Vitamins are so important for the proper functioning of the body. But often we do not get them in our daily diet. Most people are deficient in one or more vitamins.
To overcome this, many just pop multivitamin pills. But it is always better to have them through food. Medicines are not a long-term solution to this common problem.
How does one ensure that their diet supplies them with all these essential vitamins? How to get vitamins through food?
Vitamins, health, and deficiencies
Vitamins are so essential for overall health and optimal functioning. They are part of so many important processes of the body. But often the diet is inadequate to provide these vitamins.
Often, the requirements for these vitamins rise in pregnancy of after an illness. Moreover, sometimes certain medical conditions make it impossible for one to have them in their diet.
For instance, allergies could cause problems in the intake of certain foods, and the vitamin in that food is eliminated from the diet.
Vitamin C-rich foods (Source: Healthline)Surveys have revealed that around 46% of adults have low vitamin C in their bodies. Cleveland Clinic data states that 42% of adults in the USA are deficient in vitamin D.
90% are not able to get sufficient vitamin E in their daily foods. Getting so little of these vitamins in the diet can even have dangerous consequences including mental issues.
Vitamin C – vitamins through food
Vitamin C is such a crucial vitamin for the body. It is needed for wound healing, gums repair, immune system functioning, joint health, and also for proper mood. If low, one feels weak.
There may be trouble in getting off to sleep. The person may also have blurring of vision. One in 20 people have extremely low levels of this vitamin in their blood. But this vitamin can easily be procured through daily foods.
Vitamin D foods (Source: News18)Dr. Gene Lewis, from the University of California San Francisco, states:
“I’m a medical doctor and I prescribe medicine, but I always like to take the natural approach whenever possible, and food is medicine,”
Vitamin D and E
The role of vitamin D is mainly for the strengthening bones. It pushes calcium into the bones for new bone formation as well as repair of the dying bones. More than 1 billion people globally demonstrate its deficiency.
Lack of sunshine is one main reason for it. Diet deficient in this vitamin also contributes to this problem. The bones become brittle and break easily.
Newer studies have also linked it to the rising problems of dementia and stroke. But this vitamin can be easily got from the daily diet. Foods rich in it are salmon, tuna, egg yolk, mushrooms, and orange juice.
Vitamin E-containing foods (Source: Harvard Health)Vitamin E is needed for immune function and also for the skin. Recent reviews have revealed that it is essential to prevent Alzheimer’s disease, prostate cancer as well as liver diseases.
One can obtain it from nuts, seeds, vegetable oils, and green leaves such as spinach and broccoli.
Read more: Vitamin E and its role in the reduction of obesity!
To aid absorption of these vitamins have them with meals that have at least 10 grams of fats. If one procures these vitamins through food, there are fewer chances of overdose or toxicity.
But with multivitamin supplements, the risk of overdose is high. It is always to obtain these vitamins through food and to be not worried about any side effects.