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Vitamins is very essential for us!
Vitamins are natural substances found in plants and animals and known as
Essential nutrients for human beings. The name vitamin is obtained from
"vital amines" as it was originally thought that these substances were all
amines. Human body uses these substances to stay healthy and support
its many functions. There are two types of vitamins: water-soluble and fatsoluble.
The body
needs vitamins to stay healthy and a varied diet usually gives you all the
vitamins you need. Vitamins do not provide energy (calories) directly, but
they do help regulate energy-producing processes. With the exception of
vitamin D and K, vitamins cannot be synthesized by the human body and
must be obtained from the diet. Vitamins have to come from food because
they are not manufactured or formed by the body.
There are 13 essential vitamins and each one has a special role to play
within the body, helping to regulate the processes such as cell growth and
repair, reproduction and digestion. Vitamin B-6, Niacin, Natural Vitamin E
and Zinc: Support sexual function in men.
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Vitamins is very essential for us!
There are several roles for vitamins and trace minerals in diseases:
Deficiencies of vitamins and minerals may be caused by disease states
such as mal absorption;
Deficiency and excess of vitamins and minerals can cause disease in and
of themselves (e.g., vitamin A intoxication and liver disease);
Vitamins and minerals in high doses may be used as drugs (e.g., niacin for
hypercholesterolemia).
Vitamins are essential for the normal growth and development of a multicellular organism. The developing fetus requires certain vitamins and
minerals to be present at certain times. If there is serious deficiency in one
or more of these nutrients, a child may develop a deficiency disease.
Deficiencies of vitamins are classified as either primary or secondary.
Primary Deficiency: A primary deficiency occurs when you do not get
enough of the vitamin in the food you eat.
Secondary Deficiency: A secondary deficiency may be due to an underlying
disorder that prevents or limits the absorption or use of the vitamin.
Types of Vitamins
Vitamins, one of the most essential nutrients required by the body and can
be broadly classified into two main categories i.e., water-soluble vitamins
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Vitamins is very essential for us!
and fat-soluble vitamins.
Water-soluble vitamins
Water-soluble vitamins cannot be stored in the body, so you need to get
them from food every day. They can be destroyed by overcooking. These
are easily absorbed by the body. Human body doesn't store large amounts
of water-soluble vitamins. B-complex vitamins and vitamin C are watersoluble vitamins that are not stored in the body and must be replaced each
day. These vitamins are easily destroyed or washed out during food
storage and preparation. They are eliminated in urine so, body need a
continuous supply of them in diets.
Proper storage and preparation of food can minimize vitamin loss. To
reduce vitamin loss, refrigerate fresh produce, keep milk and grains away
from strong light, and use the cooking water from vegetables to prepare
soups. An excess of water soluble vitamins should not result in any side
effects as they will disperse in the body fluids and voided in the urine.
Nine of the water-soluble vitamins are known as the B-complex group:
Thiamin (vitamin B1), Riboflavin (vitamin B2), Niacin, Vitamin B6, Folate,
Vitamin B12, Biotin, Pantothenic acid and Vitamin C. These vitamins are
widely distributed in foods.
Major food sources of Water-Soluble Vitamins
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Vitamins is very essential for us!
Grains
Fruits Vegetables Meats, Eggs
Dairy
Thiamin
X
X
X
Riboflavin X
X
Niacin
X
X
X
Biotin
X
X
X
Pyridoxine X
X
X
Pantothenic acid X
X
X
X
X
Vitamin B12
X
Folate
X
X
Vitamin C
X
X
Legumes, Nuts, Seeds Milk,
X
X
Fat-soluble vitamins
The fat-soluble vitamins include vitamins A, D, E and K - since they are
soluble in fat and are absorbed by the body from the intestinal tract. The
human body has to use bile acids to absorb fat-soluble vitamins. Once
these vitamins are absorbed, the body stores them in body fat. When you
need them, your body takes them out of storage to be used. Eating fats or
oils that are not digested can cause shortages of fat-soluble vitamins.
Fat soluble vitamins should not be consumed in excess as they are stored
in the body and an excess can result in side effects. An excess of vitamin A
may result in irritability, weight loss, dry itchy skin in children and nausea,
headache, diarrhea in adults.
