA metabolism, production of red blood cells, preventing birth defects and promoting disease resistance in young babies. A deficiency during pregnancy can result in spina bifida in the newborn infant.	yeast, soya flour, wheatgerm, wheat bran, nuts, pig's liver, green leafy vegetables, rye and whole wheat, pulses (beans), pig's kidney, wholemeal bread, citrus fruit, egg yolks, brown rice, carrots, melon, apricots, pumpkin, avocado
Inositol**	500-1,000mg	controls blood cholesterol levels, anti-anxiety, maintains healthy hair	lecithin granules, beef heart, desiccated liver, wheatgerm, lecithin oil. liver, brown rice, cereals, beef steak, citrus fruits, nuts, molasses, pulses, green vegetables, wholemeal bread, soya flour
Niacin (formerly known as B3)	18 mg	converting food into energy, building red blood cells, maintains healthy skin, nerves, brain, tongue and digestion	yeast, wheat bran, nuts, pig's liver, chicken, soya flour, meat, fatty fish, whole grains, cheese, dried fruit, wholemeal bread, brown rice, wheatgerm, eggs, avocado, peanuts
PABA	***	prevents loss of hair colour and skin pigmentation. prevents sunburn in lotions and creams	liver, eggs, molasses, brewer's yeast, wheatgerm
Pantothenic acid (formerly known as B5)	6 mg	energy levels, anti-stress remedy, controls fat metabolism, antibody formation, maintains healthy nerves, detoxifies drugs, fatigue, allergies, asthma, psoriasis	yeast, pig's liver, pig's kidney, peanuts, pecans and hazelnuts, wheat bran, wheatgerm, soya flour, eggs, chicken, meats, whole grains, dried beans and peas, wholemeal bread, mushrooms, cauliflower, potatoes, avocado, oranges, bananas, milk, fresh fish, cheese
Calcium	800mg	bones and teeth	hard cheeses, soft cheeses, tinned fish, nuts, pulses (beans), cow's milk, root vegetables, eggs, cereals, fruit, wholemeal bread, fresh fish, human milk
Chromium*	100 mcg	controls blood glucose, cholesterol levels, stimulates protein synthesis, increases resistance to infection	egg yolk, molasses, yeast, beef, hard cheeses, liver, fruit juice, wholemeal bread, bran, cereals, honey, wheatgerm, vegetables, fruit
Copper**	2mg	development of blood and bones, resistance to infection. Deficiency in babies results in prominent veins, pale skin, failure to thrive and diarrhoea	liver, shellfish, yeast, olives, nuts, pulses (beans), cereals, meat, fish, poultry, wholemeal bread, dried fruit
Fluoride*: Men 18-50	3.8mg	formation of bones and teeth	cereals, milk, fish, meat, fruit, vegetables
Men 50+	2.9mg
Women	3.1mg
Iodine	150 mcg	regulation of the thyroid gland	dried kelp, haddock, whiting (fish), herring
Iron	14mg	vital for the production of red blood cells	cockles (shellfish), yeast, winkles (shellfish), wheat bran, cooked liver, cooked kidney, cocoa powder, soya flour, parsley, dried fruit, sardines, cereals, corned beef, wholemeal bread, haricot beans, beef
Magnesium	300mg	bones, nerves and muscles, energy production	soya beans, nuts, yeast, wholewheat flour, brown rice, dried peas, shrimps, wholemeal bread, rye flour, seafood, dried fruit, vegetables, meats, bananas, green leafy vegetables
Manganese**	2.5-5mg	growth, joints and bones, nervous system, energy production, female sex hormones	cereals, wholemeal bread, nuts, pulses (beans), fruit, green leafy vegetables, liver, root vegetables, meats, fish, black tea
Molybdenum*	500 mcg	prevents tooth decay, metabolism of iron, maintains male sexual function	buckwheat, baked beans, wheatgerm, liver, soya beans, wholegrains, cereals, organ meats, eggs, cocoa, vegetables, fruit
Potassium	***	maintains body water balance, catalyst for enzymes involved in energy production, stabilising body cell structure, protein synthesis, control of nerve impulse transmission, acid/alkali balance, intestinal tract	dried fruits, soya flour, molasses, wheat bran, raw salad vegetables, chips, nuts, breakfast cereal, muesli, drinking chocolate, savoury biscuits, fresh fruit, boiled vegetables, fish, meats, fruit juices, eggs, cheese, brown rice, white rice
Phosphorus	800mg	energy production, maintaining body function; (with calcium and magnesium) maintaining healthy teeth and bones	coffee, tea, cocoa, yeast, dried skimmed milk, wheatgerm, soya flour, hard cheeses, tinned fish, nuts, cereals, evaporated milk, wholemeal bread, eggs, meats, poultry, fresh fish, yoghurt
Selenium*: men	70 mcg	fights cancer and heart disease	organ meats, fish and shellfish, muscle meats, wholegrains, cereals, dairy products, fruit, vegetables
women	55 mcg	fights cancer and heart disease
Zinc	15mg	foetal growth and development, immune system, metabolism of pituitary, adrenal and ovaries and testes, maintenance of healthy liver function, required for Vitamin A activation	oysters, liver, yeast, shellfish, meats, hard cheese, tinned fish, wholemeal bread, eggs, pulses (beans), wholegrain cereals, rice, green leafy vegetables, potatoes