We need vitamins in a very small amount, but they are as important as any other nutrients we need in maintaining our health. Below is a table illustrating the functions and the sources of the vitamins to you.
Vitamins |
Functions |
Source of the vitamins |
B1 (Thiamine) |
help in converting carbohydrates into energy
advance the metabolism of sugar and fatty acid in our body
maintain the normal functions of heart and nerves |
Whole-wheat products, pork, liver, peas |
B2 (Riboflavin) |
prevent skin disease
occurs in a large number of enzyme interactions that are designed to convert the food we eat into energy |
Green vegetables, meat, fish, liver, egg, milk products, whole-grain foods |
B3 (Niacin) |
helps living cells generate energy from food
good for nerves |
milk products, whole grain foods and liver |
B5 (Pantothenic) |
synthesizing and metabolizing fats and the formation of hormones and cholesterol
advance the reorganization |
Widely distributed in plant and animal foods, e.g. Liver, egg, fresh vegetables |
B6 (Pyridoxine) |
used in protein metabolism
help to synthesize amino acids and to break them down so they can be converted to other comounds or to energy |
Meat, milk, potatoes, cereals, vegetables, oatmeal |
Folic acid |
involved in the formation of hemoglobin in red blood cells
plays an important role in genetic functions such as cell division and tissue growth |
Green vegetables, milk, liver |
B12 (Cyanocobalamin) |
important for DNA metabolism
assists in red blood cell formation
help in maintenance of the central nervous system |
Egg, milk and milk products, fish, liver, kidney and muscle meats |
C (Absorbic acid) |
act as an antioxidant against destructive oxidative reactions
making antibodies
strengthen the bones, teeth and blood vessels
help in taking in iron
to strengthen the structure of the body |
Fresh fruit and juice, especially in orange, lemon and green vegetables |
A (Retinol) |
as a structural integrity of the barrier formed by the cell membranes against invasion of microorganisms
needed for maintenance of a wide variety of body cells |
Cheese, eggs, butter, liver; some orange or yellow and some deep-green leafy vegetables, which contain beta-carotene, which are converted into vitamin A in the body |
D |
crucial in the formation of bones and teeth
needed for maintenance of a wide variety of body cells |
Cheese, eggs, butter, liver; some orange or yellow and some deep-green leafy vegetables, which contain beta-carotene, which are converted into vitamin A in the body |
E |
antioxidant
protects the walls of the red blood cells from becoming fragile
make the cell membranes more stable
prevents tissues from becoming damaged |
vegetable oils, whole-grain products, liver, nuts and leafy green vegetables |
K |
essential for the synthesis of proteins needed to make blood clot
important in the metabolism of the amino acid glutamic acid, which affects bones and other tissues |
dark-green leafy vegetables, liver, egg yolks, herbal tea and green tea |