Vitamins

Vitamins to Support Your System

Vitamins are organic compounds that people need in small quantities. Each has a different role in maintaining health and bodily function.There are 13 essential vitamins for humans: four fat-soluble (A, D, E, and K) and nine water-soluble (the eight B vitamins and vitamin C).

Fat-soluble vitamins

Vitamins A, D, E, and K are fat-soluble. The body stores fat-soluble vitamins in fatty tissue and the liver.
Water-soluble vitamins
Water-soluble vitamins do not stay in the body for long and cannot be stored. We need a constant regular supply of water-soluble vitamins than fat-soluble ones.
Vitamin C and all the B vitamins are water-soluble vitamins.

Vitamin A :-

Chemical names: Retinol

Is Responsible For : Youthful skin, healthy nails, sharp vision.
Function: It is essential for eye health.
Deficiency: This may cause night blindness and keratomalacia, which causes the clear front layer of the eye to grow dry and cloudy.
Good sources: These include liver, cod liver oil, carrots, broccoli, spinach, kale, spinach, pumpkins, collard greens, some cheeses, eggs, apricots, cantaloupe melon, and milk.
Is Destroyed By: High Temperature and long term preservation.
Recommended Amount /Day: 700-900 mcg

Vitamin B1 :-

Chemical name: Thiamine.

Is Responsible For : Efficient brain function, good digestion, healthy heart and muscles and quality sleep.
Function: It is essential for producing various enzymes that help break down blood sugar.
Deficiency: Can lead to a condition called beriberi. Beriberi affects the nervous and cardiovascular systems. Symptoms include muscle weakness, nerve damage, and in severe cases, heart failure
or Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome.
Good sources: These include pork meat, nuts, oats, legumes, yeast, buckwheat, salmon fish, seafood (mussels)
- Is Destroyed By: Long term preparation, adding salt while cooking.
- Recommended Amount /Day: 1.3- 2.6 mg= 1 pork steak

Vitamin B2 :-

Chemical name: Riboflavin.

Is Responsible For : Regeneration of cells, healthy muscle and sharp vision.
Function: It is essential for the growth and development of body cells and helps metabolize food.
Deficiency: Symptoms include inflammation of the lips and fissures in the mouth.
Good sources: These include milk, yogurt, banana, almond, eggs, mushroom, cottage cheese, yeast and meat
- Is Destroyed By: Long term exposure to light
- Recommended Amount /Day: 1.3-3 mg= 2 chicken eggs

Vitamin B5 :-

Chemical name: Pantothenic acid.

Is Responsible For : Good memory, quick recovery from illness, healthy blood vessels and healthy heart.
Function: It plays a role in energy production, hormone synthesis, and maintaining healthy skin and hair. It’s essential for breaking down fats and carbohydrates for energy. It also helps in synthesizing red blood cells, hormones, and is important for overall nervous system health.
Deficiency: Symptoms include inflammation of the lips and fissures in the mouth.
Good sources: These include variety of meat, chicken, egg yolk, dairy products, caviar, legumes, nuts, broccoli, rice.
- Is Destroyed By: Long term freezing
- Recommended Amount /Day: 5 mg= 100 gms of pork meat/ liver

Vitamin B6 :-

Chemical name: Niacinamide.

Is Responsible For : Rejuvinates body, maintains normal nerve function and produces red blood cells. Responsible for processing of carbohydrates, amino acids, and fats, as well as it plays a role in immune system function, brain development, and the synthesis of neurotransmitters.

Function: The body needs niacin for the cells to grow and work correctly.
Deficiency: Deficiency symptoms, include anemia, itchy rashes, scaly skin on the lips, cracks at the corners of the mouth, and a swollen tongue. Low levels may result in a health issue called pellagra, which causes diarrhea, skin changes, and intestinal upset.
Good sources:
Examples include bananas, chickpeas, walnut and fortified cereals, Beef liver, salmon, tuna, chicken, and turkey

- Is Destroyed By: Long term exposure to light
- Recommended Amount /Day: 1.6-2 mg= 300 g of organ meat / beef

Vitamin B9 :-

Chemical name: Folic acid, Folinic acid.

Is Responsible For : Also known as folate it plays a vital role in rapid cell growth and development during periods. It is essential for DNA and RNA synthesis, red blood cell production, and preventing neural tube defects in developing fetuses.

Function: It is essential for DNA synthesis and cell growth.
Deficiency: Folate deficiency, can cause various symptoms, including fatigue, weakness, mouth sores, and anemia.
Good sources: Examples include beans, dark leafy vegetables, peanuts, Sunflower seeds, whole grains.

- Is Destroyed By: Long term exposure to heat during cooking
- Recommended Amount /Day: 400 mcg

Vitamin C :-

Chemical name: Ascorbic acid.

Is Responsible For : Healthy skin, good immunity, cheerful mood, healthy hair and nails.
Function: It contributes to collagen production, healing of injuries, and bone formation. It also strengthens blood vessels and boosts the immune system. It acts as an antioxidant and enhances our body’s ability to absorb iron (particularly when consumed at the same time as iron-rich foods).
Deficiency: This may result in scurvy, which causes bleeding gums, a loss of teeth, and poor tissue growth and wound healing.
Good sources: These include citrus fruit like orange, kiwi, strawberries and vegetables like dill, peas, radish, cauliflower, broccoli and asparagus.
Is Destroyed By: Cooking
Recommended Amount /Day: 75-90 mg = 1 orange

Vitamin D :-

Chemical name: ergocalciferol, cholecalciferolacid.

Is Responsible For : Healthy bones, good blood coagulation, immunity to colds, elimination of toxins, cheerful mood and healthy blood vessels and heart.
Function:It is necessary for the healthy mineralization of bone, glucose metabolism, neuro-muscular and immune function, reduction of inflammation
Deficiency: In children, this may cause rickets and osteomalacia, or softening and bending of the bones. Leads to a loss of bone density, which can contribute to osteoporosis and fractures (broken bones), specially in older adults.
Good sources: Exposure to UVB rays from the sun or other sources causes the body to produce vitamin D. Fatty fish, eggs, beef liver, cheese, butter and mushrooms also
contain the vitamin.
Is Destroyed By: Cooking in an alkaline environment
Recommended Amount /Day: 2-5 mg = 2 eggs

Vitamin E :-

Chemical name: tocopherol , tocotrienol.

Is Responsible For : A rejuvinated body, normal operation of the reproductive system, a cheerful mood.
Function: Its antioxidant activity helps prevent oxidative stress, an issue that increases the risk of widespread inflammation and various diseases.
Deficiency: This is rare, but it may cause hemolytic anemia in newborns. This condition destroys blood cells.
Good sources: Can be found in meat, oils such as sunflower, pumpkin seed, olive oil, butter, nuts, wheat germ, kiwis, almonds, and animal liver.
Recommended Amount /Day: 30-50 mg= 1 tablespoon of undefined oil

Vitamin K :-

Chemical name: Phylloquinone, Menaquinone.

Is Responsible For : Fast healing of wounds, normal blood coagulation and production of prothrombin in the blood.
Function: Plays a vital role in blood clotting and bone health. It is essential for producing proteins in the liver that are necessary for blood to clot effectively.
Deficiency: Vitamin K deficiency can lead to excessive bleeding in wounds and injury. Other potential issues include poor bone development, and increased risk of cardiovascular disease.
Good sources: Can be found in spinach, cabbage, kale, tomatoes, green tea and cauliflower.
Is Destroyed By: Long term impact of light and long preparation time.
Recommended Amount /Day: 1-2 mg= 2 tablespoon of parsley.