Vitamins
These are compounds that are required by the body in smaller amounts for normal metabolic functions. They are essential (need to be ingested) since the body cannot make them.
Important to know here is the fact that there are two different kinds of vitamins - the fat-soluble ones and the water-soluble ones. This is relevant when it comes to absorption. For example always eat carrots with hummus which contains fat to makes sure you're absorbing the lovely vitamin A.
Fat-soluble vitamins are: A, D, E and K
Water-soluble vitamins are: C, Bs
Let's take a quick look at all the vitamins:
Important to know here is the fact that there are two different kinds of vitamins - the fat-soluble ones and the water-soluble ones. This is relevant when it comes to absorption. For example always eat carrots with hummus which contains fat to makes sure you're absorbing the lovely vitamin A.
Fat-soluble vitamins are: A, D, E and K
Water-soluble vitamins are: C, Bs
Let's take a quick look at all the vitamins:
Vitamin A
Sources: Yellow fruits and veggies such as carrots, squash, sweet potatoes, mangoes but also spinach, watercress, cabbage, egg yolks
Functions: Vitamin A is responsible for healthy skin, reproduction of cells, eyes/vision and the precursor of vitamin A carotene found in plants acts as an antioxidant.
To get your daily dose of vitamin A you should for example have two handful of spinach with your breakfast smoothie, two carrots with hummus as a snack and add half a butternut squash to your bean stew for dinner and you're covered.
Sources: Yellow fruits and veggies such as carrots, squash, sweet potatoes, mangoes but also spinach, watercress, cabbage, egg yolks
Functions: Vitamin A is responsible for healthy skin, reproduction of cells, eyes/vision and the precursor of vitamin A carotene found in plants acts as an antioxidant.
To get your daily dose of vitamin A you should for example have two handful of spinach with your breakfast smoothie, two carrots with hummus as a snack and add half a butternut squash to your bean stew for dinner and you're covered.
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B Vitamins
B1 (Thiamine) Sources: Potatoes, whole grains, nuts and seeds, oats, asparagus, mushrooms, beans, watercress Functions: This vitamin is needed for energy production, the nervous system and brain function and digestion Have a tablespoon of flaxseed oil with your salad for lunch and porridge for breakfast or brown rice with beans for dinner and you've covered your daily dose. B3 (Niacin) Sources: Mushrooms, tuna, salmon, tomatoes, leafy greens, nuts, courgette, wholewheat Functions: Involved in energy metabolism, helps balance blood sugar, brain function and skin If you eat fish, a serving of wild salmon with brown rice and sunflower seeds as a snack or with your porridge will provide your daily ratio. If not, have some mushrooms and tofu instead. B6 (Pyridoxine) Sources: Purple fruits and green vegetables, potatoes, lentils, watercress, bananas Functions: Protein metabolism, hormone production, blood sugar levels, natural anti-depressant, helps control allergic reactions Have a banana as snack, potatoes for dinner and avocado with your salad for lunch and you're all set. B12 (Cyanocobalamin) Sources: This vitamin is only found in animal sources such as meat, fish, eggs and dairy (supplement recommended for vegans!) Functions: helps blood cells to carry oxygen, energy, DNA synthesis, nervous system, folic acid metabolism So if you are not vegan, you will be covered with an egg for breakfast, milk with your porridge, fish or even meat with your lunch or dinner. |
B2 (Riboflavin) Sources: Whole grains, nuts especially almonds and seeds, legumes, mushrooms Functions: Involved in energy metabolism, healthy skin, nails and eyes A handful of almonds as snack, if you eat eggs have one otherwise try millet or rice which are both great sources, add mushrooms and you've got your daily load. B5 (Pantothenic Acid) Sources: The Greek pantos, meaning ‘everywhere’, reflects the wide distribution of pantothenic acid in foods, you will find it in lentils, peanuts, oats, split peas, mushrooms, avocados Functions: Energy production, fat metabolism, needed for brain function and nerves, metabolism of steroids which are anti-stress hormones Have your porridge for breakfast, lentil salad for lunch and salmon or mushrooms for dinner followed by some peanuts to snack on - daily dose check! B9 (Folic Acid) Sources: Lentils, wheat germ, spinach, broccoli, asparagus, seeds and nuts, avocados Functions: Very important during pregnancy for development of brain and nerves, red blood cell formation, protein metabolism For your daily dose sprinkle wheat germ over your porridge or salad, snack on peanuts and have spinach for dinner with lentils. |
Biotin
Sources: Cauliflower, sweetcorn, watermelon, tomatoes, eggs, almonds, herrings
Functions: Very important during childhood, helps body use essential fats, healthy skin, hair and nerves
Cauliflower rice for dinner with tomatoes, sweetcorn and almonds will cover you.
Sources: Cauliflower, sweetcorn, watermelon, tomatoes, eggs, almonds, herrings
Functions: Very important during childhood, helps body use essential fats, healthy skin, hair and nerves
Cauliflower rice for dinner with tomatoes, sweetcorn and almonds will cover you.
Vitamin C
Sources: Peppers, watercress, broccoli, tomatoes, citrus fruits, cabbage, strawberries
Functions: Strengthens your immune system, collagen formation, strong bones, skin and joints, antioxidant
If you eat a great variety of colours you will be covered - warm lemon water in the morning, strawberries with your brekki, broccoli and tomatoes for lunch, peppers with your dinner.
