What Are Vitamins And Why Do We Need Them? -

When stressed about the importance of a healthy and balanced diet, we are always told about how vital vitamins are. But, while it’s all well and good knowing how crucial vitamins are, not many of us know why this is the case. That was until now, of course.This article covers the basics of vitamins, including what they are and why we need them. Before you know it, you’ll understand even more about your body and how it functions.

What Are Vitamins?

Vitamins are special, organic compounds that your body needs to support its normal function. Vitamins, unlike compounds such as proteins and carbohydrates, are usually not produced in high enough quantity for the body to function properly. Therefore, humans need to get their vitamins from outside sources, such as food or supplements. Compared to protein or carbohydrates, the human body needs only a small amount of vitamins to function, but that small amount doesn’t make them unnecessary. Vitamins are considered essential nutrients and a chronic lack of them can lead to certain diseases, like scurvy. Here are 13 vitamins that are considered to be essential:

Vitamin A – found in meat and dairy products or in red and orange fruits and vegetables. It is necessary for healthy vision, immune function, proper organ function, and even hair growth.
Vitamin C – a multipurpose vitamin that is part of functions all across the body. Vitamin C is important for wound healing, skin health, the immune system, and helps your body absorb plant-based iron.
Vitamin D – also known as the sunshine vitamin is most efficiently absorbed from the sun. Your body uses vitamin D to help absorb calcium, lower inflammation, and brain health.
Vitamin E – this antioxidant helps fight of free radicals in your system. Vitamin E is also important for immune function and cell signaling.
Vitamin K – this vitamin is used in maintaining healthy blood, muscles, and cartilage. You can get vitamin K by eating leafy green vegetables.
B vitamins (eight in total) – With so many B vitamins, their function ranges from creating red blood cells, maintaining a healthy nervous system, and converting food into energy.

The majority of the above vitamins can be found in the foods you eat, which is why it’s so important to maintain a balanced diet. The only exception is vitamin D, which is generated by your skin when exposed to sunlight.

Why are Vitamins Important?

As touched on previously, vitamins are needed to support your body’s normal function. Each vitamin plays a different role in the body, whether it be to maintain strong teeth or support the immune system.Due to the fact that there are so many vitamins, all with different roles, a lot of people choose to take multivitamins to safeguard their intake. Multivitamins are supplements that contain more than one type of vitamin, helping your body to get exactly what it needs.

Different Types of Vitamins

As mentioned before, there are 13 essential vitamins to be aware of. But, what you may not know, is that these vitamins fall into two categories:

Water-soluble vitamins
Fat-soluble vitamins

Water-soluble vitamins are not stored in the body; you remove them from your body through urine. Water-soluble vitamins include vitamin C and the eight B vitamins.Fat-soluble vitamins, on the other hand, are stored in your liver and fatty tissues. You don’t have to consume them everyday for this reason, but they are still important to absorb. Fat-soluble vitamins include vitamin A, D, E and K.

Sources of Vitamins

The majority of us can get the nutrients that we need through a balanced diet. This includes eating from the five main food groups every day and staying hydrated!According to the NHS Eatwell Guide, these are the main things that you can to do maintain a balanced diet:

Eat 5 portions of fruit and vegetables each day
Incorporate dairy into your diet
Base main meals on high fiber foods
Eat foods high in protein
Choose unsaturated fats (in small amounts)
Drink lots of water

By following the above steps, your diet should support your nutritional needs. However, supplements are also an option if you require extra assistance. Whether choosing multivitamins or specific vitamins, there’s something out there for everyone!For more information on your specific nutritional needs, never hesitate to visit a health expert or nutritionist.