Vitamins are organic compounds which, in small quantities, are essential to the proper metabolic functioning of our bodies. So they’re nutrients which are essential to staying healthy.
It’s certainly perfectly possible to get all the recommended daily allowances of every vitamin by eating a healthy, balanced and varied diet. However, there are circumstances in which supplements can be useful.
These include if your diet is limited, if you’re pregnant, if you’re taking some medications, have a compromised digestive system, cases of illness or old age, or if you can’t get outside to absorb vitamin D through natural light. Not only that, but many modern foods, including some vegetables, grains and fruit, are not as nutritious as they once were.
So daily vitamin supplements provide nutritional insurance for millions who are looking to enhance their dietary intake.
Vitamin A
This is also called retinol, and it helps to build your own defences against illness and infection and illness with a properly working immune system, among other benefits. You should be able to get all the vitamin A you need from your diet. Any supplements you do take shouldn’t exceed a daily intake of 1.5mg.
Vitamin B
There are various types of vitamin B, including:
- B1 (thiamin)
- B2 (riboflavin)
- B3 (niacin)
- B6
- B7 (biotin)
- B12 (cyanocobalamin)
Folic acid, which pregnant women are advised to take, is also part of this family.
Vitamin B12 releases energy from food, produces red blood cells and generally keeps the nervous system healthy. A lack of it could lead to vitamin B12 deficiency anaemia. Dairy foods, meat, eggs and fish are rich in this compound, but vegans may not get enough of it.
Equally, those who have a compromised digestion, for example those who have a condition such as Crohn’s or coeliac disease, or who take certain meds or who are elderly, may also benefit from supplementation.
Adults need around 1.5mg daily of this vitamin.
Vitamin C
Food sources include citrus fruits, peppers, strawberries, white potatoes and tomatoes. You might also be low in vitamin C if you drink a lot of alcohol, smoke, have a less-than-perfect diet or an eating disorder, or if you have type 1 diabetes.
Most adults need 40mg of vitamin C daily, and your body doesn’t store it, so you need to take it every day.
Vitamin D
Vitamin D helps regulate your body’s supplies of phosphate and calcium, which you need for healthy bones, teeth and muscles.
Up to a fifth of us are thought to be low in Vitamin D in the early spring and winter. You may be at greater risk of deficiency if you have dark skin, cover up for cultural or religious reasons meaning your skin doesn’t absorb sunlight, or are housebound. Children aged between one and four are also on this list.
Government advice is for everyone to think about a daily vitamin D supplement during the colder months; 10mg daily should be enough for most people.
Vitamin E
This group of compounds occurs naturally in a range of foods, including plant oils, nuts and seeds, as well as wheatgerm. Vitamin E helps keep skin and eyes healthy, and strengthens the immune system. Men need 4mg of it daily; women 3mg.
Good food sources include plant oils, wheatgerm plus nuts and seeds.
Vitamin K
This is found in green leafy veg, cereal grains and vegetable oils. You need 1mcg daily of vitamin K for each kg of your body weight. And, actually there are two of these compounds; K1 and K2. This vitamin helps with blood clotting, and so helps wounds to heal, while there’s also some evidence it can help keep bones and heart healthy. Your liver stores any you don’t use, so you don’t necessarily need to take this vitamin daily.
As with any significant dietary change, it’s worth talking to your GP before starting a course of vitamins.
Get your vitamins from Ganesha Wholefoods
Family-run Ganesha Wholefoods, established in 1978, has three stores across Devon plus an online shop. We’re always happy to chat to customers about vitamins. And we offer a wide range of supplements, including Vitamins D3 and K2, B12 and the B-50 and B-100 complexes, as well as the Viridian High Five Multivitamin Formula and Nature’s Aid Multivitamin and Minerals.
Equally, many of our wholefoods are naturally rich in vitamins, as are some of our beauty products, for example JASON Vitamin E cream.
Visit in person, browse our website or give us a call. Remember, shop online and enjoy benefits including our wood pulp packaging, suitable for home composting, plus free shipping on orders worth £40 or more.