Importance of Vitamins

Vitamin A, known as retinol, is used for helping your eyesight, keeping skin healthy, and helping your immune system. It is found in highest concentrations in cheese, fish, eggs, and dairy products. (700 micrograms per day for men and 600 micrograms per day for women.)

Vitamin C helps maintain healthy skin, protect and keep cells healthy, and help with wound healing. Vitamin C is found in citrus fruits, strawberries, broccoli, potatoes, and peppers. (40mg per day)

Vitamin D helps regulate the amount of calcium and phosphate in the body, which keep bones, teeth, and muscles healthy. It is found in sunlight between the end of March to the end of September. The amount produced from sunlight during this time is enough to sustain our vitamin D needs. However, for the rest of the months, you can get vitamin D through oily fish, red meat, liver, and egg yolks. (10 micrograms.)

Vitamin E helps with maintaining the body’s immune system and healthy skin and eyes. It can be found in plant oils, nuts, and seeds (4mg a day for men 3 mg for women.)

Vitamin K is essential for clotting blood properly and helping heal wounds. It can be found in green leafy vegetables like broccoli and spinach, and vegetable oils. (1 microgram per each kilogram of body weight. Ex: a 40 kg person would need 40 micrograms per day.)

Vitamin B1 allows the body to use carbohydrates as energy and can be found in pork, eggs, nuts, oranges, potatoes and asparagus. (1.2 mg per day for men, 1.1 for women.)

Vitamin B2 helps break down proteins, fats, and carbs, allowing the body to work efficiently by supplying it with energy. Vitamin B2 can be found in fish, meat, poultry, eggs, dairy, and avocados. (1.3 milligrams per day for men, 1.1 for women.)

Vitamin B3 helps to convert nutrients into energy, create cholesterol and fats, create and repair DNA, and exert antioxidant effects. Vitamin B3 can be found in red meat, poultry, fish, and brown rice. (16 milligrams per day for men, 14 for women.)

Vitamin B6 is important for healthy nervous and immune system function and brain development. It can be found in poultry, potatoes, fruit, fish, and organ meats. (1.3 milligrams per day.)

Vitamin B12 is essential in red blood cell formation, production of DNA, nerve function, and cell metabolism. It can be found in lean meats, poultry, eggs, and seafood. (2.4 micrograms per day.)

Pantothenic acid helps maintain healthy skin and also helps the body convert nutrients into energy. It can be found in mushrooms, poultry, nuts, beans, and peas. (5 milligrams per day.)

Biotin is essential for the formation of fatty acids and glucose, which are then used as fuel. It is found in eggs, milk, and bananas. (30-100 micrograms per day.)

Folic acid helps the body make healthy new cells. It is especially important for pregnant women. It can be found in broccoli, brussel sprouts, leafy green vegetables and peas. (400 micrograms per day. 1000 if planning pregnancy.)