FAMILY GUIDE TO FOOD SOURCES OF
NUTRIENTS
Miela Gruber-Cooley, ND 2011
KIDSPACE
Adaptive Play and Wellness
www.kidspaceadaptiveplay.com
479 Buckland Rd
South Windsor, Ct 06074
860-432-9923
Kidspace Adaptive Play and Wellness 860-432-9923
Please use this booklet as a quick guide in your home or
clinic. It is meant to be a quick reference, and is not
exhaustive. Food choices were chosen based on variety of
food groups and usefulness for feeding young children.
In most cases wheat, dairy, soy, corn and peanut were not
included because of their higher tendency to be allergenic
and questionable nutritional value. Nuts and fish,
although highly allergic for some people are included
because of their higher nutritional value for people who
can eat them. Dairy products are included on calcium list
for comparison.
This guide is meant to get families started on a few whole
food ideas for each nutrient. Explore, be adventurous and
Have fun!
This booklet is a free booklet meant to be copied and
given to families. Please do not alter and give credit to
author if reprinting.
Kidspace Adaptive Play and Wellness 860-432-9923
CALCIUM
Broccoli, cooked
1 cup
Collard Greens, cooked
1 cup
Cheese, mozzarella
3 oz.
Oatmeal, fortified
1 cup
Rice Drink, fortified
1 cup
Molasses, blackstrap
1T
Chickpeas, cooked
1 cup
Almonds
¼ cup
Tahini (sesame paste)
2T
Beans, baked
½ cup
Rainbow trout, cooked
3 oz
Orange
1 med
Coconut Milk (SoDelicious) 1 cup
Almond milk
1 cup
Hemp Milk
1 cup
Rice Drink, westbrae
1 cup
Milk 2%
1 cup
Turnip greens, cooked 1 cup
IRON
180 mg
357 mg
621 mg
208 mg
200 mg
137 mg
80 mg
92 mg
42 mg
64 mg
73 mg
52 mg
100 mg
300 mg
460 mg
200 mg
300mg
492 mg
Note that dairy products are not the only source of Calcium!
RDA
Adults Age 25-50 1000 mg per day
Ages 11 yo-24
1200 mg per day
Age 0-6 mos.
400 mg per day
Age 6 mos-10 yr 600-800 mg per day
Pregnant/lactating 1200 mg per day
Kidspace Adaptive Play and Wellness 860-432-9923
Black Strap Molasses
Apricots
Turkey, dark meat
Lima beans
Lentils
Chickpeas, cooked
Kidney beans, dried
Beef, ground
Kale, cooked
Pumpkin seeds
Egg
Peas, cooked
Collard greens, cooked
Cocoa powder
Raisins
Green beans, cooked
Cashew butter
Blueberries
Cod
Leaf lettuce
1T
¼ cup
3 oz
½ cup
½ cup
½ cup
½ cup
3 oz
1 cup
2T
1 lg
½ cup
1 cup
2T
¼ cup
½ cup
1T
½ cup
3 oz
1 cup
5.0 mg
1.8 mg
2.0 mg
2.9 mg
2.9 mg
2.4 mg
2.2 mg
3.0
1.8 mg
1.8 mg
1.0 mg
1.5 mg
1.5 mg
1.5 mg
1.3 mg
1.2 mg
0.8 mg
0.5 mg
1.0
0.6
A significant amount of iron can come from cooking in cast iron
pots.
