The first list is of foods that provide the nutrient in question and are especially healthy all around. Also the first list includes foods I think are great sources of X nutrient. The quotes are for good sources specifically of the nutrient in question.
1. Protein
Seitan/wheat roast, tofu, tempeh, venison, tuna, chicken or turkey breast, halibut, salmon, soybeans. Also, any combination of incomplete proteins makes a complete protein. So nuts plus seeds, nuts plus grains, seeds plus grains, eggs plus milk, etc. Yogurt, flax seeds, and peanut butter are a great, complete protein base for a smoothie. An egg and cheese sandwich with some spinach is another great suggestion, if you're not the smoothie type.
"Excellent sources of protein include
tuna,
shrimp, and cod.
Very good sources of protein include snapper, venison, halibut, salmon, scallops, turkey, chicken, lamb, beef, calf's liver, spinach, tofu, mustard greens, crimini mushrooms, soybeans, and mozarrella cheese.
Good sources of protein include eggs, milk, collard greens, cauliflower and many legumes including lentils, split peas, kidney beans, black beans, pinto beans and garbanzo beans.
When discussing food sources of protein, nutritionists often speak in terms of "complete" and "incomplete" proteins. Foods that provide complete protein are those that include all of the essential amino acid, while foods that provide some or none of the essential amino acids are said to be incomplete.
Eggs, dairy foods, meat, fish and poultry are typically considered to be complete proteins. Vegetarians, and especially vegans, often do not have a source of complete protein in their diets, but can easily obtain all of the essential amino acids by eating a variety of beans, grains, nuts, seeds, and vegetables."
2. Omega 3 Fatty Acids
Flax seeds, salmon, walnuts, soybeans, shrimp, snapper, scallops, halibut, tofu, and baked winter squash. Research indicates that Omega 3s may be more easily absorbed from food than from supplements.
"Salmon, flax seeds and walnuts are excellent sources of omega 3 fatty acids. Very good sources of these healthy fats include scallops, cauliflower, cabbage, cloves and mustard seeds. Good sources of these fats include halibut, shrimp, cod, tuna, soybeans, tofu, kale, collard greens, and Brussels sprouts."
3. Iron
Soybeans, lentils, spinach, tofu, sesame seeds, kidney beans, raw pumpkin seeds, venison, garbanzo beans (hummus!) and navy beans.
"Excellent food sources of iron include
chard, spinach,
thyme, and
turmeric.
Very good sources of iron include romaine lettuce, blackstrap molasses, tofu,
mustard greens, turnip greens, string beans, and shiitake mushrooms.
Good sources of iron include beef tenderloin, lentils, Brussel sprouts, asparagus, venison, garbanzo beans, broccoli, leeks, and kelp."
4. Calcium
Low fat yogurt, sesame seeds, spinach, collard or turnip greens, blackstrap molasses, and mozzarella are all low fat options that provide 10-45% of your daily recommended calcium dose. Just think--you can put most of that in a smoothie!
"Excellent sources of calcium include spinach, turnip greens, mustard greens and collard greens.
Very good sources of calcium include blackstrap molasses, Swiss chard, yogurt, kale, mozzarella cheese, cow's milk, and goat's milk. Basil, thyme, dill seed, cinnamon, and peppermint leaves are also very good sources of calcium.
Good sources of calcium include romaine lettuce, celery, broccoli, sesame seeds, fennel, cabbage, summer squash, green beans, garlic, tofu, Brussel sprouts, oranges, asparagus and crimini mushrooms. Oregano, rosemary, parsley, kombu, and kelp are also good sources of calcium."
5. Folates
Calf's liver, lentils, pintos, garbanzo, asparagus, spinach, black/navy/kidney beans, and collard greens
"Excellent sources of folate include romaine lettuce, spinach, asparagus, turnip greens, mustard greens, calf's liver, parsley, collard greens, broccoli, cauliflower, beets, and lentils.
Very good sources include squash, black beans, pinto beans, garbanzo beans, papaya and string beans."
