The Importance of Micronutrition in Vitamins

Mostly everyone takes their vitamins in some shape or form. It can be from the foods that we eat to the supplements that we take throughout the day. We can get the boost of micronutrients in our bodies with vitamins from foods. It can help with our diets when we are trying to get a head start in our healthy lifestyle change through healthy, nutritious, whole foods. Without vitamins, our bodies to react differently to various ailments.  We will be taking a look at the micronutrition in vitamins and supplements in this two-part series.

The Vitamins

Vitamins are essential for the body since (mostly) we can’t produce them naturally. When we feel sluggish or horrible, it might be due to low vitamin intake. Here are some of the vitamins that can help your body if you feel a bit weak in life.

Vitamin A

Vitamin A is a fat-soluble compound that is an essential nutrient for the body. It is stored in the liver for later use and is transferred to the tissues when needed. Vitamin A helps maintain the integrity and function of all surface tissues and the eyes. Vitamin A has two forms which are retinol and retinyl esters and provitamin A carotenoids. Retinol and retinyl esters health benefits can help prevent macular degeneration to your eyes, and with the provitamin A carotenoids can have potent antioxidants to fight off free radicals in the body.

Deficiencies: Having a Vitamin A deficiency can lead to blindness for some people. Anyone who has a deficiency in Vitamin A can also face skin issues like hyperkeratosis and acne. Not only that, but it can increase any infections as well as create pregnancy complications for pregnant women.

Food Sources: Here are some of the foods that are very rich with vitamin A that are all carotenoid-rich in both animals and plants.

• Egg yolks
• Beef liver
• Cod liver oil
• Salmon
• Sweet potatoes
• Carrots
• Dandelion greens
• Cabbage

Vitamin B

All B vitamins are water-soluble, and the body can’t store them. They are used to reduce fatigue and boost mood. There are 8 B vitamins are vital and have many essential functions for maintaining good health.

• B1 (thiamine): Thiamine helps our bodies metabolism by helping convert nutrients into energy. Some food sources include pork, sunflower seeds, and wheat germ.
• B2 (riboflavin): Riboflavin converts food into energy and acts as an antioxidant in the body. Some of the food sources that are high in riboflavin are organ meats, beef, and mushrooms.
• B3 (niacin): Niacin plays a role in cellular signaling, metabolism and DNA productions, as well as repairs it as well. Some food sources include chicken, tuna, and lentils.
• B5 (pantothenic acid): Like other B vitamins, pantothenic acid helps our bodies obtain energy from the food we eat. It also involves hormone and cholesterol production. Some food sources include liver, fish, yogurt, and avocado.
• B6 (pyridoxine): Pyridoxine helps produces red blood cells in the body. It helps create amino acid metabolism and neurotransmitters for the body. Foods that are highly rich with this vitamin are chickpeas, salmon, and potatoes.
• B7 (biotin): Biotin is highly essential for carbohydrate and fat metabolism and can regulate gene expression in the body. The best food sources that contain biotin are yeast, eggs, salmon, cheese, and liver.
• B9 (folate): Our bodies need folate for cell growth, amino acid metabolism, the formation of red and white blood cells as well as proper cell division. Folate can be found in foods like leafy greens, liver, beans and in supplements like folic acid.
• B12 (cobalamin): One of the best- known of all the B vitamins, B12 is vital for neurological function, DNA production, and red blood cell count. It can be found naturally in animal food sources like meats, eggs, seafood, and dairy.

Deficiencies: Even though taking the B vitamins are essential, there are side effects to taking a high dose of the vitamin, especially B3 and B6. Some of the side effects include vomiting, high blood sugar levels, skin lesions, nerve damage, and even liver damage.

Vitamin C

Vitamin C is one of the most essential vitamins since it can’t be produced by the body. It has so many roles and has been linked to many impressive health benefits. It can help boost antioxidant levels, reduce high blood pressure, and heart disease risk. It can protect your body against any gout attacks and reduce your risk of dementia while improving your iron absorption and boosting your immunity.

Deficiencies: When you don’t take enough vitamin C, it can raise blood sugar. Without it, you can develop scurvy. You can get really sick, and your immune system will be shot if you don’t take vitamin C.

Food Sources: The most common way to get vitamin C in your body is through citrus fruit. There are lots of foods that contain vitamin C and are very delicious.

• Red and green peppers
• Oranges and orange juice
• Kiwi
• Guava
• Broccoli
• Strawberries
• Brussel sprouts
• Tomato juice
• Cantaloupe

Vitamin D3

Also known as the sunshine vitamin, vitamin D3 is essential for maintaining healthy bones and teeth. Vitamin D supports the immune system, brain, and nervous system. It will even regulate insulin levels and help managing diabetes. However, vitamin D can only be synthesized to our body whenever sunlight hits our skin.

Deficiencies: Even though the body can create vitamin D, there many reasons that vitamin D deficiency can occur. If a person has a darker skin color and uses sunscreen to reduce the absorption of UVB (ultraviolet radiation B) rays from the sun — they may be deficient as these can stop the production of vitamin D. Some of the symptoms of vitamin D deficiency include getting sick more, fatigue, muscle pain, and depression. And if it continues for long periods, it can lead to obesity, diabetes, hypertension, chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, and osteoporosis, just to name a few.

Food Sources: There are a few foods that contain vitamin D naturally. And for vitamin D3 it is mostly animal produced.

• Salmon
• Sardines
• Egg yolk
• Shrimp
• Milk (fortified)
• Cereal (fortified)
• Yogurt (fortified)

Vitamin E

Vitamin E is one of the most essential nutrients that is available as a dietary supplement and can occur naturally in foods. It is an antioxidant that can help protect your cells damage and is fat-soluble. Researchers have investigated that vitamin E can be used as a treatment for various degenerative diseases, including high blood pressure, heart disease, and cancer. It is a rare case for a vitamin E deficiency; however, it is a rare condition that is being researched.

Since Vitamin E is the most common nutrient found in most foods, here are some of the foods, including cooking oils that are exceptional.

• Wheat Germ Oil
• Sunflower seeds
• Almonds
• Hazelnut Oil
• Goose meat
• Peanuts
• Mango

Conclusion

So these vitamins can help your body feel so much better in the long run. Without them, our bodies will have various health problems. When we take these vitamins, our bodies have an easier time healing and we can see that our moods are a bit better. We can have normal functions without the vitamins because we eat the food that contains them, but when we need that extra boost, vitamins are the way to go.

References:

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