f_vitamins

Vitamins are found in nearly all the foods listed in the Canada Food Guide. They do not supply energy as carbohydrates, fats and proteins do, but they are essential because they regulate the body chemistry and body functions.

Vitamins cannot be produced by our bodies. They must be ingested (eaten in our food). Vitamins assist the body in using food by bringing about biochemical reactions so life can be maintained. Science is still learning about many of the functions of vitamins. Vitamins are divided into two groups:

An incomplete list of vitamins include: Fat-soluble vitamins are transported through the body by being absorbed and stored in fat. Water-soluble vitamins are dissolved in water and transported through the body.
 * === FAT-SOLUBLE VITAMINS === ||  ||   || === WATER-SOLUBLE VITAMINS === ||
 * Vitamin A ||  ||   || Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) ||
 * D ||  ||   || Vitamin B Complex ||
 * E ||  ||   || * B1 (thiamin) ||
 * K ||  ||   || * B2 (riboflavin) ||
 * ||  ||   || * B3 Niacin ||
 * ||  ||   || * B6 (pyridoxine) ||
 * ||  ||   || * B12 (cobalamin) ||
 * ||  ||   || * B9 Folacin (Folate or Folic Acid) ||

Some people believe that if small doses of vitamins are good for you, more is better. The vitamins ingested by an individual regulate fixed reactions that take place in fixed times. Too few vitamins keep the body from operating at full capacity. Too many may be damaging to your health. Just as too much water in a glass will spill over (demonstrate), so too many vitamins will be excreted or stored, and an excess can be toxic.

Folic Acid (Folate or Folacin) has appeared much in recent medical research. It plays a role in the formation of red blood cells, aids in cell growth and division, and helps with protein metabolism. It is vital that women of childbearing age get enough folic acid (especially in the first month of a pregnancy) to prevent neural tube defects in their unborn child. Because Folic Acid helps clear the blood of excess homocysteine, an amino acid that has been linked with heart attacks, it may reduce the risk of heart attacks. Fortified breakfast cereals, liver, asparagus, spinach, and legumes are good sources of Folic Acid.

Another category of vitamins that have had much attention are Antioxidants because of their possible link to cancer prevention. While studies have conflicting results, it is wise to look at antioxidants in the battle over disease and toward optimal health. “Antioxidants are substances that may protect cells from the damage caused by unstable molecules known as free radicals. Free radical damage may lead to cancer. Antioxidants interact with and stabilize free radicals and may prevent some of the damage free radicals otherwise might cause. Examples of antioxidants include beta-carotene, lycopene, vitamins C, E, and A, and other substances. Antioxidants are abundant in fruits and vegetables, as well as in other foods including nuts, grains and some meats, poultry and fish.”

Watch the powerpoint presentation on Vitamins here: