As many people say, your body is a temple, which should be taken care of and nourished with the right nutrients. Ensuring you have all the essential vitamins in your body means that you will also have a healthy mind, which will prepare you to take on the world every day. Yet, there is often a lot of confusion over which vitamins you truly need in your body to promote the healthiest lifestyle, which means that many people end up missing out on some.
This can lead to adverse effects on your body if you are not trying to consume the right ones, so to help you know which vitamins you need, and where to find them, it’s best to follow a short guide with all the information you need.
Vitamin A
Vitamin A is known for promoting the daily maintenance of your body. From giving you great eyesight to helping your organs work smoothly, the benefits Vitamin A can bring about mean that you can go about your daily life without encountering any problems. Such effects also mean you can’t skimp out on having it in your diet. Luckily, you can find Vitamin A in many foods, which are affordable to everyone on any budget. Vitamin A is often split into two categories, the first of which you can find in foods such as eggs, dairy, and red meats. The second type you can find easily in fruits and vegetables. The most famous example if carrots, which have been known to help improve eyesight due to the rich Vitamin A complex they hold.
All B Vitamins
The B Vitamins are known as the Vitamin B complex and encompass 8 key vitamins that help bodies turn food into energy. Without them, you will notice your body is more tired than usual, and that you are more irritable over small things. Some of the most notable of these vitamins are Biotin, which contributes to how your genes are expressed in your body, and Vitamin B12, which has been linked to depression in those with a deficiency. As there are so many of these vitamins, you will often find this cocktail in a range of foods, such as animal products, but also in cereals. However, you will also find that many people you know are deficient in Vitamin B, meaning they must get a supplement from the doctor regularly. If you are worried about how much Vitamin B you are getting into your body, you can always try ingesting an alternative supplement such as Hemplucid to potentially help ensure you are getting all the vitamins you need.
Zinc
Vitamin B12 isn’t the only one which contributes to a healthy mind. In fact, Zinc deficiencies have been linked to women suffering from depression, which means you can help avoid such issues by consuming the right amount each day. Zinc also helps your body metabolize food efficiently, as well as keep your immune system in working order, so for the small amounts you need, you can see a multitude of health benefits. You can find Zinc in most naturally occurring foods, like seeds and nuts, where watermelon seeds are an unexpected source of Zinc with 10mg per 100g. For those who love chocolate, you can also consume high amounts of Zinc by having dark chocolate with your daily diet, which can also maintain a healthy heart.
Vitamin C
Vitamin C is arguably the most known Vitamin out of all the essential ones your body needs. In fact, lots of people may remember childhood stories about pirates getting Scurvy on ships from not eating enough oranges on their worldly travels. This is one tale which shows some truth in it, as Vitamin C deficiency can be linked to a whole range of health problems, many of which can have irreversible effects if such a deficiency happens while you are young. You may already know that Vitamin C is found in oranges, but this is not the best source of the vitamin if you want to incorporate as much of it into your diet as you can. Unexpectedly, red and green peppers boast some of the highest Vitamin C content, and both blackcurrant and Guava fruits have the highest naturally occurring content in the world.
Vitamin D
While many Vitamins are needed to maintain the inner workings of your body, Vitamin D is needed to keep your bones and skin in the best condition. However, it is not a Vitamin you can find as naturally in food, as it is one that your body receives from sunlight. People in hotter countries, therefore, have a much higher amount of Vitamin D in their system than those who see little sunlight every year. If you are low on Vitamin D, you may also find yourself being more at risk of mental health problems as it has been linked numerous times to a healthy mind. The best way to get Vitamin D is by sitting out in the sun, where your skin can soak up the rays, but you can also take Vitamin D supplements if you are worried. However, for those with paler complexions, you will need to be careful about how much time you spend in the sun, otherwise, you are more at risk of getting skin cancer.
Calcium
While Vitamin D does its bit in keeping your bones strong, Calcium is also known for maintaining healthy bones and teeth. This is something you will have known from early childhood, and you can find the best source of calcium in milk, as well as other animal products. Yet, you shouldn’t think that this is the only place you can find it. Indeed, with many people moving towards a vegan lifestyle, they are sometimes worried about where to find foods rich in calcium to subsidize their diet. There us luckily no need to worry, like kale, spinach, and beans are all great sources of calcium, which means you don’t need to indulge in rich dairy products to get it into your diet.
Vitamin E
Vitamin E is one vitamin that many people will hear about, but they won’t know why they need it. In many ways, it is one of the most important vitamins you need, as it affects both the inner workings of your body, as well as the skin. At its crux, Vitamin E is an antioxidant, which stops any harmful chemicals or threats from entering the body. It can also help in reducing inflammation of the skin, and it can act as a barrier against harmful UV rays if you consume the right amount. This means that your body won’t only see the benefits, but your skin will glow, too. You can find Vitamin E in foods like sweet potato and avocado, which are also rich in healthy fats that your body can use in metabolism.
Vitamin K
Arguably one of the most elusive vitamins, Vitamin K is one of the best for keeping your body safe from harm. While many vitamins are needed to keep your body running each day, Vitamin K is the first responder in your body whenever you encounter an injury. Most importantly, it is vital for stopping blood from leaving the body when you get a nasty cut or scrape, as it helps your blood oxidize and clot once it reaches the surface of your skin. It is also important for moving calcium to where it needs to go in the body. As with many vitamins, you can find the highest levels of Vitamin K in vegetables like kale and lettuce, and any other green vegetables like broccoli, making it easy to incorporate into your body.
Iron
Along with Calcium and Zinc, Iron is a necessary metal for your body to go about its daily functions. Though you only need small amounts of it, having all the Iron you need in your blood means that your body can get the oxygen you breathe into where it needs to go. Without it, people can end up with anemia, which is where your body never has enough iron to help promote the movement of oxygen in the blood. This can be fatal, and although genetic, can also be caused by not eating enough iron from an early age. Many vegetarians find that they are at risk of developing iron deficiency anemia, as they don’t know which the best vegetables are to substitute it with. Aside from red meats, you can find it in nuts, seeds, special cereals, and dark green vegetables.
Folic Acid
Folic Acid is one of the many B Vitamins, which is often seen as a separate vitamin in its own right, because of the effects it has on your body. Most notably, Folic Acid is essential for pregnant women, as it ensures that your risk of developing a birth defect is kept at its lowest. Later in life, enough Folic Acid in your blood prevents you from getting Folic Acid anemia, helps your body produce more red blood cells.
