By Ian Wallace
Almost from birth we begin adding vitamins to our diet. Why? If we eat well, do we not get every conceivable vitamin our bodies might need? Therein lies the kicker. First, vitamins are biochemicals or organic compounds, such as vitamins A through E; these substances are needed in very small amounts. However, an organic compound is a vitamin if, and only if, our bodies cannot make it. Rather, we must either get those compounds from the foods we eat, or buy them as vitamin supplements.
Different kinds of animals can make different kinds of organic compounds. Therefore, a vitamin for us might not be a vitamin for our pet dog or cat because they can make that substance and we cannot.
If we need that substance to carry out normal metabolism, but cannot make it ourselves, then where do we get it? Under natural conditions we would get it from one or another of the many foods we eat, but today most likely we would buy it from our local pharmacy or grocery, even when some of the vitamins we need are in our diet. In either case, that substance is a vitamin, but if we buy it in the form of a pill, it becomes a food supplement or dietary supplement. That is how most of us get those essential organic compounds we cannot make ourselves; that is how we get our vitamins.
The Common Vitamins: The most common vitamins provided by diet supplements are: Vitamin A, Vitamin B1 (Thiamin), Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin), Vitamin B5 (Pantothenic Acid), Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine), Vitamin B9 (Folic Acid), Vitamin B12, Biotin, Vitamin C, Vitamin D, Vitamin E, Folic Acid, and Vitamin K. There are others, but these are the thirteen that you will find in a bottle of multivitamins.
The Roles of Vitamins in Our Bodies: Vitamins serve different functions in our bodies. For example, Vitamin D is a hormone that plays an important role in bone formation and growth. Vitamin E is a powerful antioxidant that slows down the aging process in cells. Biotin plays a role in making fatty acids, which are key components of every cell in our bodies. Vitamin A regulates chemical signals that pass from one cell to another when new tissues are growing and forming organ systems.
Vitamins in the Vitamin B Complex are all precursors for molecules called enzyme cofactors. That is, most enzymes are proteins, but in order to do their various jobs they need additional molecular parts; these are called cofactors.
Natural Sources of Vitamins: Vitamin A comes in two different forms called retinoids (found in our retinas) and carotenoids (powerful antioxidants), but is destroyed by exposure to sunlight. The most important source of retinoids is liver from a variety of animals including beef, pork, chickens, and fish. Kale, spinach, and collard greens are also good sources of retinoids.
The best sources of carotenoids are the yellow, orange, and red vegetables and fruits, such as carrots, peppers, squash, melons, apricots, mangos, and papayas, but shellfish are also a source of cartenoids.
Good sources of foods rich in Thiamin (Vitamin B1) include: yeast, oatmeal, flax, brown rice, whole grain wheat and rye, asparagus, kale, cauliflower, potatoes, oranges, pork, liver, and eggs. Thiamin is essential to having a healthy brain.
The following foods are rich in Riboflavin (Vitamin B2) which plays a key role in the metabolism of carbohydrates and proteins and the transfer of energy: milk, cheese, leafy green vegetables, liver, kidneys, legumes (especially soybeans), and almonds.
Pantothenic Acid (Vitamin B5) is found in high concentrations in whole-grained cereals, legumes, eggs, and meat. This compound is essential to the metabolism and synthesis (manufacture) of carbohydrates, proteins and fats, which are themselves basic building blocks of human bodies.
Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine) is found in meat and meat products, whole grain foods, vegetables, and nuts. However, vitamin B6 is easily destroyed by drying, and in the processing of food. Therefore, it should be obtained either as a vitamin supplement or as fresh food. This compound plays a key role in amino acid metabolism and in the release of sugars (glucose) for conversion to energy (we burn glucose to power our bodies).
Excellent sources of Vitamin B9 (Folic Acid or Folate) include a variety of leafy vegetables such as lettuce, spinach, turnip greens, as well as dried beans and peas. Liver, liver products, and baker's yeast also contain high concentrations of folate. Among other critical body functions, Folic Acid is essential to the formation of healthy red blood cells.
