Nutrition advice can quickly turn into a long list of things to avoid. It's worth occasionally flipping that around and asking a simpler question instead: what's already in a normal weekly shop that's worth knowing a bit more about? Vitamin D, magnesium and zinc are a useful place to start — common, unremarkable, and present in a wide range of everyday foods.
Vitamin D
Vitamin D supports normal bone structure and plays a role in everyday muscle function. Unusually for a nutrient, the body can produce some of it through sunlight on the skin, which means food sources matter more during the darker months of the year, when that natural production drops.
- Oily fish, such as salmon and mackerel
- Egg yolks
- Fortified breakfast cereals and plant milks
- Mushrooms that have been exposed to UV light
Magnesium
Magnesium contributes to normal muscle function and everyday energy processes in the body. It's found widely across plant foods, which makes it relatively easy to include without much planning.
- Almonds, cashews and other nuts
- Spinach and other leafy greens
- Brown rice and oats
- Dark chocolate, in modest amounts
Zinc
Zinc supports normal immune function and is involved in a wide range of everyday cell processes. Like magnesium, it shows up in both plant and animal foods, so most regular diets already include some sources.
- Pumpkin and sesame seeds
- Lentils and chickpeas
- Oats
- Eggs and dairy products
Building them into a normal week
The easiest way to bring more of these foods into a routine is to attach them to meals that already happen. A handful of nuts added to porridge, a side of leafy greens with dinner, oily fish once or twice a week, or a small bowl of seeds as a snack — small, repeatable swaps tend to stick better than a complete overhaul of the weekly shop.
This page is intended as a general introduction to where these nutrients are commonly found in food, not as personalised dietary guidance. Anyone with specific health questions or dietary needs is best placed speaking with a GP, dietitian or other qualified professional.