Vitamins ARE Essential

Vitamins and minerals are as essential for living as air and water.  Not only do they keep your body healthy and functional, they protect you from a variety of diseases.  In this article, we will focus only on vitamins.  

Vitamins are organic substances produced by plants or animals. They often are called "essential" because they are not synthesized in the body (except for vitamin D) and therefore must come from food. 

Vitamins are divided into two categories: 

1. Water soluble

   • The body expels what it does not absorb

   • Which Includes the eight B vitamins (B-1, B-2, B-3, B-5, B-6, B-7, B-9, and B-12) and vitamin C

2. Fat soluble

   • Where leftover amounts are stored in the liver and fat tissues as reserves

   • Which includes A, D, E, and K

Vitamin A

• Liver, salmon, kale, turnip greens, spinach, broccoli, carrots, sweet potatoes, squash, cantaloupe, apricots, red peppers, tomatoes, beef, liver, eggs, shrimp, fish, fortified milk, pumpkins, mangoes 

Vitamin B-1

• Ham, soy milk, watermelon, acorn squash

Vitamin B-2

• Milk, yogurt, cheese, whole and enriched grains and cereals.

Vitamin B-3

• Meat, poultry, fish, fortified and whole grains, mushrooms, potatoes

Vitamin B-5

• Chicken, whole grains, broccoli, avocados, mushrooms

Vitamin B-6

• Meat, fish, poultry, legumes, tofu and other soy products, bananas, brown rice, whole-wheat bread, pistachios, garlic, chicken, lean beef, pork tenderloin, tuna, cod, potatoes, avocados

Vitamin B-7

• Whole grains, eggs, soybeans, fish

Vitamin B-9 (Folate/Folic Acid)

• Fortified grains and cereals, asparagus, spinach, broccoli, legumes (black-eyed peas and chickpeas), orange juice, sunflower seeds, collards, avocado, peanuts, corn, tomato juice

Vitamin B-12

• Clams, mussels, oysters, crab, lobster, trout, salmon, beef, poultry, eggs, milk, cheese, fortified soymilk and cereals 

Vitamin C

• Citrus fruit, potatoes, broccoli, bell peppers, spinach, strawberries, tomatoes, Brussels sprouts, cantaloupe

Vitamin D

• Food Sources:

  • Fortified milk and cereals, yogurt, fatty fish (salmon, tuna, mackerel), oysters, eggs, mushrooms

• Taking vitamin D with the largest meal improves absorption and results in higher serum levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D[6]

Vitamin E

• Sunflower seeds, Oliver oil, leafy green vegetables, whole grains, some nuts, avocado, broccoli

Vitamin K

• Kale, collards, Swiss chard, turnip greens, cabbage, eggs, milk, spinach, broccoli, kale, Brussels sprouts, asparagus, prunes, cheese[2], Natto[3]

References

1. The Costco Connection, January 2013

2. Vitamin K2 found in Cheese is linked to a Lower Risk of Cancer Death

   • Certain cheeses, such as Swiss Emmental, Norwegian Jarlsberg, and Dutch Gouda, have particularly high concentrations of vitamin K2.

3. Building Strong Bones (Travel and Health)

4. The Incredible Power of the Chaga Mushroom

5. The best foods for vitamins and minerals

6. Taking vitamin D with the largest meal improves absorption and results in higher serum levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D