The ultimate source of Vitamin B12, which is essential for normal brain function, is from bacteria that live in the hind and mid-guts of animals that are ruminants. We also get Vitamin B12 indirectly from liver, milk, and eggs. The most reliable secondary source is from vitamin supplements.
Biotin is found at low levels in a variety of foods including almonds, eggs, onions, cabbage, cucumber, cauliflower, goat's milk, cow's milk, raspberries, strawberries, halibut, oats, and walnuts, but the most reliable sources are Swiss chard, tomatoes, romaine lettuce, and carrots. Biotin plays a key role in making cell walls.
Many different citrus fruits are good sources of Vitamin C (ascorbic acid), but the best are a few exotic plants. The highest concentration of ascorbate per gram of plant tissue is found in the Kakadu plum of Australia. It is 100 times that found in a lime or grapefruit. The fruit of American roses (rose hips) is in third place at 20 milligrams/gram of plant tissue. From there the concentration plummets in other commonly used fruits to around 1 mg ascorbate/1 gram of plant tissue. Vitamin C is a strong antioxidant, but a deficiency of Vitamin C causes scurvy in humans.
Other than the Vitamin D we produce ourselves when our skin is exposed to sunlight, the next best natural sources are fish oils from cod liver, salmon, sardines, and tuna. Vitamin D is essential to the formation of strong bones.
Vitamin E is a generic name for eight related organic compounds called tocopherols, which are all powerful antioxidants. The best sources are spinach, wheat germ, milk, asparagus, and the oils of avocados, almonds, and hazelnuts.
Vitamin K is naturally produced by bacteria (Escherichia coli) that live in our large intestines. These are "good" E. coli, and their Vitamin K production is absorbed by our bodies. There are other food sources that can supplement this natural production, however. These include: spinach, Swiss chard, cabbage, kale, cauliflower, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, avocados and kiwifruit. Vitamin K plays a key role during the clotting of blood following a wound to the skin.
In summary, vitamins are essential for a healthy and fit body, and most of them can be obtained from the diversity of foods that are normally in our diets. We do not produce them ourselves, and if we do not get them from the foods we eats, then our diets should be supplemented by nutritional products that are readily available in today's marketplace.
Almost from birth we begin adding vitamins to our diet. Why? If we eat well, do we not get every conceivable vitamin our bodies might need? Therein lies the kicker. First, vitamins are biochemicals or organic compounds, such as vitamins A through E; these substances are needed in very small amounts. However, an organic compound is a vitamin if, and only if, our bodies cannot make it. Rather, we must either get those compounds from the foods we eat, or buy them as vitamin supplements.
Different kinds of animals can make different kinds of organic compounds. Therefore, a vitamin for us might not be a vitamin for our pet dog or cat because they can make that substance and we cannot.
If we need that substance to carry out normal metabolism, but cannot make it ourselves, then where do we get it? Under natural conditions we would get it from one or another of the many foods we eat, but today most likely we would buy it from our local pharmacy or grocery, even when some of the vitamins we need are in our diet. In either case, that substance is a vitamin, but if we buy it in the form of a pill, it becomes a food supplement or dietary supplement. That is how most of us get those essential organic compounds we cannot make ourselves; that is how we get our vitamins.
The Common Vitamins: The most common vitamins provided by diet supplements are: Vitamin A, Vitamin B1 (Thiamin), Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin), Vitamin B5 (Pantothenic Acid), Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine), Vitamin B9 (Folic Acid), Vitamin B12, Biotin, Vitamin C, Vitamin D, Vitamin E, Folic Acid, and Vitamin K. There are others, but these are the thirteen that you will find in a bottle of multivitamins.
The Roles of Vitamins in Our Bodies: Vitamins serve different functions in our bodies. For example, Vitamin D is a hormone that plays an important role in bone formation and growth. Vitamin E is a powerful antioxidant that slows down the aging process in cells. Biotin plays a role in making fatty acids, which are key components of every cell in our bodies. Vitamin A regulates chemical signals that pass from one cell to another when new tissues are growing and forming organ systems.
Vitamins in the Vitamin B Complex are all precursors for molecules called enzyme cofactors. That is, most enzymes are proteins, but in order to do their various jobs they need additional molecular parts; these are called cofactors.
