The Essential Vitamins and Where to Find Them in Food

You probably already know that you need vitamins for your wellness to thrive. In a perfect world, everyone would get their vitamin needs sorted through their diet, bolstering their wellbeing with a mixture of healthy fruits, vegetables and low-fat meats. However, in the real world, you know that isn’t the case; most people don’t get the vitamins they need through their diet. We’ve compiled a list of the necessary nutrients and where to find them, although you may want to look at supplements to fill any nutritional gaps you might have. However, before you take on any of our suggestions, you should talk things through with your healthcare provider.

 

First we need to establish the difference between a water-soluble vitamin and a fat-soluble vitamin, although you can probably discern much from their apt names. With water-soluble vitamins – such as vitamin C and B vitamins – it’s easy for your body to eliminate whatever it doesn’t use, as this excess nutrition can be cleared out almost instantly through your bowel movements. Fat-soluble vitamins, on the other hand, are more difficult to get rid of. Fat-soluble vitamins – including vitamin A, D, E, and K – can build up in your lipids and, when built to excess, can cause many different illnesses. So, proceed with caution with fat-soluble vitamins. Now, where can you find all these necessary nutrients?

 

Vitamin B1: Starting with the water-soluble vitamins, thiamin helps your body convert blood sugar into energy, and is found in brown rice, asparagus, cauliflower, oranges, whole grain flour, potatoes, pork, eggs, yeast and fortified cereals.

 

Vitamin B2: Also known as riboflavin, this B vitamin works with others to convert sugar into energy. You can get your B2 from dairy products like milk and cheese, broccoli, spinach and asparagus.

 

Vitamin B3: Niacin – which is found in tuna, green beans, broccoli, mushrooms and fortified breakfast cereals – helps convert sugar into energy and keeps your skin healthy.

 

Vitamin B6: Found in watermelon, bananas, spinach, tomatoes and broccoli, vitamin B6 contributes to red blood cell formation and converts fat and protein into energy.

 

Vitamin B9: You probably are more aware of this vitamin by its other name; folic acid. As well as being an essential component of any pregnant woman’s diet, folic acid helps your body create new cells and ward of heart disease. Get your vitamin B9 from broccoli, green beans, tomatoes, beans, asparagus and fortified breakfast foods.

 

Vitamin B12: This vitamin – appearing in meat, fish, milk, cheese, eggs and poultry – helps your body to produce new cells.

 

Vitamin C: Though vitamin C is among the most well-known of vitamins, you often make the mistake of thinking orange is the best and only source. In fact, vitamin C – which protects your body’s cells from damage and may help with heart disease and preventing cancer – can be found in other citrus fruits such as limes and lemons, as well as strawberries, kiwi, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, peppers and spinach.

 

Vitamin A: Moving on to the fat-soluble vitamins, vitamin A is beneficial for your skin and eyesight, and you’ll find it in liver (from both beef and pork,) fish (such as salmon, mackerel, and tuna) milk, butter, eggs and carrots.

 

Vitamin D: Essential for maintaining healthy bones, you can get vitamin D from milk, egg yolks, liver, and butter, as well as through sunlight on your skin.

 

Vitamin E: This vitamin is found in sunflower seeds, spinach, various nuts, and peanut butter. It’s vital for heart health, preventing pollution damage in your lungs and may protect you against cancer.

 

Vitamin K: Found in eggs, various meats, spinach, lettuce, cabbage and milk, vitamin K helps your body’s blood clotting process.

Categories: convert sugar, Fat-soluble, folic acid, fortified breakfast, green beans, nbsp vitamin, soluble vitamin, soluble vitamins, vitamin b9, vitamins, water-soluble

Which Vitamin Deficiencies Are Wreaking Havoc on Your Nails?

Though it may not be a major wellness issue, having weak nails can really get irritating. How many times have you spent ages perfecting that file, buff and polish, only to have a nail break the next day, and make you start over? Some women have just hit the genetic jackpot with nail strength and don’t need to do a thing to improve it. However, if you’re one of the rest of us, there’s always something you can do to enhance your wellbeing, even if it’s just the wellbeing of your nails!

 

The fact is, a diet that is lacking in certain vitamins and minerals can take its toll on your nails, so if yours are weak, brittle, flaky or cracked, you might not be getting enough of these four vitamins:

 

Vitamin A – This vitamin is essential in helping your body to process protein, and this affects the keratin production in your nails. Therefore, if you have brittle, soft and flaky nails, you may benefit from eating more vitamin A-rich foods such as cheese, eggs, oily fish, milk, yoghurt, dark green vegetables and orange and yellow fruits.

 

Vitamin B – Think of this vitamin like nail fertilizer: it helps your nails to grow and keeps them strong in the process. Vitamin B12 is particularly important for preventing dry, dark nails that are curved at the ends, so try to consume more B12-boosting foods like meat, salmon, cod, milk, cheese, eggs and some fortified breakfast cereals.

 

Vitamin C – There’s nothing more annoying than a hangnail, and these can also be quite painful as hangnails can cause the nail tissue to swell, and to even become infected. If this is a personal affliction for you, you may need more vitamin C in your diet from such food sources as red and green peppers, strawberries and, of course, good old-fashioned oranges juice.

 

Vitamin D – Without vitamin D, your body has a hard time absorbing calcium and will take it out on your nails. You can tell if you have a vitamin D deficiency if your nails are brittle and dry, but, unfortunately, you can’t easily find this vitamin in many foods. You produce vitamin D when you get sunlight on your skin, so try to get outside for a few minutes every day, and up your calcium intake through dairy products, broccoli and tofu.

