Vitamins are important nutrients that come from food sources and helps to boost your immunity and body's metabolism. They are classified as either fat soluble or water soluble. They include vitamins A, B, C, D, E, and K.
Vitamin A
Vitamin A is a fat soluble nutrient. When you eat sweet potatoes, carrots, fish, eggs, dairy products, mango, papaya, beta-carotene, spinach, beef liver, etc., your body converts it into Retinol.
Importance:
It is a very essential nutrient for vision, immune functions, cell division, hair growth, skin's immune system. This vitamin have antioxidant properties. It also helps to keep your heart, lungs and liver working properly.
Deficiency diseases:
Infection, Night blindness, Xerophthalmia (dry eyes), Keratomalacia (outer layer of skin cells become hardened and died), Skin irritation.
Vitamin B
Vitamin B is a water soluble vitamin. This vitamin is composed of 8 vitamins which are different in structure but can be found in the same food source.
B1 (Thiamine)_ Catabolize sugars, growth and function of various cells.
B2 (Riboflavin)_ Cell growth, energy production, breakdown of fats and steroids.
B3 (Niacin)_ Converts nutrients into energy and create cholesterol and fats, create or repair DNA.
B5 (Pantothenic acid)_ Create RBCs as well as stress and sex related hormones.
B6 (Pyridoxine)_ Breakdown of proteins, carbohydrates, and fats, maintain Homocysteine.
B7 (Biotin)_ Break down fats, carbohydrates, and proteins in food.
B9 (Folic acid)_ Breaking down Homocysteine, Make DNA and RNA and involved in protein synthesis.
B12 (Cobalamin)_ Function and development of brain and nerve cells. It binds with the protein of food and then in stomach, hydrochloric acid and enzymes unbind them into its free form. Where it combines with a protein called intrinsic factor so that it may be more easily absorbed.
You can take vitamin B complex from fish, brown rice, fortified breakfast cereals, sun flower, peas, eggs, potatoes, lemon, oranges, kidney beans, dairy products, legumes, seafood, poultry, etc.
Importance:
Vitamin B complex is necessary for your body's metabolism, RBCs development, skin cell's health, brain cells, DNA production, etc.
Deficiency diseases:
Neurological problems, Fatigue, Lethargy (lack or energy), Constipation, Anemia, Pale yellow skin color, Vision disturbance.
Vitamin C
Vitamin C is also water soluble nutrient. When you eat guava, pineapple, papaya, sweet red pepper, strawberry, potatoes, mango, tomatoes, lemon, oranges, etc., your body converts it into Ascorbic acid.
Importance:
Vitamin C is helpful for controlling infections and healing wounds, manage high blood pressure and lower the risk of heart disease, prevents iron deficiency and boosts immunity. Helps to protect thinking and memory as you age. Also helpful to reduce chronic disease. They also have antioxidant properties.
Deficiency diseases:
Fatigue, Impaired wound healing, Scurvy (bleeding gums, loosened teeth, anemia, dry hair and skin).
Vitamin D
Vitamin D is a fat soluble vitamin. When you take mushrooms, orange juice, cereals, soy milk, egg yolks, cheese, butter, cod liver oil oatmeal, fatty fish (salmon, tuna or mackerel), cow's milk, carrot juice, etc., your body converts it into Cholecalciferol.
Importance:
Vitamin D is helpful to improve mood and reduce depression, support weight loss, reduces the chance of heart disease and cancer cell growth. It is helpful for controlling infections and reducing inflammation
Maintains healthy bones and teeth. Controls calcium level in blood.
Deficiency diseases:
Osteomalacia (softening of the bones in adults), Rickets (softening of bones in children), Fatigue, Hair loss, Loss of appetite, Depression or feelings of sadness, Muscle weakness, Cold hands and feet, Headaches, Dizziness.
Vitamin E
Vitamin E is also a fat soluble vitamin. When you eat almond, olives, pumpkin, red bell pepper, kiwi, wheat germ oil, mango, spinach, nuts, soybean oil, seed oil, etc your body converts it into Tocopherols.
Importance:
Vitamin E is helpful to improve vision, reproduction, and the health of your blood and brain it support healthy scalp and hair growth. It also has antioxidant properties.
Deficiency diseases:
Muscle weakness, Tiredness, Headache, Dizziness, Vision changes, Diarrhea, Stomach cramps, Anemia, Cystic fibrosis, Ataxia with vitamin E deficiency (AVED)_ neurological disorder, Loss of feelings in the arms and legs, Loss of body movement control, Damage of nerves and muscles.
Vitamin K
Vitamin K is also a fat soluble nutrients. When you eat soyabean, wheat, oats, cabbage, meat, broccoli, spinach, fish oil, beans, eggs, liver, okra, limes, green apple, grapes, cucumber, etc., your body converts it into Phylloquinone.
Importance:
Vitamin K is very helpful to make proteins that is required for blood clotting (prevent bleeding) and building of bones. It is essential for regulating blood calcium levels and heart health. Like vitamin A and C, they also have antioxidant properties.
Deficiency diseases:
Dangerous bleeding, Poor bone development, Osteoporosis, Increased cardiovascular disease.