- Vitamins are essential for life.
- Vitamins are divided into two groups: fat-soluble and water-soluble vitamins.
- The fat-soluble vitamins are A, D, E, and K.
- The water-soluble vitamins are 8 B vitamins and 1 vitamin C.
- The amount of vitamins in a food product doesn't always match the nutrition facts label!
Essential vitamins
Vitamin A
- Important for vision, reproduction, and the immune system.
- A vitamin A deficiency can lead to night blindness, dry skin, and conjunctivitis.
- Sources: Animal-based foods such as liver, eel, fish, eggs, and fortified margarines, as well as red and yellow vegetables.
Vitamin D
- Regulates calcium and phosphate levels, which in turn are essential for the mineralization of bones and teeth.
- A vitamin D deficiency therefore leads to osteomalacia or rickets.
- Sunlight is the most important source. It is also found in fatty fish, fortified milk, and margarine.
Vitamin E
- Acts as an antioxidant in the body.
- No deficiency has been definitively observed in adults.
- Sources: vegetable oils, fruits, berries, whole-grain cereals, beans, liver, eggs, sweet almonds, and leafy green vegetables.
Vitamin K
- Important for blood clotting.
- New research also suggests that vitamin K plays a role in bone formation and the maintenance of normal bone density.
- Deficiencies are very rare, as it is found in most foods and can be produced in the gut.
Folic acid
- Essential for DNA synthesis and protein metabolism.
- Deficiency: Anemia, reduced production of white blood cells and antibodies.
- Pregnant women are a high-risk group.
- Sources: green leafy vegetables, peas and legumes, whole-grain bread, liver.
Vitamin C
- Ascorbic acid
- Antioxidant
- Mild deficiency: Fatigue, irritability, depression, and muscle weakness.
- Sources: fresh fruits and berries, white cabbage, bell peppers, broccoli.
- Vitamin C is a highly unstable vitamin. Significant amounts are lost during preparation and cooking.
B vitamins
- B1 – thiamine
- B2 (riboflavin)
- B6 – pyridoxine
- Important for the metabolism of carbohydrates, fats, and proteins.
- Sources: whole-grain flour, liver, and ham; most foods.