These 10 health-boosting superfoods could replace your supplements – The Week Magazine

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According to data from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, from 1990 to 2006, the number of Americans taking some sort of supplement increased from 40 to 53 percent. However, studies show that, with a few specific exceptions, most Americans already get an adequate amount of nutrients, through fortified and whole foods.

Fruits and vegetables offer fiber, phytochemicals, and antioxidants that can't be replicated by a handful of pills, and nutrients, like vitamin A, E, and calcium are better absorbed by the body when derived from whole foods.

That said, supplements do sometimes serve a purpose. People over the age of 50 have trouble retaining vitamin B-12 naturally through food, for instance, and for vegetarians, iron derived from spinach and other plant-based sources is not as easily absorbed by the body. Please consult your doctor, then, before eliminating any supplements from your diet.

If there are no medical concerns, however, you might want to start weaning yourself off supplements today by eating these 10 foods instead.

Stop taking vitamin A: Eat sweet potatoes

(Thinkstock/Courtesy The Daily Meal)

It might be a humble root, but the sweet potato is one of the healthiest foods on the planet. It's a rich source of beta-carotene a pigment that eventually converts to vitamin A within the body. There are endless sweet potato recipes out there, but here are some of the best. If pressed for time, simply cut a sweet potato in half lengthwise, poke holes in both the peel and the cut surface with a fork, and heat it in the microwave for four to five minutes. Don't forget: The skin is full of nutrients, too!

Stop taking B-6: Eat bananas

(Baloncici/Thinkstock/Courtesy The Daily Meal)

Nature's perfect on-the-go snack is also an easy way to incorporate vitamin B6 into the diet. Two medium bananas deliver 44 percent of the recommended daily intake of vitamin B6 and also contain potassium and fiber. Other foods rich in vitamin B6 are sunflower seeds, pistachio nuts, and turkey.

Stop taking B-9 (folic acid): Eat black-eyed peas

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One cup of cooked black-eyed peas contains 89 percent of your daily value of vitamin B-9 (folic acid). Folic acid is crucial nutrient for normal brain functioning and emotional health, but excessive alcohol consumption, celiac disease, or inflammatory bowel disease can all negatively affect its absorption. Use black-eyed peas as a base for a cold salad, or cook them down low-and-slow with some stew meat.

Stop taking vitamin C: Eat oranges

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Don't just run them through a juicer; this fibrous citrus fruit is a useful weight-loss tool when consumed whole. Ripping through an orange provides your daily amount of vitamin C, but it also contributes other nutrients such as folate, potassium, and vitamin B-1. One medium-sized orange has only 62 calories, and its fiber and water content will keep you full until your next meal. For a savory serving of vitamin C eat some red peppers, kale, or brussels sprouts.

Stop taking vitamin D: Eat portabello mushrooms

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Winter mornings take a toll on our tans, but they also affect our natural intake of vitamin D. Fortunately, sunlight is not the only source of vitamin D; it can also be consumed inside at the dinner table. Portabello mushroom farmers expose their crops to additional lighting, which boosts the vitamin D content by almost 3,000 percent. Grill up some portabello mushrooms and top with tomato, mozzarella, and pesto for a spin on a caprese salad.

Stop taking vitamin E: Eat sunflower seeds

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A small handful of sunflower seeds provide half of the daily recommended intake of vitamin E. The seeds also contain magnesium and selenium, two minerals crucial to reducing swelling and inflammation in the body. Here are some recipes that can help incorporate sunflower seeds into a meal. If sunflower seeds aren't your thing, sweet potatoes, spinach, and almonds are also good sources of vitamin E.

Stop taking vitamin K: Eat broccoli

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Though often overlooked in favor of its trendy relative, kale, broccoli is an important vegetable that should be included in weekly dinners. One cup of cooked broccoli contains over 200 percent of your daily requirement for vitamin K, an essential nutrient for bone strength. Broccoli is delicious either oven-roasted, grilled, or blended into a smooth soup.

Stop taking calcium: Eat collard greens

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This staple of southern cooking is actually a superfood in disguise that can be a savior for anyone suffering from lactose sensitivity. A 3.5-ounce serving of cooked collard greens is only 32 calories, but provides a quarter of the daily requirement of calcium, and a half a day's worth of vitamin C. Collard greens are initially tough, but are tenderized after hours of slow cooking.

Stop taking iron: Eat oysters

(Shawn H. via Yelp/Courtesy The Daily Meal)

Whether they're fresh or canned, oysters are some of the most nutrient dense seafood available. A one-cup serving of oysters has 17.5 grams of protein and more than 100 percent of the daily recommended allowance of iron. Need some oyster inspiration? Try these seven outstanding oyster recipes.

Stop taking manganese: Eat chickpeas

(Shutterstock/Courtesy The Daily Meal)

Chickpeas (also know as garbanzos) are inexpensive, versatile, and delicious: One cup of chickpeas covers the recommended daily intake of manganese and folate. Try throwing some canned chickpeas in a blender with sesame paste, lemon juice, and salt for a tasty alternative to manganese pills, or try one of these five life-changing hummus recipes.

This story originally appeared at The Daily Meal.

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These 10 health-boosting superfoods could replace your supplements - The Week Magazine