• Source:JND
Add as a preferred

JE Lifestyle Desk: Our body requires some essential nutrients to function properly and maintain our overall well-being. The body absorbs these nutrients majorly from the food we eat every day. Essential vitamins such as vitamins, minerals, protein, fibre, magnesium, iron and many others are the building blocks of our health and play a major role in reducing the risks of several chronic diseases. Vitamins support our body in several ways, therefore it is always better to understand the importance and benefits of each type of vitamin that the body requires.

Vitamins are necessary for energy production, immune function, blood clotting and other functions, states Healthline. When broken down into individual parts, there are 13 types of vitamins. Here’s a compiled list of some major vitamins and how they benefit the body.

1. Vitamin A

Also known as retinol, this type of vitamin is responsible for supporting the immune system. It is responsible for controlling the production of sebum, which helps in maintaining the moisture levels of the skin. The National Institute of Health (NIH) states that vitamin A is important for normal vision, the immune system, reproduction, and growth and development. Vitamin A also helps your heart, lungs, and other organs work properly. Carotenoids are pigments that give yellow, orange, and red fruits and vegetables their colour.

Foods rich in Vitamin A include yellow, red and green (leafy) vegetables, such as spinach, carrots, sweet potatoes and red peppers. yellow fruit, such as mango, papaya and apricots.

2. Vitamin B

Vitamin B is further composed of eight B vitamins which include B1 (thiamine), B2 (riboflavin), B3 (niacin), B5 (pantothenic acid), B6 (pyridoxine), B7 (biotin), B9 (folic acid) and B12 (cobalamin). According to Healthline, B vitamins play a vital role in maintaining good health and well-being. As the building blocks of a healthy body, B vitamins have a direct impact on your energy levels, brain function, and cell metabolism.

Foods rich in vitamin B include broccoli, brussels sprouts, leafy green vegetables, such as cabbage, kale, spring greens and spinach, peas, chickpeas and kidney beans, liver (but avoid this during pregnancy) and breakfast cereals fortified with folic acid.

3. Vitamin C

Harvard University reports that vitamin C plays a role in controlling infections and healing wounds, and is a powerful antioxidant that can neutralise harmful free radicals. It is needed to make collagen, a fibrous protein in connective tissue that is weaved throughout various systems in the body: nervous, immune, bone, cartilage, blood, and others. The vitamin helps make several hormones and chemical messengers used in the brain and nerves.

Foods rich in Vitamin C include citrus fruit, such as oranges and orange juice, peppers, strawberries, blackcurrants, broccoli, brussels sprouts and potatoes.

4. Vitamin D

Vitamin D helps regulate the amount of calcium and phosphate in the body. These nutrients are needed to keep bones, teeth and muscles healthy. A lack of vitamin D can lead to bone deformities such as rickets in children, and bone pain caused by a condition called osteomalacia in adults, states NIH.

Foods rich in vitamin D include oily fish such as salmon, sardines, herring and mackerel, red meat, liver, egg yolks and fortified foods such as some fat spreads and breakfast cereals.

5. Vitamin E

According to Healthline, vitamin E plays many roles in your body. It’s perhaps best known for its antioxidant effects, protecting your cells from oxidative damage by neutralising harmful molecules called free radicals. In addition, it’s needed for proper immune function and cellular signalling.

Best food sources of Vitamin E include wheat germ oil, sunflower, safflower, soybean oil, sunflower seeds, almonds, peanuts, peanut butter, beet greens, collard greens, spinach, pumpkin and red bell pepper.

 

(Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional advice, diagnosis or treatment.)