Types of Vitamins in Foods
Vitamins are an essential part of any balanced diet. Different vitamins are found in different foods, and they each play a unique role in keeping us healthy. If you think you're not getting enough of a certain vitamin, consult with your health care provider. He may recommend that you take a multivitamin or increase your consumption of certain foods. All of the food recommendations listed below were taken from the Office of Dietary Supplements, a division of the USDA.
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Vitamin A
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Vitamin A plays an important role in vision, bone growth and development, and reproductive health. It also helps your immune system fight off disease. It is found in carrots, spinach, liver, milk, cheese, cantaloupe, apricots, papayas, and mangos. Consuming too much Vitamin A may cause your skin to appear yellow, but this is not considered a health risk. On the other hand, a Vitamin A deficiency can cause vision problems including blindness.
Vitamin E
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Vitamin E is essential for our skin, hair, and nails. It also promotes heart health and decreases a person's risk for cancer. Food high in Vitamin E include sunflower seeds, almonds and most other nuts, tomatoes, avocados, carrots, spinach, sardines, and herring.
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Vitamin C
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Vitamin C promotes a healthy immune system and protects against cardiovascular diseases. It is also important for prenatal health. Vitamin C is found in oranges, kiwis, lemons, cantaloupe, broccoli, and bell peppers.
Vitamin D
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Because it is naturally found in so few foods, Vitamin D can be the most problematic to consume. Our skin also absorbs Vitamin D from the sun, so people in warmer climates tend to have higher Vitamin D levels than those in colder climates. Vitamin D promotes calcium absorption and strong bones. It also reduces inflammation. Vitamin D is found in low levels in liver, cheese, and egg yolks. It is also found in the skin of salmon, tuna, and mackerel. Fish liver oils are the best source of Vitamin D. If you're concerned you're not consuming enough, talk to your health care provider about taking a cod liver oil supplement.
B Vitamins
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B vitamins are your body's primary source of energy. They produce red blood cells and are essential for your nervous system as well as cognitive functions. A wide variety of foods contain B vitamins, so they're fairly easy to consume. Foods such as red meat, eggs, fish, nuts, beans, seeds, bananas, and spinach are all great sources.
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