Categories: b vitamins, brittle, cheese eggs, nail, nails, nbsp, nbsp vitamin, vitamin, vitamin a

The Famous Five: Vital Vitamins and Where to Find Them

You need a range of vitamins and minerals in your diet in order to maintain your well-being, but there are so many different foods that contain so many different nutrients, where do you find the best sources? We’ve rounded up the best, wellness-boosting wonders that will get your diet overflowing with the good stuff.

 

Vitamin A – This vitamin is especially important to your immune system, reproduction and vision. While beef liver, spinach, fish, milk, eggs, and carrots are good sources of vitamin A, you can’t go wrong with a sweet potato, as a medium-sized spud with give you 561% of your recommended daily value (DV).

 

B Vitamins – For vitamin B6, get your hands on chickpeas, fish, beef liver, and poultry, while animal products and oily fish are your best bet for vitamin B12. These vitamins metabolise foods, help form haemoglobin, stabilise your blood sugar, make antibodies that fight disease, improve your nerve function and ward of anaemia. If you’re pregnant, another B vitamin you’ll need is folate, which is found in dark leafy green vegetables, fruit, nuts, and dairy products.

 

Vitamin C – While you may think you’ve got this one covered with that orange juice sitting in the fridge, the Mac-Daddy of vitamin C content is the sweet red pepper. Aside from that, kiwi fruit, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, and cantaloupe can give you the vitamin C you need to metabolise protein and synthesis your neurotransmitters.

 

Vitamin D – Your body generates its own vitamin D when your skin is exposed to sunlight, but as you don’t get much sunshine in this country, you might want to stock up on fatty fishes – such as salmon and mackerel – or vitamin D-fortified foods such as milk, breakfast cereals, yogurt, and orange juice. This vitamin is vital for calcium absorption and bone growth, cell growth, immunity, and the reduction of inflammation.

 

Vitamin E – You need this powerful antioxidant in order to protect your cells from the harmful molecules known as free radicals. Vitamin E is important in immunity, healthy blood vessel function and clotting, so amp up your intake of wheat germ oil, sunflower seeds or almonds.

Categories: beef liver, Benefits, Food Sources, nbsp, nbsp vitamin, orange juice, vitamin, vitamins

What a Diet for Healthy Hair Looks Like

Just like the other parts of your body, your hair’s cells need the proper nourishment in order for them to maintain a healthy and fortified appearance. Other factors such as smoking, lack of sleep, stress, and hormonal changes can also affect your hair’s appearance. Eating a well-balanced diet can contribute to the condition of both your scalp and hair follicles. The following is a list of nutrients and healthy practices that help ensure that hair receives the proper care it deserves.

 

Fatty Acids and Proteins

 

If you’re looking for shiny and manageable hair, your diet needs to consist of fatty acids and proteins. Good sources can include salmon, walnuts, most meats, and eggs. A diet rich in legumes such as chick peas, lentils, cheese, and green peas can also be beneficial to the growth and health of your hair.

 

Vitamin A

 

Sweet potatoes are a great source of vitamin A, and your body is unable to function properly without it. It can also produce the oils that are necessary to promote a healthy and hydrated scalp. Individuals who are lacking in this nutrient may experience itching and dandruff. Other options loaded with vitamin A can include pumpkin, apricots, carrots, mangoes, and cantaloupe.

 

Vitamin C for Circulation

 

Hair breakage and damage to the scalp can be caused by a lack of vitamin C. In order to achieve healthy and hydrated hair, you need to nourish the blood vessels that lead to the follicles. Vitamin C enriched foods can include blueberries, kiwi, strawberries, raspberries, and tomatoes.

 

Herbs

 

Dry and damaged hair can be brittle and snap when you brush it. A cup of herbal tea can help strengthen and nourish your hair. You can find herbs rich in collagen at your local health food store. Others include additional beneficial herbs such as horse tail and stinging nettle. Place the herbs into a cup and let them steep for five to ten minutes.

 

Meal Planning

 

In addition to consuming a healthy diet, you may also want to plan your meals throughout the day for better hair health. Try to include protein in each of your meals, as it can be beneficial to the growth and condition of your hair. You can also add supplements of the protein keratin to the scalp by using products like Kera Fiber.

 

A diet high in fruits and vegetables can also aid those who have lackluster hair, and it should make up at least one-third of your daily eating plan. To prevent a flaky scalp and itchiness, you may want to cut back on sugar, fats and products with caffeine.

 

Other Important Factors

 

The typical hair growth rate per month is one-half inch, but it can decrease as you age. Eating a balanced diet can’t speed up your hair growth beyond the normal monthly range, but it can encourage the health and condition of your hair and scalp. Other factors that can change your hair include pregnancy, menopause, stress and medication.

 

A healthy head of shiny and thick hair can benefit your overall appearance, but it needs a blend of the best nutrients to do so. If you’re not consuming the right foods, personalized salon products won’t aid your cause unless you learn how to follow a healthy eating regimen.

 

Savannah Bobo is a freelance writer and blog contributor from Atlanta, GA who enjoys writing about health, fitness, and nutrition. Many health issues have all-natural solutions—hair loss and hair thinning included. Proteins like keratin, for example, can be added to the scalp with Kera Fiber. Since food is the body’s main source of fuel, changing one’s diet can drastically alter things like skin condition and hair growth.

Categories: balanced diet, diet, fatty acids, hair, hair growth, Healthy, kera fiber, nbsp, nbsp vitamin, What a Diet for Healthy Hair Looks Like