10 key vitamins and minerals

Vitamin C

Antioxidant which needed for healthy skin, bones, teeth, and gums. Helps fight infection and aids iron absorption.

Vitamin E

Antioxidant which protects body cells and polyunsaturated fats. Works well with vitamin C.

Folic acid

B vitamin which may help reduce the risk of heart disease. Needed for healthy blood and nerve function.

Zinc

Needed for immunity, sperm production, healthy skin and a good sense of taste and smell.

Magnesium

Allows the body to use energy from food. Works with calcium in muscle function – particularly heart muscle – and in blood pressure control. Gives bones rigidity.

Potassium

Helps regulate blood pressure, heartbeat, and nerve and muscle function.

Selenium

Important part of antioxidant enzymes, needed for sperm production and thyroid function (to control the metabolic rate). Can help "reactivate" vitamins C and E, once they have been used by the body.

Iron

Needed to form haemoglobin in red blood cells, which transports oxygen to body cells. Prevents anaemia and associated tiredness and breathlessness.

Calcium

Builds and maintains strong bones and teeth. Needed for muscle and nerve function.

Salt

We all need salt in our diet, but for most of us the problem is that we eat too much rather than too little.

• Too much salt may raise blood pressure and cause the body to lose extra calcium in the urine (which might affect bone health in the long term).
• Around three-quarters of the salt we eat comes from processed foods, so it helps to cook from fresh when possible, look out for salt-reduced products and limit the addition of salt to foods.