What is in a Vitamin?
Each of the vitamins has an important job in the body. A vitamin deficiency occurs when you do not get enough of a certain vitamin. Health problems can arise from a vitamin deficiency. The natural way to get all the daily vitamins you need is to eat a balanced diet that contains a wide variety of fruits, vegetables, fortified dairy foods, legumes (dried beans), lentils, and whole grains.
Dietary supplements are another way to get the vitamins you need if the food you eat is not supplying enough vitamins. Or if, like me, you are a picky eater!
There are 13 essential vitamins, meaning they are needed for the body to function.
Name |
RDA |
Food Source |
Body Function |
Vitamin A |
5000 IU |
Dark-colored fruit, dark leafy vegetables, egg yolk, liver, beef, fish, fortified milk and dairy products (like butter, cheese, cream, and yogurt) |
helps form and maintain healthy teeth, bones, soft tissue, mucus membranes, and skin. |
Vitamin C |
60 mg |
Broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, citrus fruits, potatoes, spinach, stawberries, tomatoes, tomato juice |
also called ascorbic acid, is an antioxidant that promotes healthy teeth and gums. It helps the body absorb iron and maintain healthy tissue. It also promotes wound healing. |
Vitamin D |
400 IU |
Fatty fish (like salmon, mackerel, herring, and orange roughy), cod liver oil, fortified cereals, fortified milk and dairy products (like butter, cheese, cream, and yogurt) |
Vitamin D helps the body absorb calcium, which you need for the normal development and maintenance of healthy teeth and bones. It also helps maintain proper blood levels of calcium and phosphorus. |
Vitamin E |
15 IU |
Dark green vegetables (like spinach, broccoli, asparagus, and turnip greens), mango and papaya fruits, seeds and nuts, wheat germ and wheat germ oil, margarine and oils made from safflower, corn and sunflower |
an antioxidant also known as tocopherol. It plays a role in the formation of red blood cells and helps the body use vitamin K. |
Vitamin K |
80 mcg |
Cabbage, cauliflower, cereals, Dark green vegetables (broccoli, asparagus, and brussels sprouts), Dark leafy vegetables (spinach, kale, collards, turnip greens), fish, liver, beef, eggs, |
without it blood would not stick together (coagulate). Some studies suggest that it is important for promoting bone health. |
Vitamin B1 [Thiamine] |
1.5 mg |
Dried milk, eggs, lean meats, enriched bread, enriched flour, nuts, seeds, liver, kidney, heart, peas, whole grains |
(vitamin B1) helps the body cells change carbohydrates into energy. Getting plenty of carbohydrates is very important during pregnancy and breast-feeding. It is also essential for heart function and healthy nerve cells. |
Vitamin B2 [Riboflavin] |
1.8 mg |
Beans, peas, milk, yougurt, cheese, liver, kidney, almonds, eggs, brewer's yeast |
(vitamin B2) works with the other B vitamins. It is important for body growth and the production of red blood cells. |
Vitamin B3 [Niacin] |
20 mg |
Avocado, eggs, tuna, salt-water fish, lean meats, poultry, legumes, nuts, potatoes, enriched breads, fortified cereals |
a B vitamin that helps maintain healthy skin and nerves. It is also has cholesterol-lowering effects. |
Vitamin B5 [Pantothenic Acid] |
4 – 7 mg |
Avocado, cabbage, broccoli, kale, eggs, legumes, lentils, milk, mushrooms, liver, heart, kidney, poultry, white and sweet potatoes, whole grain cereals |
is essential for the metabolism of food. It is also plays a role in the production of hormones and cholesterol. |
Vitamin B6 [Pyroxidine] |
2 mg |
Avocado, banana, dried beans, meat, poultry, nuts, whole grains |
is also called pyridoxine. Vitamin B6 helps form red blood cells and maintain brain function. This vitamin also plays an important role in the proteins that are part of many chemical reactions in the body. Eating larger amounts of protein may reduce vitamin B6 levels in the body. |
Vitamin B7 [Biotin] |
30 – 100 mcg |
Chocolate, cereal, egg yolk, legumes, milk, nuts, pork, yeast, liver, kidney |
essential for the metabolism of proteins and carbohydrates, and in the production of hormones and cholesterol. |
Vitamin B12 |
2 mcg |
Eggs, meat, poultry, liver, kidney, shellfish, milk, milk products, fortified foods like soymilk |
like the other B vitamins, is important for metabolism. It also helps form red blood cells and maintain the central nervous system. |
Folic Acid [Vitamin M] |
200 mcg |
broccoli, asparagus, beets, dried beans, fortified cereals, green leafy vegetables, lentils, oranges, orange juice, peanut butter, wheat germ, brewer's yeast |
works with vitamin B12 to help form red blood cells. It is needed for the production of DNA, which controls tissue growth and cell function. Pregnant women be sure to get enough folate to prevent birth defects such as spina bifida. |
RDA (Recommended Daily Allowance) data from http://www.crnusa.org/about_recs3.html. Values established and revised by Food and Nutrition Board of the Institute of Medicine, is the highest RDA for each nutrient from 1989 until 1997. In 1997 a new standard was established; the DRI or Dietary Reference Intakes.
Council for Responsible Nutrition, Vitamin and Mineral Recommendations, retreived from http://www.crnusa.org/about_recs3.html
Hyperhealth
The Merck Manual, 15th Ed.,
== The information presented on this site is educational and is not designed to replace competent medical consultation. Do not use this information to self diagnose a medical problem. If you suspect you have a medical problem, please contact your health care provider immediately. Information and statements regarding dietary supplements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. ==