RDA
Adults Female 18 mg/male 10 mg
Teen Female 15 mg/male 11 mg
Children 6-12 mo 11 mg/ 1-3 yo 7 mg/4-8 yo 10 mg
Pregnant 27 mg/ lactating 9 mgs
Female, postmenopause 8 mgs
MAGNESIUM
Buckwheat Flour
Avocado
Figs, dried
Almonds, whole
Cashews, roasted
Lima beans, dry
Rice, brown, cook
Kelp
Banana
Beet Greens, raw
Chickpeas
Sweet potato w/skin
Acorn squash, baked
Oatmeal
Cocoa powder
Tomato sauce
Molasses, blackstrap
Kiwi fruit
Black-eyed peas, cook
1 cup
1 med
5 med
¼ cup
¼ cup
¼ cup
1 cup
2T
1 med
1 cup
½ cup
1 med
½ cup
1 cup
2T
1 cup
1T
2 med
¼ cup
246 mg
112 mg
100 mg
96 mg
89 mg
81 mg
84 mg
76 mg
58 mg
58 mg
40 mg
50 mg
53 mg
50 mg
52 mg
47 mg
52 mg
46 mg
98 mg
RDI Adult Female 310 mgs/ male 400 mgs
Teen 400 mgs
Child 6-12 mos 75 mgs/1-3 yo 80 mg
4-8 yo 130 mgs/ 9-13 yo 240 mgs
Preg/lactating 350-400 mg
Kidspace Adaptive Play and Wellness 860-432-9923
POTASSIUM
Avocado
Tomato Sauce
Apricots, dried
Cantaloupe
Raisins
Watermelon
Broccoli
Kiwi fruit
Flounder
Orange Juice
Banana
Eggplant
Winter squash
Sweet potato
Artichoke
Peach
Beef, steak
Mushrooms
Cashews
1 med
1 cup
½ cup
½ med
½ cup
1” slice
3.5 oz
2 med
3 oz
1 Cup
1 med
1 cup
½ cup
1 med
1 med
1 med
3 oz
1 cup
¼ cup
AI Adult 4,700 mg
Teen 4,700 mg
Child 0-6mos 400 mg/6mos-3yo 3,000 mgs
4-8 yo 5,000mg/9-13 4,000 mgs
Preg/lactating 1,100-1,200 mgs
AI=Adequate Safe Daily Intake
1360mg
909 mg
898 mg
782 mg
545 mg
559 mg
464 mg
504 mg
498 mg
496 mg
440 mg
397 mg
473 mg
397 mg
316 mg
308 mg
298 mg
259 mg
194 mg
SELENIUM
Brazil Nuts
Halibut, baked
Swiss Chard
Oats
Blackstrap molasses
Scallops, steamed
Sunflower seeds
Ground beef
Brown Rice
Egg
Orange juice
Garlic
Asparagus
¼ cup
3 oz
1 cup
3 oz
1T
3 oz
25
3 oz
1 cup
1 med
1 cup
3 cloves
1 cup
COPPER
380 mcg
113 mcg
57 mcg
50 mcg
25 mcg
70 mcg
25 mcg
22 mcg
20 mcg
12 mcg
50 mcg
2.5 mcg
3.1 mcg
Beef Liver
Beans, dried
Cashews
Blackstrap Molasses
Sunflower seeds
Almonds
Mushrooms, raw
Peas, dried, cooked
Cocoa powder
Banana
Halibut
Apricots, dried
Sesame seeds
3 oz
½ cup
¼ cup
2T
¼ cup
¼ cup
½ cup
½ cup
2T
1 med
3 oz
¼ cup
1T
2.4 mg
0.9 mg
0.8 mg
0.6 mg
0.6 mg
0.5 mg
0.6 mg
0.7 mg
0.4 mg
0.35
0.21
0.15
0.13
Selenium is used to detoxify many substances. Much of US soil is
deficient in selenium and plant sources will vary accordingly.
Selenium has narrow margin of safety, with toxicity at 900-1000
long term dose.
Zinc and Copper are both necessary for immunity. However, they
will compete with eachother for absorption. Too much of one will
cause a deficiency of the other. Iron also interferes with copper
absorption
RDA Adult 55-70 mcg
Teen 55 mcg
Child 0-6 mos 15 mcg/6mos-3yrs 20 mcg
4-8 yrs 30 mcg/9-13 yrs 40 mcg
Preg/lactating 60-70 mcgs
AI Adult 1,000 mgs
Teen 890 mgs
Child 0-1 yr 200-220 mgs/1-8 yrs 340-440
9-13 yrs 700 mgs
Pregnancy 1000 mg
Lactating 1,300 mgs
Kidspace Adaptive Play and Wellness 860-432-9923
ZINC
Oysters, eastern
Beef, roast
Turkey, dark meat
Swiss chard
Lima beans
Oats
Pumpkin seeds
Ginger root
Lentils
Cashews
Sunflower seeds
Tahini (sesame)
Crab, canned
Brown rice
Potato, baked
½ cup
3 oz
3 oz
1 cup
½ cup
1 cup
¼ cup
1 oz
1 cup
¼ cup
¼ cup
1T
¼ cup
1 cup
1 med
IODINE
113 mg
5.3 mg
3.8 mg
3.2 mg
2.9 mg
2.8 mg
2.6 mg
2.2 mg
2.0 mg
2.0 mg
2.0 mg
1.6 mg
1.3 mg
8 mg
2.8 mg
Kombu, dried
Arame, dried
Dulce, dried
Haddock
Cod
Sardines
1/16 cup
1/16 cup
1/16 cup
3 oz
3 oz
3 oz
6,000 mcg
6,000 mcg
3,000 mcg
341 mcg
341 mcg
30 mcg
Iodine is essential for thyroid function. Most people in the US get
the majority of their iodine from iodized salt, which contains 76 mcg
per gram. Note that breastfeeding women require almost double
the amount of iodine as non-lactating women.
