Vitamins Guide
Vitamin supplements are essential to our
diet
Vitamins are amongst the most essential ingredients that our body needs to
function properly. Without vitamins, our bodies cannot successfully fight infections and are more prone to disease
and free radicals damage. Most of our vitamin needs are fulfilled through proper nutrition. Fruits and vegetables
are well known sources of good vitamins, but so are eggs, milk and meat. Learn about benefits of vitamins and how
you get them from food sources.
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Vitamins Food Sources
Vitamin supplements are widely available. But
where do you find good vitamins food sources? What foods are best for which vitamins? A well
balanced nutrition will ensure that you get the necessary vitamins. Take a look at a quick guide to
vitamin food sources.
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Multivitamins Benefits
A good daily dose of multivitamins and minerals
will not only maintain your general bodily functions, but also improve your mental and physical
condition and wellbeing. Multivitamins also act as a good guardian and preventor of illness and
diseases.
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Vitamin A Beta Carotene
Vitamin A was given the first letter of the
alphabet for a name because it was the first vitamin to be discovered. Converted from beta
carotene, vitamin A is particularly known for keeping the eyes healthy, helping cell growth and
boosting immune system.
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B Vitamins Group
It's the largest group of vitamins, with 20-30
different B vitamins included. Each of them is essential for some processes in the body. Without
them our blood supply would not be healthy. We list some of the best known B vitamins and their
benefits.
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Vitamin B1 Thiamin
This vitamin is referred to by different names.
In the US it's known as vitamin B1, while in Europe and the UK in particular it's known as aneurin.
It converts blood sugar into energy, plays a vital role in nerves function and it's important for
general mental health.
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Vitamin B2 Riboflavin
Vitamin B2 is one of water-soluble vitamins,
meaning that the body does not store it. This is why people often suffer from its defficiency. The
symptoms are usually dry and scaling skin, and itchy or light-sensitive eyes. B2 is
essential for the body growth and
reproduction.
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Vitamin B3 Niacin
This is another of eight water-soluble B
vitamins. It plays an important role in the functioning of the digestive system. It helps convert
carbohydrates into blood sugar, which provides energy. Niscin also helps with circulation and
reducing cholesterol levels.
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Vitamin C Ascorbic Acid
This is particularly an important vitamin,
by helping over 300 bodily
functions. It can protect against heart disease, cancer, and other diseases. Without vitamin C the
body would not be able to heal itself. It also helps the body to better absorb other vitamins and
minerals.
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Vitamin D Kalciferol
It's the only vitamin that the body produces
itself. So, it's also referred to as a prohormone, that's essential to wellbeing of all living
creatures, both plants and animals. While some small quantity of vitamin D is obtained from food,
most is made by the body exposed to sunlight.
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Vitamin E Tocopherol
While there are several forms of vitamin E, in
two groups of tocopherols and tocotrienols, it's alpha-tocopherol that's useful for humans. This
vitamin protects the heart health and immunity. Learn about its benefits, deficiency and food
sources where it can be found.
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Modern foods depleted of vitamins and
minerals
Fruits and vegetables are rich in vitamins |
Unfortunately, the foods we eat today are not what they used to be. Modern
agriculture and farming practices have slowly depleted our foods from valuable nutrients, leaving us with foods
increasingly void of essential vitamins and minerals.
An article in British Guardian reported this year that mineral levels in
milk and meat have plummeted over the last 60 years. The average rump steak has lost 55% of iron, while magnesium
levels dropped by 7%. After analyzing 15 different meat items, it was found that iron levels have dropped down by
47% on average. That's nearly half of what they used to be.
Dairy products have also suffered. Milk has lost over 60% of iron content, while
cream and eight different cheeses all have 50% less iron than before. Milk has also lost 2% of its calcium, while
its magnesium levels are lower by 21%.
Dr Tim Lobstein, of a UK consumer watchdog agency summarized it well: "[T]oday's
agriculture does not allow the soil to enrich itself, but depends on chemical fertilizers that don't replace the
wide variety of nutrients plants and humans need". And the most essential of those are vitamins and
minerals.
Vitamins supplementation
So, what's the solution to this lack of vitamins and minerals in our
food?
Eat whole and organically grown foods, which are usually rich in vitamins and
minerals. While these foods are becoming more readily available, they're often out of reach for "ordinary person",
be it higher costs or not always available at foods and groceries stores.
But even such foods often do not provide enough vitamins and minerals for our
daily needs.
The best solution is to supplement your
diet with extra vitamins and minerals. Add extra vitamins to your balanced diet and you will find that your
body fights disease and infection much easier. Not to mention reduced cells damage, owing to vitamins and
antioxidants action against free radicals.
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