Benefits & Foods of some Vitamins

Vitamin A, also known as Retinol, has several important functions.

These include:

• Helping your body’s immune system to work properly
• Helping your your eyes to see better in dim light
• Keeping your skin and the lining of some parts of your body, such as the nose, healthy

Good sources of vitamin A include:

• Cheese
• Eggs
• Oily fish
• Fortified low-fat spreads
• Milk and yoghurt
• Liver  – this is a particularly rich source of vitamin A, so you may be at risk of having too much vitamin A if you have it more than once a week (and this is particularly important if you’re pregnant).

You can get vitamin A by including good sources of beta-carotene in your diet, as your body can convert this into vitamin A.

The main food sources of beta-carotene are:

• yellow, red and green (leafy) vegetables, such as spinach, carrots, sweet potatoes and red peppers
• yellow fruit, such as mango, papaya and apricots

You can make sure you get the right amount of Vitamin A in your diet through simple meals like:

• Carrot soup
• Grilled fish with spinach
• A glass of milk with your breakfast

Vitamin A Retinol Benefits & Foods

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Vitamin B1, also known as Thiamine, has several important functions. These include:

• The normal function of your nervous system and other tissues, such as the skeletal muscles and the heart.
• It is part of an enzyme needed for energy metabolism and therefore is required to release energy from carbohydrates.

Good sources of vitamin B1 include:

• Whole-grain and enriched breads
• Cereals
• Peas, beans, lentils
• Nuts and Seeds

You can make sure you get a good amount of Vitamin B1 in your diet through simple meals like:

• Red Lentil Soup,
• Brown Rice
• Black Bean Salad,
• Prawn and noodle stir fry.

Vitamin B1 Thiamine Benefits & Foods

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Vitamin B2, also known as Riboflavin, has several important functions. These include:

• The release of energy from protein, carbohydrate and fat.

• It is involved in the transport and metabolism of iron in the body

• It is needed for the normal structure and function of mucous membranes and the skin.

• It is also important for healthy vision.

Good sources of vitamin B2 include:

•  Milk and milk products
•  Leafy green vegetables
•  Whole-grain and enriched breads
•  Cereals

You can make sure you get a good amount of Vitamin B2 into your diet through simple meals like:

• Strawberry milkshake,
• Chickpea Salad
• Buttermilk French Toast.

Vitamin B2 Riboflavin Benefits & Foods

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Vitamin B3, also known as Niacin, has several important functions. These include:

• The release of energy from the foods we eat
• It keeps our nervous system and our skin healthy

There are 2 forms of niacin:

Nicotinic Acid and Nicotinamide. Both are found in food.

Good sources of niacin include:

• Meat
• Fish
• Wheat flour
• Eggs
• Milk

You can make sure you get a good amount of Vitamin B3 in your diet through simple meals like:

• Tuna steak with salad,
• Grilled chicken breast,
• Meatball curry.

Vitamin B3 Benefits: Discover Niacin-Rich Foods

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Vitamin B6 also known as Pyridoxine, has several important functions for our body. These include:

• Allowing your body to use and store energy that is taken from protein and carbohydrates in your food
• It helps in the formation of haemoglobin, the substance in red blood cells that carries oxygen around the body.

Good sources of vitamin B6 are:

• Chicken and turkey
• Fish
• Bread
• Wholegrain cereals, such as oatmeal, wheatgerm and brown rice
• Some fortified breakfast cereals
• Eggs
• Milk
• Vegetables
• Potatoes
• Soya beans
• Peanuts

You can make sure you get the right amount of Vitamin B6 in your diet through simple meals like :

• baked salmon with white sauce
• pasta with tuna and tomato sauce
• stir-fry vegetables

Vitamin B6 Pyridoxine Benefits & Foods

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Vitamin B9 also known as Folate and folic acid, has several important functions. These include:

• Helping our body to form healthy red blood cells
• And reducing the risk of central neural tube defects, such as spina bifida, in unborn babies

A lack of folate could lead to folate deficiency anaemia.

The man made, manufactured form of folate is called Folic Acid.

Folate is found in small amounts in many foods. Good sources of folate include:

• Broccoli
• Brussels sprouts
• Leafy green vegetables, such as cabbage and spinach
• Peas
• Chickpeas
• Breakfast cereals fortified with folic acid

You can make sure you get a good amount of folate in your diet through simple meals and even drinks like:

• Ginger green juice
• Curry cauliflower
• Chicken Caesar salad

The Power of Vitamin B9: Folic Acid Benefits & Foods

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Vitamin B12 has several important functions for the Body. These include:

• Working alongside Vitamin B9 (Folic Acid) to create healthy red blood cells.
• Keeping your nervous system healthy
• Helps to release energy from food

A lack of vitamin B12 could lead to vitamin B12 deficiency anaemia.

Good sources vitamin B12 include:

• Meat
• Salmon
• Cod
• Milk
• Cheese
• Eggs
• Some fortified breakfast cereals

You can make sure you get the right amount of Vitamin B12 in your diet through simple meals and drinks like:

• Turmeric latte
• Tuna apple salad
• Beef spinach curry

Vitamin B12 Benefits & Foods

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Vitamin C also known as Ascorbic Acid, has several important functions.

These include:

• Helping to protect cells and keeps them healthy
• Maintaining healthy skin, blood vessels, bones and cartilage
• Helping with wound healing

Vitamin C is found in a wide variety of fruit and vegetables. Good sources include:

• Oranges and orange juice
• Red and green peppers
• Strawberries
• Blackcurrants
• Broccoli
• Brussels sprouts
• Potatoes

You can make sure you get the right amount of Vitamin C in your diet through simple meals and drinks like:

• Carrot, orange and grapefruit juice
• Pesto pasta with roasted vegetables
• Potato and broccoli paratha

Vitamin C Ascorbic Acid Benefits & Foods

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Vitamin D has important functions for the human body.

• It regulates the amount of calcium and phosphate in the body
• These nutrients are needed to keep bones, teeth and muscles healthy

Sources of vitamin D

The body creates vitamin D when direct sunlight is absorbed by your skin when you are outdoors.

Vitamin D is also found in a small number of foods. These include:

• Oily fish – such as salmon, sardines, herring and mackerel
• Red meat
• Liver
• Egg yolks
• Fortified foods – such as some fat spreads and breakfast cereals

You can make sure you get the right amount of Vitamin D in your diet through simple meals like:

• Egg-Topped Avocado Toast
• Smoked Salmon Egg Salad
• Beef and Potato curry

Vitamin D Benefits & Foods

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Vitamin E has several important functions for your body. These include:

• Maintaining healthy skin and eyes
• Strengthening the body’s immune system against illness and infection.

Good sources of Vitamin E include:

• Olive oil
• Almonds and sunflower seeds
• Avocado and Kiwi fruit
• Spinach & Broccoli

You can make sure you get the right amount of Vitamin E in your diet through simple meals and drinks, like:

• Almond milk
• Spinach and potato curry
• Guacamole

Vitamin E Benefits & Foods

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Vitamin K has several important functions for your body. These include:

• Blood clotting – so that wounds heal properly.
• The strengthening of our bones.

Sources of Vitamin K are:

• Broccoli
• Spinach
• Okra
• Cabbage
• Brussel sprouts
• Parsley

You can make sure you get the right amount of Vitamin K in your diet through simple meals like:

• Spinach and paneer curry
• Tabbouleh
• Okra curry

Vitamin K Benefits & Foods

Remember Always ask your doctor or pharmacist for advice as taking the right amount of vitamins and minerals will help keep your body and immune system healthy.

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