Natural Sources of Vitamins: Vitamin A comes in two different forms called retinoids (found in our retinas) and carotenoids (powerful antioxidants), but is destroyed by exposure to sunlight. The most important source of retinoids is liver from a variety of animals including beef, pork, chickens, and fish. Kale, spinach, and collard greens are also good sources of retinoids.
The best sources of carotenoids are the yellow, orange, and red vegetables and fruits, such as carrots, peppers, squash, melons, apricots, mangos, and papayas, but shellfish are also a source of cartenoids.
Good sources of foods rich in Thiamin (Vitamin B1) include: yeast, oatmeal, flax, brown rice, whole grain wheat and rye, asparagus, kale, cauliflower, potatoes, oranges, pork, liver, and eggs. Thiamin is essential to having a healthy brain.
The following foods are rich in Riboflavin (Vitamin B2) which plays a key role in the metabolism of carbohydrates and proteins and the transfer of energy: milk, cheese, leafy green vegetables, liver, kidneys, legumes (especially soybeans), and almonds.
Pantothenic Acid (Vitamin B5) is found in high concentrations in whole-grained cereals, legumes, eggs, and meat. This compound is essential to the metabolism and synthesis (manufacture) of carbohydrates, proteins and fats, which are themselves basic building blocks of human bodies.
Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine) is found in meat and meat products, whole grain foods, vegetables, and nuts. However, vitamin B6 is easily destroyed by drying, and in the processing of food. Therefore, it should be obtained either as a vitamin supplement or as fresh food. This compound plays a key role in amino acid metabolism and in the release of sugars (glucose) for conversion to energy (we burn glucose to power our bodies).
Excellent sources of Vitamin B9 (Folic Acid or Folate) include a variety of leafy vegetables such as lettuce, spinach, turnip greens, as well as dried beans and peas. Liver, liver products, and baker's yeast also contain high concentrations of folate. Among other critical body functions, Folic Acid is essential to the formation of healthy red blood cells.
The ultimate source of Vitamin B12, which is essential for normal brain function, is from bacteria that live in the hind and mid-guts of animals that are ruminants. We also get Vitamin B12 indirectly from liver, milk, and eggs. The most reliable secondary source is from vitamin supplements.
Biotin is found at low levels in a variety of foods including almonds, eggs, onions, cabbage, cucumber, cauliflower, goat's milk, cow's milk, raspberries, strawberries, halibut, oats, and walnuts, but the most reliable sources are Swiss chard, tomatoes, romaine lettuce, and carrots. Biotin plays a key role in making cell walls.
Many different citrus fruits are good sources of Vitamin C (ascorbic acid), but the best are a few exotic plants. The highest concentration of ascorbate per gram of plant tissue is found in the Kakadu plum of Australia. It is 100 times that found in a lime or grapefruit. The fruit of American roses (rose hips) is in third place at 20 milligrams/gram of plant tissue. From there the concentration plummets in other commonly used fruits to around 1 mg ascorbate/1 gram of plant tissue. Vitamin C is a strong antioxidant, but a deficiency of Vitamin C causes scurvy in humans.
Other than the Vitamin D we produce ourselves when our skin is exposed to sunlight, the next best natural sources are fish oils from cod liver, salmon, sardines, and tuna. Vitamin D is essential to the formation of strong bones.
Vitamin E is a generic name for eight related organic compounds called tocopherols, which are all powerful antioxidants. The best sources are spinach, wheat germ, milk, asparagus, and the oils of avocados, almonds, and hazelnuts.
Vitamin K is naturally produced by bacteria (Escherichia coli) that live in our large intestines. These are "good" E. coli, and their Vitamin K production is absorbed by our bodies. There are other food sources that can supplement this natural production, however. These include: spinach, Swiss chard, cabbage, kale, cauliflower, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, avocados and kiwifruit. Vitamin K plays a key role during the clotting of blood following a wound to the skin.
In summary, vitamins are essential for a healthy and fit body, and most of them can be obtained from the diversity of foods that are normally in our diets. We do not produce them ourselves, and if we do not get them from the foods we eats, then our diets should be supplemented by nutritional products that are readily available in today's marketplace.
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