Do we need vitamins?
What is this vitamin? Are they essential for the survival of our body? We often talk about the big nutrients, but we pay little attention to the small nutrients that are essential for our bodies. In fact, the main cause of some illnesses is this little nutrient that we do not pay much attention to.
So my attempt is to publish an article so that we can think more about these vitamins that we think less about. But I think it’s best to bring the importance of vitamin in a series of articles in order to bring a good article about vitamins, as it reduces the amount of knowledge it can give you, and I think it’s an injustice to the value of vitamins.
What is a vitamin?
Vitamins are organic molecules that are essential micronutrients that are needed in small quantities for the proper functioning of an organism’s metabolism. Essential nutrients cannot be synthesized in the organism and must be obtained from the food itself. Vitamins and minerals are considered essential nutrients. They help lift bones, heal wounds and strengthen your immune system. It converts food into energy and repairs cellular damage.
There are 13 essential vitamins for your body, and those thirteen are A, C, D, E, K, and B. B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B7, B9, and B12 are eight types of B vitamins.
Moreover, there are two types of vitamins. Namely, fat-soluble and water-soluble. Fat-soluble Four vitamins, A, D, E, and K are stored in your fat cells and are needed for fat absorption. The other nine are water-soluble and are not stored in your body. Therefore, excess water-soluble vitamins, such as vitamin C and B, are excreted in the urine and need to be reabsorbed. Also, vitamin B12 is the only water-soluble vitamin stored in the liver.
The following is a list of common types of vitamins and their common food sources:
Fat-Soluble Vitamins
- Vitamin A – Available in orange fruits and vegetables as well as dark green leafy vegetables.
- Vitamin D – Found in milk and dairy products as well as whole grains. Of course, sunlight is also a great source of vitamin D, especially in the morning.
- Vitamin E is found in whole grains. In addition, there are green vegetables, seeds, and nuts.
- Vitamin K – Found in dark green vegetables. Also common in vegetables like turnip/beet.
Water-Soluble Vitamins
- Thiamine, or Vitamin B1 – comes from grain, liver, nuts, and seeds.
- Riboflavin, or Vitamin B2 – Available in dairy products and whole grains.
- Niacin, or Vitamin B3 – Comes from meat (especially fish and poultry).
- Pantothenic acid or Vitamin B5 – Found in chicken and whole grains.
- Pyridoxine or Vitamin B6 – comes from the grain. Also found in soy products.
- Biotin or Vitamin B7 – Found in fruits and meat.
- Folic acid (folate) or Vitamin B9 – comes from leafy vegetables.
- Cobalamin, or Vitamin B12 is found in fish, poultry, and dairy products.
- Vitamin C – Available in juices such as citrus fruits, oranges, and grapes. Also available in red, yellow, and green peppers.
The best way to get enough of the essential 13 vitamins is to eat a balanced diet with a variety of foods. If the diet does not meet the vitamin requirement, vitamin pills are taken. So stay tuned in future articles for a guide on why each vitamin is essential and the best food sources available for them.
References
- 9241546123.pdf;jsessionid=AC18792739F04ED62437587493035C97 (who.int)
- Biological-importance-of-vitamins-for-human-health-A-review.pdf (researchgate.net)
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