Healthy eating: Nutrients women not eating enough of
How much you need daily: 750mcg for adult women.
Foods rich in it: Poultry, eggs, mackerel, fruits like mango, papaya and watermelon, as well as vegetables such as tomatoes, red capsicum and carrots, and cornflakes. A 100g serving of chicken contains 50mcg of vitamin A, 100g of duck will give you 69mcg, 100g of cornflakes has 812mcg, while 100g of red capsicum contains a whopping 1,510mcg.
Too much of a good thing: It can lead to vision changes such as blurry sight, bone pain, nausea, vomiting, dry skin and sensitivity to bright light like sunlight.
6. VITAMIN B12
Why it’s important: Helps with brain function, nerve tissue health, production of red blood cells and energy levels – it’s been linked to serotonin production (the chemical messenger that keeps us feeling happy).
Deficiency symptoms: Fatigue, weakness, nerve damage, megaloblastic anaemia, depression, memory loss and dementia.
How much you need daily: 2.4mcg for adult women and 2.6mcg-2.8mcg for pregnant and breastfeeding mums.
Foods rich in it: Beef, tuna, fortified nutritional yeast, sardines and cheese. A 100g serving of beef contains 5.9mcg of vitamin B12, 100g of tuna has 10.9mcg, and 100g of cheese contains 1mcg-3mcg.
Too much of a good thing While it’s rare to have serious side effects from consuming too much, it can still lead to breakouts, rosacea, headaches, nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea.
