The Daily Dose: A Full Day of Eats to Meet Your Vitamin Needs
- Piece of Cake Staff
- 6 hours ago
- 4 min read
Written by Lindsay Grohs
This idea stemmed from an assignment in my college nutrition class to create a day’s worth of eats that contained all nine of the vitamins we need in our everyday diet. There are 13 essential vitamins that are crucial to your body functioning properly. As we make this meal together, you will learn about the different vitamins and the appropriate amounts to consume each day. Each vitamin has its own nutritional profile, meaning they have distinct benefits (or “superpowers”). Each meal contributes to our daily vitamin requirements, ensuring a balanced diet throughout the day. Let’s get cooking.
Breakfast
We are starting the day off strong with a Mexican Omelet. To create this omelet, you will need eggs, peppers, tomatoes, black beans, cheddar cheese, and cilantro. Not only is this omelet delicious, but it provides a rich vitamin start to your day. This omelet holds a high amount of vitamin D, C, and several B vitamins. Eggs supply vitamins D, E, and many B vitamins, which pair together to support bone health, cell protection, and energy regulation. Peppers are vitamin-rich, containing various amounts of vitamin C, B6, B9, E, and A. These combine to provide the body with immune support, energy metabolism, healthy skin and vision, and cellular repair. Tomatoes also contain vitamin C and B9, offering some of the same benefits as peppers. Black beans contain vitamins B6 and B9. Finally, cilantro carries vitamin K, which aids in bone health and blood clotting. Altogether, this omelet is a flavorful, nutrient-packed way to start your day!
Lunch
Next on the menu is a Hot Honey Chicken Wrap. This dish is mainly composed of vitamin A and several B vitamins. The ingredients needed for this meal include chicken, hot honey (honey & sriracha), lettuce, avocado, and cheddar cheese (or cheese of choice). Chicken supplies your body with high amounts of vitamin B, including vitamins B2, B3, B5, B6, and B12. These vitamins work together to help your body with digestion, skin health, red blood cell production, regulation of the nervous system, and mood stabilization. Avocado is also high in various B vitamins, providing many of the same benefits to the body. Lettuce and cheddar cheese are where your vitamin A comes into play. Vitamin A helps with eye and skin health as well as reproduction and immune function. This lunch is the perfect way to satisfy your palate while continuing to meet your daily vitamin needs.
Dinner
Our final dish of the day is a Salmon Poke Bowl. This bowl is packed with B, C, and K vitamins. Ingredients for this dish include salmon, brown rice, avocado, cucumber, mango, edamame, and green onion. Salmon, brown rice, and avocado are vitamin B complex, meaning they hold several B vitamins. Salmon also holds vitamins A and D. As mentioned before, B vitamins allow the body to produce red blood cells, maintain a healthy nervous system, and promote skin health. Brown rice is also a good source of vitamin E, which protects cells in the body. Cucumbers and mangos are rich in vitamin C, which promotes a healthy immune system and supports collagen production for healthy skin and tissue repair. Edamame is an excellent source of vitamin K. Vitamin K plays a crucial role in blood clotting, bone health, and cardiovascular health. These ingredients pair together to create a colorful, delicious, and vitamin-rich meal that supports your overall health and daily vitamin needs.
Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) & Adequate Intake (AI)
The Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) is the “average daily level of intake sufficient to meet nutrient requirements of nearly all (97-98%) healthy individuals,” (National Institutes of Health [NIH], n.d.). The Adequate Intake (AI) is similar, as it is the intake level “assumed to ensure nutritional adequacy” (National Institutes of Health [NIH], n.d.). It’s important to make sure that you are getting enough of your vitamins to meet these requirements without overdoing it. Vitamin deficiencies can lead to a variety of health issues, including fatigue, skin, hair, and nail changes, vision issues, nerve disruptions, mood changes, and more (Cleveland Clinic, n.d.). An excess intake of certain vitamins can cause adverse effects, including neurological damage, skin changes, and gastrointestinal issues. To determine the adequate intake levels for each vitamin based on sex, age, and body size, you can reference this chart: NIH Vitamin Summary Table. Planning out meals like our Mexican Omelet, Hot Honey Chicken Wrap, and Salmon Poke Bowl ensures a balanced intake of essential vitamins to support overall health.
Conclusion
By taking time to plan out your day of meals, you are able to enjoy flavorful, satisfying foods while meeting your daily nutrient needs. Each ingredient contributes unique vitamins that support energy production, immune health, skin, bone, and eye health, and overall bodily functions. This approach shows us that eating for nutrition doesn’t have to be boring, but rather full of color, flavor, and rooted in whole foods. By choosing nutrient-rich ingredients, you can fuel your body, delight your taste buds, and create meals that are nourishing and enjoyable every day!
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