Numerous foods carry essential vitamins inside of them, categorized into two different types, water-soluble and fat-soluble vitamins.
“A healthy diet will include foods rich in vitamin C, vitamin A, vitamin B6, potassium, vitamin K, vitamin B12 and magnesium,” said Bootz, culinary teacher.
According to Harvard Health, vitamins are defined as organic substances produced by plants or animals which are essential to humans because they are not synthesized in the body, excluding vitamin D. Vitamins are split into two different groups, water-soluble vitamins and fat-soluble vitamins. Water-soluble vitamins include the eight B-vitamins, B1-B9, B12, and vitamin C. Fat-soluble vitamins include vitamins A, D, E and K.
Water-soluble vitamins come from foods like fruit, vegetables, dairy, and grains. Foods that are animal products or contain fat, such as milk, butter, vegetable oils, eggs, liver, and oil fish, contain fat-soluble vitamins.
“Fruits and vegetables have a lot of vitamins that are necessary to maintain a healthy lifestyle and to keep your body healthy,” said Arielle Nelson, a senior.
Vitamins are essential for human growth and development. For example, vitamin A helps the body’s natural defense against illness and infection. Foods rich in vitamin A include eggs, orange/yellow vegetables and fruit, and dark green, leafy vegetables. According to Family Doctor, a trusted medical site, vitamin C, or calcium, is an antioxidant that helps protect cells against the effects of free radicals- molecules produced when your body breaks down food. Fruits such as oranges, kiwis, strawberries, and guava, are foods with very high vitamin C levels.
Some other forms of vitamins found in foods include potassium and fiber. Potassium is one of the most important vitamins in the body because it helps regulate fluid balance, muscle contractions, and nerve signals. Potassium-rich foods include bananas, avocado, spinach, and broccoli. Fiber is beneficial because it normalizes bowel movements, lowers cholesterol levels, helps control blood sugar levels, and aids in achieving healthy weight. High-fiber foods include beans, whole grains, popcorn, and berries.
“It is highly important to make fiber a key part of your diet, because it has numerous health benefits and increases the quality and length of life,” said Tawny Schnorr, a Grand Canyon University student studying nutrition and health.
Another important vitamin found in foods is magnesium. Magnesium benefits normal daily functions, such as regulating muscle contractions and heart rhythm. Foods high in magnesium include greens, nuts, seeds, dry beans, whole grains, wheat germ, wheat and oat bran. According to Cleveland Clinic, a non profit American academic medical center, the recommended dietary allowance for magnesium for adults is 400-420 mg per day.
Overall, consuming vitamins in foods daily is severely beneficial to one’s health and quality of life.