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The human body might be elegant in its simplicity at times, but there is a myriad of chemical and organic components that make it run like a well oiled machine. Vitamins are one of the essential supplements for the human body.
It would interest you to know that vitamins were first isolated by a biochemist from Warsaw named Casimir Funk. He discovered a substance that worked against neuritis in chickens deficient in that substance.
He called that substance Vitamine because he believed that it was a vital supplement for healthy living, and that it was a chemical amine. Years later, the ‘e’ in vitamines was removed after further research proved that vitamins don’t have to be amines.
A consistently balanced diet is vital towards the well being of humans, so it’s an increasingly good idea to make your food from nutritious ingredients, which these days you can easily get from a meal delivery service. Vitamins are a core part of that diet. Incidentally, they are divided into two broad groups which determine how each vitamin acts in the body. These two groups are:
- Fat-soluble vitamins – soluble in lipids. They include vitamins A, E, D, and K.
- Water-soluble vitamins – soluble in water. They include vitamins B and C.
Since vitamins are a significant part of eating healthy, you have to know which food items provide the body with the different types of vitamins. For clarification, the letters A through K were assigned to vitamins in the order that they were discovered, with the sole exception of the letter K. Vitamin K was assigned the letter ‘K’ from ‘koagulation’ by the Danish researcher Henrik Dam.
A Quick Break Down of Vitamins A, C, D, E, and K
Vitamin A
Vitamin A is also known as Retinol. It is necessary for healthy teeth and skeletal, soft tissue. Deficiency of this vitamin can lead to night blindness and skin diseases. It is found in foods such as cod liver oil, sweet potato, carrot, and liver.
Vitamin C
It is alternatively called Ascorbic acid. Ascorbic acid is vital in the synthesis of collagen, which is the framework protein utilized by body tissues. It also improves blood circulation and helps to treat the common cold. Insufficient vitamin C can lead to dry hair, gingivitis, and bone deformities. Sources include guava, kale, kiwifruit, and broccoli.
Vitamin D
It is sometimes called the Sunshine vitamin. Vitamin D is used by the body to prevent the onset of osteoporosis and to prevent bone fractures. Deficiencies can cause constant fatigue, frequent sickness, and back pain. To provide your body with this vitamin, eat foods like salmon, tofu, and eggs.
Vitamin E
Vitamin E is essential to the body. This is because it helps it to balance cholesterol levels. Vitamin E also helps to fight free radicals and stop disease development. In case of insufficient supplies, cystic fibrosis and Crohn’s disease can occur. Sources of vitamin E include wheat germ oil, sunflower seeds, almonds, and hazelnut oil.
Vitamin K
Vitamin K aids the body in normal blood clotting. This supplement has also been known to influence strong bones. Deficiencies can lead to abnormal menstrual bleeding, gastrointestinal bleeding, and easy bruising. Vitamin K can be obtained by including cooked mustard green, raw spinach, and soy green oil in your diet.
As you might have noticed, Vitamin B is not included in the above list. That is because it has eight different useful variants. They are vitamin B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B7, B9, and B12. These crucial vitamins can be found in liver, tuna, avocado, broccoli, banana, asparagus, and mackerel, respectively. Other variants of vitamin B not listed here are harmful to the human body.
