How to Get Nutrients from Food Instead of Vitamins

A guide to getting your nutrition from real food rather than a handful of capsules.

By Emma Haak
O, The Oprah Magazine | From the April 2012 issue of O, The Oprah Magazine

Photo: Getty Images

Vitamin C

Vitamin C fights free-radical damage to our cells and DNA, helps with tissue synthesis and wound healing, may boost HDL cholesterol (the good kind), aids in bone growth, and enhances the body's absorption of iron. (Bella suggests pairing your C-rich foods with good iron sources to get the most benefit from both nutrients.) Citrus fruits like oranges and grapefruits are especially high in C, but plenty of vegetables, like kale and broccoli, and other fruits, like apricots and peaches, can help you reach the recommended 75 milligrams a day.

100% of your RDA of vitamin C:

½ pink grapefruit OR 9 small strawberries (about 51 percent)
1 medium peach OR 1 Asian pear (about 13 percent)
½ cup blueberries OR 2 apricots (about 9 percent)
1 spear of cooked broccoli OR 1 boiled sweet potato (about 27 percent)