Vitamins are an essential kind of nutrients required by our body to stay healthy. In this blog, Rubina Ratnakar brings the importance of vitamins in our body.
Vitamins are the nutrients required by our body in small amounts to regulate our metabolism. Mostly the vitamins are produced inside our body but there are some which we need to consume from the food we eat. Vitamins are generally of two kinds: fat-soluble vitamins and water-soluble vitamins. Vitamin A, D, E, and K are fat-soluble vitamins stored in the fat tissues of the body. Vitamin B (and all its types) and C are water-soluble vitamins, do not stay in the body for a long time.
Vitamin A, a fat-soluble vitamin, is found in food items like spinach, eggs, butter, kale, etc. The deficiency of Vitamin A causes night blindness. Majorly found in fruits and vegetables, Vitamin C is a water-soluble vitamin that gets washed away when we cook the food. We face anemia if we do not get enough Vitamin C.
Doctors advise you to sit in the sunlight, as it provides Vitamin D. This vitamin is responsible for the strengthening of the bones and its deficiency may lead to rickets.
Vitamin E, found in eggs, whole grains, nuts, kiwi, etc. is a fat-soluble vitamin. If not present in a sufficient amount, the blood cells will get destroyed and removed from the body. Generally present in green leafy vegetables, avocado, and parsley, Vitamin K is a fat-soluble vitamin. The deficiency of Vitamin K may lead to bleeding diathesis.
Talking about another water-soluble Vitamin B is found in cereals, rice, kale, oranges, eggs, etc. Beriberi is a disease caused by the deficiency of Vitamin B.
Vitamin B2, obtained from yogurt, meat, fish, etc. is required by the body too. Its deficiency will cause ariboflavinosis.
Vitamin B3 is a water-soluble vitamin obtained from sources like chicken, leafy vegetables, legumes, mushrooms, etc. Not getting enough Vitamin B3 can cause a mental disturbance.
Vitamin B5 deficiency can cause paresthesia and it can be avoided by consuming meat, royal jelly, and broccoli.
Vitamin B6 present in meat, nuts, and vegetables, on deficiency, can cause anemia.
Present in egg York, Vitamin B7 is necessary to avoid inflammation of the intestine.
Also known as folic acid, Vitamin B9 is necessary for pregnant women. It is present in leafy vegetables and legumes. At last, we have Vitamin B12 whose deficiency causes anemia.
Check out another blog by Rubina Ratnakar: ‘Eating habits to avoid’ and ‘All about aromatherapy‘.