6. B12
Liver, fish, venison, shrimp, and yogurt
"Since vitamin B12 cannot be made by any animals or plants, the B12 content of animals and plants depends on their ability to store the vitamin and their relationship to microorganisms (like bacteria in the soil). Because of their greater ability to store vitamin B12, animals contain more of the vitamin than plants. Excellent sources of vitamin B12 are therefore limited to animal foods. These foods include snapper and calf's liver. Very good sources of vitamin B12 include venison, shrimp, scallops, salmon, and beef. Within the plant world, sea plants (like kelp), algaes (like blue-green algae), yeasts (like brewer's yeast), and fermented plant foods (like tempeh, miso, or tofu) are the most commonly consumed food sources of vitamin B12, although none of these plant foods can be counted on to be a consistently excellent or very good source of the vitamin."
7. Potassium
Chard, lima beans, yams, winter squash, soybeans, avacado, spinach, pinto beans, papaya, watermelon, and lentils
"Potassium is found in abundance in many foods, and is especially easy to obtain in fruits and vegetables. Excellent sources of potassium include chard,
crimini mushrooms, and
spinach.
Very good sources of potassium include fennel, kale, mustard greens, Brussel sprouts, broccoli, winter squash, blackstrap molasses, eggplant, cantaloupe, and tomatoes.
Good sources of potassium include parsley, cucumber, bell pepper, turmeric, apricots, ginger root, strawberries, avocado, banana, tuna, halibut, cauliflower and cabbage."
8. Dietary Fiber
Split peas, lentils, black beans, pintos, limas, barley, garbanzo, navy, kidney, and soy beans
"Excellent food sources of dietary fiber include: turnip greens, mustard greens, cauliflower, collard greens, broccoli, Swiss chrd and raspberries.
Very good sources of dietary fiber include romaine lettuce, celery, spinach, fennel, green beans, eggplant, cranberries, strawberries and flax seeds.
Good sources of dietary fiber include cucumber, apricots, navy beans, grapefruit, rye, sweet potato, beets, buckwheat, shiitake mushrooms and oats."
9. Vitamin C
Peppers! I love peppers, and while I like fruit too, I just don't seem to get around to eating it as often. I eat peppers of some kind every day though, which is great, because they are chock full of vitamin C! Particularly red bell peppers, which have about 2.5 times the Vitamin C as oranges. Cayennes are also rich in Vitamin C and offer a dizzying array of other healthy qualities. Other great sources of Vitamin C are papaya, broccoli, brussels sprouts, strawberries, oranges, cantelope, kiwi, cauliflower, kale
"Excellent food sources of vitamin C include
broccoli,
bell peppers,
kale,
cauliflower,
strawberries,
lemons,
mustard and turnip greens,
brussels sprouts,
papaya, chard,
cabbage,
spinach,
kiwifruit,
snow peas,
cantaloupe,
oranges,
grapefruit,
limes,
tomatoes,
zucchini,
raspberries,
asparagus,
celery, pineapples, lettuce, watermelon, fennel, peppermint and
parsley."
10. Vitamin A
Carrots, calf's liver, spinach, sweet potato, kale, turnip and collard greens, winter squash, chard and bell peppers
"Calf liver is an excellent source of preformed vitamin A.
Cow's milk and
eggs are good sources of preformed vitamin A."
11. Zinc
Calf's liver, beef tenderloin, lamb loin, venison, sesame seeds, raw pumpkin seeds, yogurt, green peas, shrimp, cremini mushrooms
"Calf's liver, crimini mushrooms and spinach are very good sources of zinc.
Good sources include sea vegetables, basil, thyme, spinach, pumpkin seeds, yeast, beef, and lamb.
Good sources include beef, lamb, summer squash, asparagus, venison, chard, collard greens, miso, shrimp, maple syrup, broccoli, peas, yogurt, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds and mustard greens."
Super foods it's always good to fit into your diet when you can: papaya, cayenne, red bell peppers, cantelope, strawberries, collards, sesame seeds, raw sunflower seeds, watermelon, kale, hemp seeds
All of my research on this topic comes from www.whfoods.com or my own brain, i.e. stuff I've heard. I don't claim any official nutritionist credentials, so nutritionalize yourself at your own risk! The quotes are from whfoods. The suggestion to eat calf's liver and lamb are also theirs. I'm not sure it's really worth it, but I included them for accuracy's sake.
