These are the best vitamins to add to your diet this January
And they’re probably already in your fridge
![healthy, food, grocery, background, basket, bag, vegetables, fish, balanced, purchase, healthy, food, grocery, background, basket, bag, vegetables, fish, balanced, purchase,](https://cdn.statically.io/img/hips.hearstapps.com/hmg-prod/images/healthy-food-grocery-background-basket-bag-royalty-free-image-936387810-1553279013.jpg?crop=0.662xw:1.00xh;0.170xw,0&resize=640:*)
How often did your mum tell you to ‘take your vitamins!’ and shove some gummy supplements in your face when you were little? Not just us, right? Now that you’re older and wiser, you know that vitamins aren’t *actually* good-for-you sweets and your body might need that extra supplement to stay healthy and strong. But with so many brands for women on the market, it can be hard to decide what vitamins you should make a regular part of your regimen (and which you actually just don’t need!).
You probably also know that most experts agree that whole foods are the best source of essential nutrients: ‘We get a wide variety of nutrients from eating fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and healthy fats,’ says registered nutritionist Keri Glassman. But that doesn’t mean that supplements aren’t beneficial.
When you consider how difficult it is to know with 100% certainty whether you’re eating precisely enough nutrients to fend off symptoms of deficiency or illness, supplements can certainly help, says registered nutritionist Lauren Slayton. Plus, things get even a little more confusing when you, say, decide to go vegetarian or get pregnant.
So, what supplements should women take daily?
You should try to meet the recommended daily intake of vitamins, but there are occasions when you should try to get an extra dose of them (think folic acid when you’re pregnant or trying to conceive). To eliminate some of the guesswork, here’s a handy list of the most essential vitamins women should be getting every day, and exactly how much you should be consuming depending on your age and whether you’re pregnant or breastfeeding.
Ideally, you should get these vitamins through the whole food sources listed below. But if that’s not possible, there are nutritionist-recommended supplements and multivitamins you can take as well. Still, if you’re super-concerned about a deficiency, make sure to chat with your doctor about whether you should make a lifestyle change.
These are the essential vitamins for women, according to nutritionists:
![Headshot of Marissa Miller Headshot of Marissa Miller](https://cdn.statically.io/img/hips.hearstapps.com/rover/profile_photos/d96e3658-941f-4e60-8f10-1bd75803d41d.jpg?fill=1:1&resize=120:*)
![Headshot of Kristin Canning Headshot of Kristin Canning](https://cdn.statically.io/img/hips.hearstapps.com/rover/profile_photos/f5af4fce-5032-4023-8cf8-3ce5a0213eda_1559062925.jpg?fill=1:1&resize=120:*)
![Headshot of Nikhita Mahtani Headshot of Nikhita Mahtani](https://cdn.statically.io/img/hips.hearstapps.com/rover/profile_photos/6d44bea3-8dff-43dc-8841-6ab9234b48f4_1620137719.png?fill=1:1&resize=120:*)
Watch Next
![Video player poster image preview for Fitness](https://cdn.statically.io/img/hips.hearstapps.com/vidthumb/images/wh-olympians-thumbnail-1-66794dd0d9682.png?crop=1xw:1xh;center,top&resize=1200:*)
![best cereal best cereal](https://cdn.statically.io/img/hips.hearstapps.com/hmg-prod/images/best-cereal-668683810cd6e.png?crop=0.364xw:0.725xh;0.319xw,0.173xh&resize=360:*)
Best nutritionist-approved cereals
![How Does Eating Protein Help You Build Muscle? how does eating protein help you build muscle](https://cdn.statically.io/img/hips.hearstapps.com/hmg-prod/images/gettyimages-1492886625-668d20685ec41.jpeg?crop=0.7768390386016023xw:1xh;center,top&resize=360:*)
How much protein do I need to eat to build muscle?
![nutribullet recipes nutribullet recipes](https://cdn.statically.io/img/hips.hearstapps.com/hmg-prod/images/gettyimages-1831176122-65c657cdd915d.jpeg?crop=0.671xw:1.00xh;0,0&resize=360:*)
10 nutrient-packed Nutribullet recipes to try now
![calories of a croissant calories of a croissant](https://cdn.statically.io/img/hips.hearstapps.com/hmg-prod/images/gettyimages-1772098289-668d0094d674a.jpg?crop=0.6666666666666666xw:1xh;center,top&resize=360:*)
You asked: How many calories in a croissant?