Vitamin A
Vitamin A
Also known as retinol, vitamin A is primarily found in animal foods, including dairy products, fish,
liver, and egg yolks. It has a pro-vitamin, called beta-carotene, which is found in vegetables with
orange pigment, such as carrots, sweet potatoes, and apricots, as well as some dark, leafy greens
A pro-vitamin is not a vitamin that has renounced its amateur status. Also known as a
vitamin precursor, pro-vitamins are organic compounds that, once ingested, the body
converts into a vitamin.Deficiencies are rare, but symptoms may include night blindness and seriously dry and itchy skin, aswell as slow tooth and bone growth. Signs of vitamin A toxicity include dry itchy skin, nausea, and headache. Excessive amounts of beta-carotene in the body may turn skin a pale orange.
Vitamin B1 Thiamine
B1 Thiamine
B1 helps the body make healthy new cells. It’s often called an anti-stress vitamin because of its ability to protect the immune system. When carbo-loading (either to prepare for a big race or just because pizza tastes that good), studies say this vitamin is necessary to help break down those simple carbohydrates.
Get it from: Whole grains, peanuts, beans, spinach, kale, blackstrap molasses and wheat germ
B2 (Riboflavin)
This B vitamin works as an antioxidant to help fight free radicals (particles in the body that damage cells) and may prevent early aging and the development of heart disease. Riboflavin is also important for red blood cell production, which is necessary for transporting oxygen throughout the body. Several studies suggest B2 can help stave off migraines, but more research is needed to be sure. And be careful, while sunlight does the body good, ultraviolet light reduces the riboflavin content in food sources. Milk, for instance, is best purchased in opaque containers in order to keep this vitamin from breaking down.
Get it from: Almonds, wild rice, milk, yogurt, eggs, Brussels sprouts, spinach and soybeans
Vitamin C
Vitamin C
Also known as ascorbic acid, is a water-soluble nutrient found in some foods. In the body, it acts as an antioxidant, helping to protect cells from the damage caused by free radicals. Free radicals are compounds formed when our bodies convert the food we eat into energy. People are also exposed to free radicals in the environment from cigarette smoke, air pollution, and ultraviolet light from the sun.
The body also needs vitamin C to make collagen, a protein required to help wounds heal. In addition, vitamin C improves the absorption of iron from plant-based foods and helps the immune system work properly to protect the body from disease.
Vitamin D
Vitamin D
Vitamin D is very important for strong bones. Calcium and phosphorus are essential for developing the structure and strength of your bones, and you need vitamin D to absorb these minerals. Even if you eat foods that contain a lot of calcium and phosphorus, without enough vitamin D, you can’t absorb them into your body. Vitamin D is important for general good health, and researchers now are discovering that vitamin D may be important for many other reasons outside of good bone health. Some of the functions of the body that vitamin D helps with include:
- Immune system, which helps you to fight infection
- Muscle function
- Cardiovascular function, for a healthy heart and circulation
- Respiratory system –for healthy lungs and airways
- Brain development
- Anti-cancer effects
Vitamin E
.jpg)
.jpg)
