Nutrition Quiz 2012: Which food has more nutrients

Nutrition Quiz 2012: Which food has more nutrients


Which food has the most fiber?
  1. Raspberries (1 cup)
  2. Black beans (1 cup)
  3. Almonds (1 cup)
  4. Lentils (1 cup)

Answer: Almonds are the highest, with 17 grams, lentils are a close second, at 16 g, and black beans and raspberries weigh in at 8 g per cup. Other rich sources include whole-wheat flour (14.6 g), broccoli (5 g) and blueberries (3.5 g per cup).


Why It Matters: Fiber is loaded with health benefits — it reduces your risk of heart disease and diabetes and lowers cholesterol. Plus, foods with fiber help to keep you fuller longer. The problem is that most people don’t get enough fiber in their diet.

Which food has the most potassium?

  1. Avocado (1 cup sliced)
  2. Papaya (1 large)
  3. Cantaloupe (1/2 large melon)
  4. Tomato sauce (1 cup)

Answer: One large papaya is surprisingly rich in potassium, with 1,421 milligrams. Cantaloupe is also a surprise, at 1,087 mg. Avocados have 708 mg, and tomato sauce has 811 mg. Other sources include raisins (1,086 mg of potassium per cup), potatoes (1,081 mg), bananas (537 mg) and, yes, even cucumbers (442 mg each).

Daily Need: 4,700 mg


Which food has the most iron?

  1. Kidney beans, cooked (1 cup)
  2. White mushrooms, boiled (1 cup)
  3. Pumpkin seeds (1 ounce)
  4. Chickpeas / hummus (1 cup)

Answer: Chickpeas are the highest, at 4.74 mg per cup, then the kidney beans, at 3.93 mg, the mushrooms, at 2.71 mg, and last the pumpkin seeds, at 2.29 mg. Other sources of iron include clams (23.77 mg in 3 ounces), black beans (3.61 mg per cup) and prune juice (3.02 mg per cup).

Daily Need: Men should be getting 8 mg per day and women 18 mg.


Which food has the most magnesium?

  1. Almonds (1 ounce)
  2. Potato, baked with skin (1 medium)
  3. Banana (1 medium)
  4. Raisins, seedless (½ cup packed)

Answer: One ounce of almonds has the most, with 80 mg. A potato is second, with 48 mg. Next is the banana, at 32 mg, and finally the raisins, at 26 mg. Other, even higher, sources of magnesium are buckwheat flour (301 mg per cup), halibut (170 mg), 1 cup of spinach (157 mg) and black beans (120 mg).

Daily Need: Men should get 400 to 420 mg and women 310 to 320 mg daily.


Which food has the most calcium?

  1. Kale, fresh, cooked (1 cup)
  2. Broccoli, raw (1 medium stalk)
  3. Spinach, cooked (1 cup)
  4. Collards, boiled (1 cup)

Answer: Collards are the highest, at 266 mg, then the spinach, at 245 mg, broccoli, at 106 mg, and kale, at 94 mg. Other sources include ricotta cheese (669 mg per cup), yogurt (448 mg a cup) and skim milk (299 mg in a cup).

Daily Need: Men and women ages 19 to 50 need 1,000 mg per day, and people ages 51 and up need 1,200 mg.

Why It Matters: Calcium is famous for building and maintaining strong bones, but it also plays a role in blood clotting, blood pressure regulation and muscle and nerve functioning. Inadequate calcium can result in bone deformities, muscle cramps, hypertension and osteoporosis, which is characterized by fragile bones and increased risk of bone fractures.

Which food has the most vitamin D?

  1. Salmon (sockeye) cooked (3 ounces)
  2. Shiitake mushrooms (1 cup)
  3. Egg, hard-boiled (1 large)
  4. Milk (1 cup)

Answer: Believe it or not, milk has little or no vitamin D — 5 iu (international units) per cup. The shiitake mushrooms have about 45 iu, and the egg has 27 iu, but the sockeye salmon has the most, at 447 iu — keep in mind that only sockeye salmon has vitamin D.

Daily Need: Men and women ages 14 through 70 need about 600 iu, or 15 mcg, per day. Also, see:

Why It Matters: Vitamin D is unique in that it’s found in food but can also be made in your body after exposure to ultraviolet (UV) rays from sunlight. The major biologic function of vitamin D is to maintain normal blood levels of calcium and phosphorus. By promoting calcium absorption, vitamin D helps to form and maintain strong bones. It also works in concert with a number of other vitamins, minerals and hormones to promote bone mineralization. Vitamin D is associated with decreased occurrence of fractures when taken with calcium. It was previously thought that many of us were not getting enough vitamin D; however, recent research has not supported that notion. Typically, 15 minutes in the sunlight will be just fine, but during the winter months (or if you don’t get out much), you should consider food sources (not supplements, unless a physician advises you to do so).

