Eating well to make sure you get the right nutrients.
We all know we should try to eat healthily. The great news is that if you eat a balanced, varied diet, you should be getting all the vitamins you need from your food. A good mix of fruits and vegetables, combined with different types of protein and starch will see you well on your way to giving your body the different vitamins it needs for a healthy metabolism and cell repair.
If you have a restricted diet (due to food intolerances or maybe because you are vegan or vegetarian) or a particular medical condition and are concerned that you might not be getting enough of certain essential nutrients, speak to your pharmacist or GP. They might recommend vitamin supplements.
Vitamin A
Good for your skin and your immune system. As it’s a fat-soluble vitamin, you don’t need foods with vitamin A every day, as your body is able to store it. Good sources of vitamin A include oily fish, cheese and liver.
Vitamin B
There are in fact eight B vitamins, often referred to as vitamin B complex. Initially they were thought to be one vitamin, but the group includes:
• thiamin (or vitamin B1, found in most types of food)
• riboflavin (or vitamin B2, found in milk, eggs and mushrooms)
• niacin (or vitamin B3, found in meat, eggs and milk)
• vitamin B6 (found in a variety of foods, from chicken and wholegrains to milk and soya beans)
• vitamin B12 (found in most meat products, as well as milk and yeast extract)
• folic acid (or folate, found in green vegetables and fortified breakfast cereals).
Vitamin C
Important for keeping the body’s cells healthy, vitamin C also helps the body absorb iron in your food. Good sources include broccoli, sweet peppers and oranges and kiwis.
Vitamin D
Known as the “sunshine vitamin”, most of the body’s vitamin D comes from exposing the skin to sunlight. Food sources include oily fish and eggs, as well as some fortified foods such as breakfast cereal and margarine. This vitamin helps keep teeth and bones strong.
Vitamin E
You can find this in vegetable oils, such as olive oil, as well as nuts and seeds. Vitamin E acts as an antioxidant, protecting cell membranes.
Vitamin K
Helping your blood clot, vitamin K is used in the body’s natural healing process. A plentiful source can be found in green leafy vegetables, such as spinach and broccoli.
Find out more
Benenden Healthcare members can all the GP 24/7 advice line with queries about their vitamin requirements.
For up-to-date nutritional information from the Food Standards Agency, including important details about daily recommended levels and advice for pregnant women, go to the Eat Well website.
You may also be intersted in our article about essential minerals.