Characteristics of the vitamins are:
Most of the vitamins have been artificially synthesized.
Some of vitamins are soluble in water and others are fat-soluble.
Some vitamins are synthesized in the body. Some members of vitamin B
complex are synthesized by microorganisms in the intestinal tract.
Vitamins are partly destroyed and are partly excreted.
Vitamins can be stored in the body to some extent, for example the fatsoluble vitamins are stored in the liver and subcutaneous tissue.
Vitamins can perform their work in very small quantities. Hence, the total
daily requirement is usually very small.
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Vitamins is very essential for us!
Why We Need Vitamins?
Have you ever tried to find out the root cause of problems instead of
running to a doctor every time you suffer? If No, then you must know that
you are running through vitamin deficiency problem. So as you know that
prevention is better than cure, it's better to intake proper vitamins in right
time to check the problem from growing gruesome.
First of all vitamin is that component of a balanced diet which the human
body generally cannot manufacture on its own. So you must consume
vitamin directly in the form of food or through supplements as tonic or pills.
The whole process of assimilation of vitamins depends on ingestion of
food. Once you have it as a part of your meal, say for tomatoes, lemon,
spinach and other stuffs, it is more helpful. Moreover you don't feel that you
are a patient and need to have medicines for cure. But if the deficit of a
particular vitamin is high, then supplementary dose of vitamins have to be
given to the body for a particular period. The body's metabolism is also
dependent on vitamins as on carbohydrates, fats, minerals and other basic
components of a complete diet. But before adding the vitamin list to our
routine diet, let's understand the importance of vitamins in life.
Vitamin A is referred to be a vitamin for growth and body repair. It is very
vital in the formation of bone and tissues and also keeps your skin smooth.
And if you are night blind, the cure is having more Vitamins A.
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Vitamins is very essential for us!
Vitamin B1 is an energy building vitamin which helps you to digest
carbohydrates. It also keeps your heart and muscles stable.
Vitamin C is a very commonly pronounced vitamin world wide. From kids to
veterans, this vitamin is very essential as it protects your bones, teeth and
gums. The ultimate medicine for curing scurvy and also resists any
infection to grow in your body. Without its support collagen cannot be
synthesized in the body.
Vitamin D is very important for children. The common disease seen in kids
suffering from malnutrition is Rickets, which is actually caused by the deficit
of Vitamin D. Bones cannot grow in a normal way if there is a lack of this
vitamin. Direct sunlight is a natural source of vitamins apart from spinach
and vegetables. In adults, Osteoporosis is caused due to lack of Vitamin D.
Vitamin E is a wound treating vitamin. It is very mush essential to prevent
sterility and to break up blood clots. Damage of cells due to aging can be
protected to supplement of this vitamin.
Vitamin B6 is necessary for production of antibodies
Vitamin B12 is required for carbohydrate and fat metabolism. This is a must
for children's growth.
Vitamin B2 and Folic Acid help in the formation of red blood cells.
Always remember that vitamins are not food but should be a part of your
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Vitamins is very essential for us!
food.
For a better knowledge and for maintaining a balanced diet of your family,
consult a doctor.
Vitamin Facts
A lot of the vitamins in fruits and vegetables are lost between the farm and
your plate. The longer the foods are stored before you eat them, the more
nutrients are lost. Heat, light, and exposure to air all reduce the amount of
vitamins, especially Vitamin C, thiamin, and folic acid.
About 25% of US households do not have balanced meals to meet the
requirements that the body needs in digesting enough nutrients to sustain
the body's health and fuel factors.
Research has shown that almost all varieties of disease can be produced
by the deficiency of vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and other nutrients.
Vitamins are vital for your skin. The most important factor of nutritional
deficiencies is the intense processing and refining of foods like cereals and
sugar.
The human body uses food to manufacture all its building blocks as well as
to provide fuel. To do this, it performs several thousand different chemical
reactions. Each reaction is controlled by "enzymes" and "coenzymes".
Some of the coenzymes contain vitamins which the body cannot make by
itself and which must be obtained from outside the body.
Thanks for reading
(Fawad Khan)
Sites.google.com/site/fawadkingkhan
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