Sources: Peppers, watercress, broccoli, tomatoes, citrus fruits, cabbage, strawberries
Functions: Strengthens your immune system, collagen formation, strong bones, skin and joints, antioxidant
If you eat a great variety of colours you will be covered - warm lemon water in the morning, strawberries with your brekki, broccoli and tomatoes for lunch, peppers with your dinner.
Vitamin D
Sources: This vitamin is available for free from the sun - so try to get as much sun exposure as you can especially during winter month.
However, in order for your body to convert the sunlight into vitamin D there is a complicated process behind. So if you're not vegetarian, add oily fish such as salmon to your diet. It is recommended for vegetarians to take a vitamin D supplement during winter months where sun exposure is low.
Functions: Needed for regulation of calcium levels which in turn is important for healthy bones and teeth, for the immune system and muscle function.
A rough guideline would be to take a 15 minutes sunbath over your lunch break with as much bare skin as possible. This will cover you daily dose.
Sources: This vitamin is available for free from the sun - so try to get as much sun exposure as you can especially during winter month.
However, in order for your body to convert the sunlight into vitamin D there is a complicated process behind. So if you're not vegetarian, add oily fish such as salmon to your diet. It is recommended for vegetarians to take a vitamin D supplement during winter months where sun exposure is low.
Functions: Needed for regulation of calcium levels which in turn is important for healthy bones and teeth, for the immune system and muscle function.
A rough guideline would be to take a 15 minutes sunbath over your lunch break with as much bare skin as possible. This will cover you daily dose.
Vitamin E
Sources: Vegetable oils such as corn oil, sunflower seeds, peanuts, sesame seeds, wheat germs, sweet potatoes
Functions: Strong antioxidant, prevents blood clots, improves wound-healing and fertility, healthy skin
Sprinkle your salads, stews, soups with seeds, have sweet potatoes for dinner and beans or sardines for lunch and you're protected.
Sources: Vegetable oils such as corn oil, sunflower seeds, peanuts, sesame seeds, wheat germs, sweet potatoes
Functions: Strong antioxidant, prevents blood clots, improves wound-healing and fertility, healthy skin
Sprinkle your salads, stews, soups with seeds, have sweet potatoes for dinner and beans or sardines for lunch and you're protected.
Vitamin K
Sources: Cauliflower, brussels sprouts, vegetable oils, nuts and seeds, leafy greens, cabbage, broccoli, beans
Functions: Controls blood clotting, acts as antioxidant
You will get enough from adding cauliflower or brussels sprouts to your dinner, seed to your salad.
Sources: Cauliflower, brussels sprouts, vegetable oils, nuts and seeds, leafy greens, cabbage, broccoli, beans
Functions: Controls blood clotting, acts as antioxidant
You will get enough from adding cauliflower or brussels sprouts to your dinner, seed to your salad.
I understand my suggestions on how to get your daily dose of specific nutrients may seem impossible as you can never eat all of that in one day. However, our body is a wonder machine! It has so many different survival and compensation mechanisms and as long as you follow a colourful and balanced, plant based diet with organic foods wherever possible you will get almost everything covered. Also, many of the nutrients are present in almost every whole food hence you will always be getting something in. Plus, some of the nutrients can be stored in your body, so it can live of reserves in periods of not getting enough of a specific nutrient.
Interactions and synergies! It's important to know that most vitamins as well as minerals which are covered under Minerals interact with each other and are only able to perform to their full potential when others are present. Hence focusing or taking an isolated vitamin without a specific purpose to it, would probably not do much.
Considering today's food industry and how we are getting our foods including chemicals, out of season fruits and vegetables, living in a polluted city, reduced physical activity etc you might want to look at supplementing your already healthy diet with a multivitamin and mineral to be absolutely sure you are getting everything you need. I was never keen on supplements as I was always under the impression that you should be able to cover all your needs by eating plenty of whole foods - and yes that would normally be the case. However, as mentioned we live in a world that might not provide the possibilities anymore to do this, therefore I have come to learn that it is nothing unusual nowadays to take a healthy dose of a little bit of extra and is actually recommended by many health authorities and Naturopathic doctors. I have also started taking one even though I follow a healthy diet, but it's better to be safe than sorry!
Interactions and synergies! It's important to know that most vitamins as well as minerals which are covered under Minerals interact with each other and are only able to perform to their full potential when others are present. Hence focusing or taking an isolated vitamin without a specific purpose to it, would probably not do much.
Considering today's food industry and how we are getting our foods including chemicals, out of season fruits and vegetables, living in a polluted city, reduced physical activity etc you might want to look at supplementing your already healthy diet with a multivitamin and mineral to be absolutely sure you are getting everything you need. I was never keen on supplements as I was always under the impression that you should be able to cover all your needs by eating plenty of whole foods - and yes that would normally be the case. However, as mentioned we live in a world that might not provide the possibilities anymore to do this, therefore I have come to learn that it is nothing unusual nowadays to take a healthy dose of a little bit of extra and is actually recommended by many health authorities and Naturopathic doctors. I have also started taking one even though I follow a healthy diet, but it's better to be safe than sorry!
