13 Different Types of Vitamins You Should Know!
Fat Soluble Vitamins V. Water Soluble Vitamins
Vitamins A, D, E, and K are fat-soluble. The body stores fat-soluble vitamins in fatty tissue and the liver, and reserves of these vitamins can stay in the body for days and sometimes months.
Each of the vitamins listed below has an important job in the body. A vitamin deficiency occurs when you do not get enough of a certain vitamin. Vitamin deficiency can cause health problems.
Not eating enough fruits, vegetables, beans, lentils, whole grains and fortified dairy foods may increase your risk for health problems, including heart disease, cancer, and poor bone health. 🦴
Let’s delve into each of them and understand them a little better for our health benefits. 💯
Vitamin A
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, sweet potatoes, butter, kale, spinach, pumpkins, collard greens, some cheeses, eggs, apricots, cantaloupe melon, and milk. 🥛
Vitamin D
Function: It is necessary for the healthy mineralization of bone.
Deficiency: This may cause rickets and osteomalacia, or softening of the bones.
Good sources: Exposure to UVB rays from the sun or other sources causes the body to produce vitamin D. Fatty fish, eggs, beef liver, and mushrooms also contain the vitamin.
Vitamin E
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: These include wheat germ, kiwis, almonds, eggs, nuts, leafy greens, and vegetable oils.
Vitamin K
Function: It is necessary for blood clotting. 🩸
Deficiency: Low levels may cause an unusual susceptibility to bleeding, or bleeding diathesis.
Good sources: These include natto, leafy greens, pumpkins, figs, and parsley.
Vitamin C and all the B vitamins are water-soluble. Water-soluble vitamins do not stay in the body for long and cannot be stored. They leave the body via the urine. Because of this, people need a more regular supply of water-soluble vitamins than fat-soluble ones.
Next up, for our water soluble vitamins B and C.
Vitamin B1
Function: It is essential for producing various enzymes that help break down blood sugar.
Deficiency: This may cause beriberi (a disease which will affect the heart and circulatory system) and Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome (Degenerative brain disorder).
Good sources: These include yeast, pork, cereal grains, sunflower seeds, brown rice, whole grain rye, asparagus, kale, cauliflower, potatoes, oranges, liver, and eggs. 🥚
Vitamin B2
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 asparagus, bananas, persimmons, okra, chard, cottage cheese, milk, yogurt, meat, eggs, fish, and green beans.
Vitamin B3
Function: The body needs niacin for the cells to grow and work correctly.
Deficiency: Low levels result in a health issue called pellagra, which causes diarrhea, skin changes, and intestinal upset.
Good sources: Examples include chicken, beef, tuna, salmon, milk, eggs, tomatoes, leafy vegetables, broccoli, carrots, nuts and seeds, tofu, and lentils.
Vitamin B5
Function: It is necessary for producing energy and hormones.
Deficiency: Symptoms include paresthesia, or “pins and needles.”
Good sources: These include meats, whole grains, broccoli, avocados, and yogurt.
Vitamin B6
Function: It is vital for the formation of red blood cells.
Deficiency: Low levels may lead to anemia and peripheral neuropathy.
Good sources: These include chickpeas, beef liver, bananas, squash, and nuts. 🥜
Vitamin B7
Function: It enables the body to metabolize proteins, fats, and carbohydrates. It also contributes to keratin, a structural protein in the skin, hair, and nails.
Deficiency: Low levels may cause dermatitis or inflammation of the intestines.
Good sources: These include egg yolk, liver, broccoli, spinach, and cheese. 🧀
Vitamin B9
Functions: It is essential for making DNA and RNA. 🧬
Deficiency: During pregnancy, this can affect the fetus’s nervous system. Doctors recommend folic acid supplements before and during pregnancy.
Good sources: These include leafy vegetables, peas, legumes, liver, some fortified grain products, and sunflower seeds. Also, several fruits have moderate amounts.
Vitamin B12
Function: It is essential for a healthy nervous system.
Deficiency: Low levels may lead to neurological problems and some types of anemia.
Good sources: Examples include fish, shellfish, meat, poultry, eggs, milk and other dairy products, fortified cereals, fortified soy products, and fortified nutritional yeast.
Vitamin C
Function: It contributes to collagen production, wound healing, and bone formation. It also strengthens blood vessels, supports the immune system, helps the body absorb iron, and acts as an antioxidant.
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 fruit and vegetables, but cooking destroys vitamin C.
Now that you know each of the different Vitamins, do you think you are getting enough of them? Will you change your diet to ensure you have most of the natural vitamins intake? Talk to us in the comments and let us know your thoughts! 💭
