What are Vitamins and Their Properties

Vitamins are an integral part of our daily lives, but do you really know them?

Nowadays, we’re often hearing about them, but without really differentiating or knowing what they represent. The dictionary defines vitamin as “a group of organic compounds which are essential for normal growth and nutrition. They are required in small quantities into the diet because they can’t be synthesized by the body”.

It is therefore an important nutrient for the body and the shape. Indeed, the lack of vitamins can cause anemia, which is the lack of oxygen for cells. It’s caused by lack of healthy red blood cells or hemoglobin. Moreover, vitamins are important for your body because they keep it active.

Now, you can discover all the vitamins and their properties by following our article.

How many Vitamins can we find?

To be healthy and feel good, the body needs 13 essential vitamins. We can split them in 2 parts:

The water-soluble vitamins: As their names suggest, they’re found into liquid form. Therefore, we always need to replenish the human body because those vitamins are evacuated in the urine.

The fat-soluble vitamins: The fat tissues store these vitamins when the body isn’t using them. That’s why the body doesn’t need them every day

Water-soluble vitamins:

Vitamin B1 (Thiamine): Vitamin B1 helps to maintain nerve, muscle and heart functions. We can find it in many nutrients like vegetables, beef, pork and citrus fruits.

Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin): The main benefit of Vitamin B2 is to maintain a good and healthy skin. It’s also essential for the metabolism. And finally, we can find it in different types of food such as fortified cereals, eggs, fish, chicken or nuts.

Vitamin B3 (Niacin): Vitamin B3 has properties for nerves, a healthy skin and digestion. We can find them in chicken, salmon and peanuts.

Vitamin B5 (Pantothenic acid): Vitamin B5 forms red blood cells and convert food into glucose. The main foods containing vitamins B5 are chicken, fish and vegetables.

Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine): This vitamin has properties to use and store energy from proteins and help the red blood cells. It’s contained in fish, eggs, peanuts, fortified cereals and bread.

Vitamin B7 (Biotin): Biotin contributes to the nervous system functions and energy-producing metabolism. The main sources of Vitamin B7 are avocado, salmon, egg yolk and animal livers.

Vitamin B9 (Folate): The vitamin B9 helps to form red blood cells. Therefore, it protects your body against anemia. We can find it in broccoli, spinach, chicken and fortified breakfast.

Vitamin B12 (Cobalamin): This vitamin helps for the nervous system and the production of red blood cells. We can find Cobalamin only in animal-origin foods like meats, fish, eggs and dairy products. If you’re vegan and you still wanting to have some, it could be difficult. So,  you can take a supplement for this.

Vitamin C (Ascorbic acid): This vitamin is the only one which doesn’t belong to the category of “Vitamin B”. Vitamin C is important for the all immune system function. It’s used to prevent and treat scurvy (disease which can be very harmful for your health). Fruits and vegetables, especially oranges and other citrus fruits contain this Vitamin.

Fat-soluble vitamins:

Vitamin A (Retinol): Retinol helps the immune system to work normally. Moreover, it allows bones to growth and helps your eyes when light is changing. You can find this vitamin with fish, dairy products, green leafy vegetables and carrots.

Vitamin D: Vitamin D is a group of fat-soluble ones that helps to regulate the amount of calcium and phosphate in the body. It can prevent mood and immune disorders, support hormonal balance and helps the bones. The best way to have enough Vitamin D is your body is to have some sunlight. You can also find Vitamin D in egg yolk and red meat.

Vitamin E (Tocopherol): Like Vitamin A, Vitamin E strengthens the immune system. It also involves antioxidant functions in cell membrane. We can find this nutrient in vegetable oil (soybean, cottonseed), fruits, seeds and vegetables.

Vitamin K: This vitamin has a blood coagulation power and plays an essential role for bones. Most of the foods which contain Vitamin K are greens, vegetables and leafy.

Conclusion

As you can see, they are many vitamins which have several benefits and powers. Then, you need to know that a healthy nutrition will enable you to have enough nutrients in your body to be in shape.

So now, you’re an expert about Vitamins and their properties.

Sources and further readings

Precision Nutrition: http://www.precisionnutrition.com/all-about-vitamins-minerals

Colorado State University: https://extension.colostate.edu/topic-areas/nutrition-food-safety-health/fat-soluble-vitamins-a-d-e-and-k-9-315/

NHS: http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/vitamins-and-minerals/