The optimum daily intake for zinc is 30-50 mg/day.
Average daily intake in the US is 10 mg.
RDA Adult 11-15 mgs
Teen 11 mgs
Child 0-6 mos 2 mg/6 mos-3 yrs 3 mgs
4-8 yrs 5 mgs/9-13 yrs 8 mgs
Preg/lactation-11-13 mgs
Kidspace Adaptive Play and Wellness 860-432-9923
RDA Adult 150 mcg
Teen 150 mcg
Child 0-6 mos 110/6-12 mos 110 mcgs
1-8 yrs 90 mcg/9-13 yrs 120 mcg
Pregnancy 220 mcg
Lactation 290 mcg
VITAMIN A/beta-carotene
Carrot Juice
1 cup
120,000 IU
Spirulina
1T
21,293 IU
Cod liver oil
1T
14,000 IU
Sweet potato
1 med
12,000 IU
Mango
1 med
8,000 IU
Pumpkin, cooked
1 cup
8,000 IU
Collard greens
½ cup
5,400 IU
Kale
½ cup
4,600 IU
Cantaloupe
½ melon
5160 IU
Chlorella
1T
4,685 IU
Broccoli
1 med stalk
4,500 IU
Pepper, red
1 med
4,500 IU
Winter Squash
½ cup
4,300 IU
Mango
½ med
4,000 IU
Watermelon
1” slice
2,500 IU
Leaf lettuce
1 cup
1,000 IU
Amounts are in IU beta-carotene, which must be converted to
retinol (vitamin A). Optimal daily intake is 25,000 IU beta-carotene.
Long term high dose treatment with Vitamin A can lead to toxicity,
and should particularly be avoided in pregnancy.
RDA of vitamin A is given in RAE, retinol activity equivalent=1 mcg
retinol. In the table below the RAE has been converted to carotenoid
measurements to match above lists. NOTE this is not RDA for
Vitamin A (retinol), which you would find in soluble supplements!!!!
RDA Adult 1,400-1,800 IU
Teen 1,200 IU
Child 0-6 mos 800 IU/6-12 mos 1,000 IU
1-8 yrs 600-800 IU/9-13 yrs 1,200 IU
Pregnancy 1,500 IU/ lactation 2,500 IU
Kidspace Adaptive Play and Wellness 860-432-9923
VITAMIN C (ASCORBIC ACID)
Orange juice
Green pepper
Watermelon
Cantaloupe
Grapefruit
Brussel sprouts
Cauliflower, cook
Broccoli, raw
Strawberries
Tomato
Sweet potato
Cabbage, raw
Turnip greens, cook
Cherries
1 cup
½ cup
2 slice
½ med
1 med
4 med
1 cup
1 cup
½ cup
1 med
1 med
½ cup
½ cup
½ cup
124 mg
110 mg
92 mg
90 mg
82 mg
73 mg
70 mg
132 mg
44 mg
28 mg
28 mg
21 mg
45 mg
8 mg
Vitamin C is a great antihistamine. The need for vitamin C goes up
considerably under stress. Vitamin C increases iron absorption.
Vitamin C has a number of therapeutic uses at higher doses.
These doses are only to prevent scurvy-not for optimal immune
function, stress, etc.
RDA Adult 75-100 mg
Teen 45 mg
Child 0-12 mos 45-50 mg/1-3 yrs 15 mg
4-8 yrs 25 mg/ 9-13 45 mg
Pregnancy 85 mg/ lactation 120 mgs
Vitamin D
Vitamin D is important for bone growth and repair, calcium
metabolism, nerve and neuromuscular function, immune function,
and cell division, and prevention of inflammation. There are very
few food sources of vitamin D and it’s most important source is
from the sun. Our bodies convert cholesterol to vitamin D in the
presence of sunlight. It is my fervent wish and hope that each of you
and your children spend time outside on a regular basis. The
benefits of spending time outside in nature are precious, including
increased happiness, less hyperactivity, stress reduction, healthy
active bodies, an increased bond and love for our beautiful planet,
better sleep, and, of course, vitamin D. What this means, is we
need sunlight and fresh air to live. You can think of it this way-many
diseases of modern life, such as ADHD, obesity, frequent illness,
headaches and depression and anxiety, insomnia, high
bloodpressure and high cholesterol, and many more are at least in
part “Outdoors Deficiency Disease or ODD”.
The small amount of foods which contain vitamin D include, egg
yolks, fatty fish (such as tuna, salmon and mackerel) and fish liver
oil, pastured butter, beef liver. I am not going to pt amounts down,
because I want to stress just how important it is for yu and your
family to spend time outside!
Kidspace Adaptive Play and Wellness 860-432-9923