These days, the term “whole foods” is thrown around a lot, but do you really know exactly what the term means?  In the article, “Eat Your Vitamins,” found in the August issue of Body+Soul magazine, author Cheryl Redmond describes whole foods as “completely unprocessed and unrefined” foods, such as “whole fruits and vegetables.”   Redmond points out the benefits of getting vitamins through whole foods rather than supplements, pointing out that “with whole foods, you never have to worry about getting too much of a certain vitamin, or question whether one nutrient will cancel another one out” since “nature [will] do the balancing act for you.” 

So to get you started, we’ve highlighted the benefits of vitamins A, B, and C and listed some of the foods these health boosters are found in. 

Vitamin A

Benefits- helps guard against colds and flu, possibly helps prevent cancer, maintains respiratory, intestinal and urinary tracts, helps skin and mucous membranes function as barriers to keep viruses and bacteria from entering the body, promotes healthy eyesight

Found in- apricots, cantaloupe carrots, cheese, collards, eggs, kale, mangoes, milk, sweet potatoes, spinach, and swiss chard

Vitamin B (includes thiamin, niacin, riboflavin, pantothenic acid, B6, biotin, folate, and B12)

Benefits- helps body transform food to energy, helps replace worn-out cells with fresh cells, keeps nerve and brain cells in working order, folate protects against certain birth defects for pregnant women, and along with B6 and B12, may guard against heart disease by reducing levels of homocysteine in the blood

Found in- asparagus, avocados, beans, corn, green beans, leafy greens (like collards), onions, peas, pork, whole wheat and yogurt

Vitamin C

Benefits- Prevents and mitigates severity of colds, counters the effects of free radicals that could lead to heart disease, cancer, arthritis and neurological problems

Found in- bell peppers, broccoli, brussels sprouts, cherries, cranberries, kiwi, mangoes, onions and oranges                                                                                          

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