Check your Vitamins

Vitamins and minerals are incredibly important. We are often told to eat our fruits and vegetables, eggs, and protein as well as drink our milk and orange juice. Of course, no one really tells us what vitamins or minerals are important, from what food source they come or what function/service they provide to our bodies. So, we don’t think about it seriously until we find that we have a serious deficiency. As a salute to March, National Nutrition Month, below tell you what the vitamins are, what they do, and where you can find them. See tomorrow’s post for minerals.

The B vitamins – vitamins B1, B2, B3, Biotin, Pantothenic Acid, B6, Folate, and B12 are important for cell regeneration and production, metabolism, energy, your skin, nerves, digestive system, vision, and help break down fatty acids.  You can find them widespread in foods, especially spinach and lean proteins.

Vitamin C – the Anti-Cold vitamin – is an antioxidant also known as ascorbic acid. It helps with iron absorption, immunity, and collagen synthesis. It is commonly found in citrus and tropical fruits and spinach.

Vitamin A – is retinol known as the vision vitamin. However, it also supports bone and tooth growth, immunity and reproduction. Root vegetables like carrots and sweet potatoes as well as gourds such as pumpkins and squash are great sources of vitamin A.

Vitamin D promotes bone mineralization. Sunlight is the best source for vitamin D. Other common sources include egg yolks, liver, fatty fish, and fortified milk.  Many women, especially those of color, are subject to vitamin D deficiency. It is important to bone mineralization, but other symptoms may occur including lack of energy.

Vitamin E has often been considered the beauty vitamin because it has been used for skin and hair care. Vitamin E is an antioxidant that helps with the regulation of oxidation reactions and supports cell membrane stabilization. It is found in polyunsaturated plant oils (corn, canola, and soybean oils), wheat germ, tofu, avocado, sweet potatoes, cod and other foods.

Vitamin K helps with the synthesis of blood clotting proteins and helps regulate blood calcium. It is mostly found in leafy green vegetables.

We send a special thank you to Healthy Check Systems for the information above. Please take a moment to look at your journals, menus, food choices, and activity to see if you are getting adequate amounts of these nutrients…your life may depend on it!