Do you know which nutrients you need and if you're getting enough? If not, you're not alone. It can be difficult to keep track of all your nutrient needs and whether or not you're meeting them.

Some nutrients of interest

Here's a rundown of some common nutrients of interest and tips for how you can make sure you get enough of them.

Calcium and vitamin D

Calcium and vitamin D are vital to maintaining healthy bones. The recommended intakes are:

Calcium:
Men and women aged 19-50	1,000 milligrams/day
Men and women aged 51+	1,200 milligrams/day

Vitamin D:
Men and women aged 19-50	200 IU/day
Men and women aged 51-70	400 IU/day
Men and women aged 70+	600 IU/day

Calcium is found primarily in dairy foods, such as low-fat milk, yogurt, and cheese, as well as in calcium-fortified beverages, such as Calcium Enriched V8® 100% vegetable juice and other foods (such as SpaghettiO's® Plus Calcium pasta). For example, an 8-ounce glass of low-fat milk contains about 300 milligrams of calcium. It is also found (although in lesser amounts) in tofu, canned fish with bones, and some leafy green vegetables, such as broccoli.

Vitamin D is formed in the body from exposure to sunlight (although certain factors including the use of sunscreen, the time of year, and the geographic area in which you live can all affect how well your body forms vitamin D in response to the sun). In the diet, vitamin D is mainly supplied by fortified milk and vitamin D-fortified cereals.

Folate

Folate (also called folic acid, which is the synthetic form of the vitamin) is a B vitamin that plays an important role in preventing certain kinds of birth defects called "neural tube defects" (spina bifida is an example). Adequate intake of folate may also have benefits for heart health. The recommended intake for adults is 400 micrograms per day.

Foods rich in folate or folic acid include fortified breakfast cereals, spinach, beans, orange juice, and wheat germ. For example, adding a ¼ cup of wheat germ to your favorite cereal or a fruit smoothie provides you with 80 micrograms of folate.

Women who might become pregnant are advised to consume 400 micrograms of folic acid a day from fortified foods (such as fortified cereals) and/or a dietary supplement, in addition to eating a diet with plenty of foods rich in folate.

Iron

The mineral iron is a key component of a substance in the body called hemoglobin, which helps transport oxygen throughout the bloodstream. If you don't consume enough iron, you can develop anemia. Those at greatest risk for iron deficiency are young children, teenage girls, women of childbearing age, and some vegetarians. Women require more iron than men because of the blood loss they experience during menstruation.

The recommended intakes for iron for adults are:

Women aged 19-51:	18 milligrams/day
Adult men; women aged 51+:	8 milligrams/day

Iron is found in both animal and plant foods. Animal sources of iron are more readily absorbed and include beef liver, lean red meat, poultry, and pork. Plant sources of iron include fortified cereals, pumpkin seeds, beans, and spinach. The iron from plant foods is better absorbed by the body when consumed in combination with foods rich in vitamin C. For example, to boost absorption of iron from cereal, have a glass of V8® 100% vegetable juice or orange juice with the meal.

Vitamin B12

Vitamin B12 is involved in the making of red blood cells. Because it's found only in animal foods, people who don't eat these foods are at higher risk for deficiency. Elderly people are also at risk for deficiency, because they may not be as able to absorb the vitamin.

The recommended intakes are:

Adults:	2.4 micrograms/day
Pregnant women:	2.6 micrograms/day
Breastfeeding women:	2.8 micrograms/day

Foods rich in vitamin B12 include meat, poultry, fish, eggs, milk, yogurt, and vitamin B12-fortified soy milk.

What about too much?

When it comes to vitamins and minerals, you can get too much of a good thing. For example, high intakes of vitamin D can be toxic. If you are taking large doses of single-nutrient vitamin or mineral supplements and eating several fortified foods (such as energy bars and energy shakes), you should read the labels to make sure you're not exceeding your daily needs. If you rely on a healthy diet and a daily multivitamin to provide the essential nutrients you need, you are unlikely to consume quantities of vitamins and minerals that may be toxic.

Knowing your needs

For more information on the recommended amounts of selected nutrients, visit the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food and Nutrition Information Center at http://www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/etext/000105.html. Or see a registered dietitian, who can assess your diet to determine if you're meeting your individual nutrient needs and, if you are not, can make suggestions for how you can. To find a registered dietitian near you, visit the American Dietetic Association website at http://www.eatright.org.