A Vitamin is an organic compound derived from various natural sources like Vegetables, Fruits, Eggs, Meat, Dairy products, Sunlight etc. The word vitamin derived from ‘Vitamin’ by Polish scientist Casimir Funk.
There are a number of different types of vitamins which have different functions to promote health. They are: vitamin A (Retinol), B1(Thamin), B2(Riboflavin), B3(Niacin), B5(Pantothenic Acid), B6(Pyridoxine), B7(Biotin), B9 (Folate), B12(Cyanocobalamin), C(Ascorbic Acid), D(Calciferol), E(Tocopherol) and K(Phytonadione){three Vitamin K groups are K1(Phylloquinone), K2(Menaquinone) &K3(Menadione)}.
Until 1930, the only source of vitamins was food intake. Since then vitamins have been extracted from their natural sources and sold as food supplements tablets. In 1929, Frederick Gowland Hopkins was discovered Vitamins.
Facts of top 10 essential Vitamins:
Vitamin A:
Deficiencies: Vitamin A deficiencies can cause vision problems and increase susceptibility of infectious diseases.
Sources : Meat, Eggs, Cheese, Milk, liver, Carrot.
Vitamin B1
Deficiencies: Vitamin B1 deficiencies can cause fatigue, weakness, nerve damage.
Sources : Cereals, Breads, lean meat (Pork meat), fish, whole grains, dry beans, soybean, peas.
Vitamin B3
Deficiencies: Vitamin B3 deficiencies can cause pellagra, inflammation of the skin, dementia, and diarrhea.
Sources : Poultry, diary products, fish, nuts, lean meat and eggs.
Vitamin B6
Deficiencies: Vitamin B6 deficiencies can cause ulcers of the mouth and tongue, irritability, confusion, anxiety and depression.
Sources : Nuts, beans, legumes, meat, eggs, fish, whole grains etc.
Vitamin B7
Deficiencies: Vitamin B7 deficiencies can cause hair loss, red rash around the eyas, nose and mouth.
Sources : Fish, Eggs, Diary products, legumes, whole grains, broccoli, cabbage, sweet potatoes, and lean meat.
Vitamin B12
Deficiencies: Vitamin B12 deficiencies can cause anemia, numbness in the arms and legs, weakness, pain and inflammation in the mouth and tongue, pale or yellow skin etc.
Sources : Poultry, Eggs, Fish, Seafood and Milk.
Vitamin C
Deficiencies: Vitamin C deficiencies can cause feel tired, weak, and irritable, bruising, gum and dental problems, dry hair and skin, and anemia.
Sources : Citrus fruits like Orange, Tomatoes, Strawberries, Broccoli, Sweet Potatoes, Turmeric, Papaya, Cauliflower, Raspberries, Blueberries, Pineapple.
Vitamin D
Deficiencies: Vitamin D deficiencies can bone pain, arthralgias, myalgias, fatigue, muscle twitching ,and weakness.
Sources : Sunlight, Fish, Diary products, etc.
Vitamin E
Deficiencies: Vitamin E deficiencies can nerve and muscle damage that results in loss of feeling in the arms and legs, loss of body movement control, muscle weakness, and vision problems, weakened immune system
Sources : Corn, Wheat germ, seeds, nuts, spinach, olives, sunflower, soybean etc.
Vitamin K
Deficiencies: Vitamin K deficiencies can nerve and muscle damage that results in loss of feeling in the arms and legs, loss of body movement control, muscle weakness, and vision problems, weakened immune system
Sources : Cauliflower, Cabbage, Corn, Spinach, Soybean, Papaya, Egg Yolks, Sajina (Moringa) Leaves etc.
Vitamin A, C and E is a powerful Antioxidants.
