Multivitamins are usually taken to supplement vitamins not received through diet or to prevent a vitamin deficiency caused by such factors as pregnancy, malnutrition, illness, or other conditions. However, doctors recommend meeting vitamin requirements naturally through a nutritious diet before turning to supplements. Here are five healthy foods packed with so many important vitamins and nutrients that they're basically a multivitamin themselves.
Salmon
Salmon is a great source of high-quality protein, vitamins, and minerals. Salmon has vitamins B3 and 12, vitamin D, protein, selenium, omega-3 fatty acids, and choline. Two servings a week of oily fish, like salmon, herring, or sardines is recommended for a healthy diet. Benefits to eating salmon include improved heart health, reduced risk of arthritis, and better brain function.
Black Beans
Black beans are the perfect option for a healthy digestive tract and colon. They are a delicious option for all dishes vegetarian or non-vegetarian. Both dried and canned black beans provide you with B-complex vitamins, protein, calcium, and manganese. Health benefits include improved bone health, lowered blood pressure, and heart disease prevention.
Avocado
Trying to build muscle or gain some weight in a healthy way? Eating avocados is a nutritious way to help meet those goals. Adding avocado to your diet will also decrease your risk of heart disease and improve blood levels. Eat one small avocado a day to benefit from the essential vitamins and nutrients it offers such as vitamin E, vitamin K, unsaturated fat, potassium, fiber, and manganese.
Spinach
This green, leafy vegetable is rich in vitamins and minerals. Eating spinach every day decreases the risk of heart disease, stroke, and osteoporosis. A good serving size is 1 cup raw or 1/2 cup cooked per day. If boiling spinach, don't let it cook for more than one minute, because its nutrients dissolve in water.
Vitamins found in spinach include vitamin A, B vitamins, calcium, iron, potassium, zinc, magnesium, and copper
Almonds
Almonds are another nutritious high-fat food. They are known for reducing heart disease risks and cholesterol levels. A recommended, healthy dose of almonds is a handful of nuts, about 23. Almonds contain nutrients such as vitamin E, protein, calcium, potassium, magnesium, copper, and manganese.
