In a correct diet, the most important vitamins cannot be absent. Although there are no irrelevant vitamins, the truth is that there are some that have a greater influence on the good health of our body. In fact, it is precisely because of the vitamin content that foods such as eggs or dairy are so recommended, since they are rich in a wide variety of vitamins.
Usefulness of the most important vitamins
The most important vitamins are necessary to be able to fulfill many of the vital activities of the organism : metabolism, amount of energy and even the formation of our teeth depend directly on them.
If we were to reduce the vitamins that have the greatest importance and influence on the health of the organism to ten, these would be vitamins D, K, A, B1, C, B12, B6, biotin, B3 and E.
They are not the only ones that exist , but due to the functions they perform, they have greater relevance and are the ones that should be most present in our diet.
It is worth mentioning that vitamins K, E, D and A are stored in fat tissue , since they are fat soluble. On the contrary, the rest of the vitamins mentioned are water soluble, which means that they are expelled through the urine when the body does not use them.
This means that water-soluble vitamins have to be consumed more frequently than fat-soluble ones . The only exception to this principle is in vitamin B12 , which despite being water-soluble, is able to remain present in the liver for years.
Next we are going to detail the specific importance of the ten most important vitamins for the correct functioning of the human body.
B12 vitamin
This vitamin is known to be the most difficult to obtain when practicing vegan diets, since it is present almost exclusively in foods of animal origin . Its importance for the proper functioning of the body is that it is necessary for the formation of red blood cells , maintaining the health of the central nervous system and metabolic activity.
The foods where it is easier to find it are seafood, milk and its derivatives, poultry and cow meat and eggs . When a person is deficient in this vitamin , they may experience anemia, tingling in the limbs, numbness, and loss of balance . Such a deficiency may be due to an inadequate diet or the inability of the body to absorb it through the intestine.
Vitamin A
Vitamin A contributes to the maintenance and formation of teeth , as well as the skin, mucous membranes, bones and bone tissues. It is one of the main promoters of good vision. For all this it has a crucial importance in lactation and reproduction.
It is present in foods high in saturated fat and cholesterol such as milk cream, liver, cod liver oil, meat, cheese, eggs and milk. The alternative to obtain large amounts of vitamin A without eating a lot of cholesterol and saturated fat is skim milk.
When levels of this vitamin are low, people can experience visual problems and be more prone to infectious diseases .
Vitamin B3
Vitamin B3 plays a fundamental role in the transformation of food into energy . It also influences the functioning of the nerves, skin and digestive system. The best sources of this vitamin are in lean meat, eggs, fish, dairy, poultry, nuts, breads, legumes and cereals .
A low consumption of vitamin B3 produces mental deterioration, inflammation of the skin and digestive problems. Likewise, its excessive consumption can cause peptic ulcer , liver damage and skin rashes.
Vitamin E
Vitamin E is an antioxidant in charge of protecting body tissues from free radicals. It also has an important role in the formation of red blood cells. It is even responsible for the body being able to process vitamin K. When consumed in moderate levels it contributes to good heart health.
The foods where it is most present are soybeans, asparagus, spinach, walnuts, corn, cottonseed and wheat germ. Although it is very beneficial in small amounts, its excessive consumption should be avoided as it can be very harmful, and can even cause death .
Vitamin B6
Vitamin B6 is one of the most important vitamins when it comes to strengthening the immune system. It also helps brain function and red blood cell development. It is also responsible for the breakdown of proteins by the body.
The best sources of vitamin B6 are eggs, whole grains, nuts, fish, cereals, and meat. When its consumption is deficient, people can experience depression, irritability and mouth ulcers . But when its consumption is excessive it can cause numbness of the body and neurological problems.
Vitamin D
Vitamin D is a fundamental component to maintain correct levels of calcium in the body , as well as to allow its adequate absorption. It also helps in stabilizing phosphorus levels.
It can be found in oysters, margarines, fortified cereals, fish, and dairy products .
When not enough vitamin D is consumed, children can develop rickets , and adults can develop osteoporosis. Instead, an excess of vitamin D can cause calcium to be deposited in the lungs and heart , impairing their functions.
Vitamin B1
Vitamin B1 is essential for the heart, nervous system and muscles to function properly. It also favors the transformation of carbohydrates into energy .
The foods richest in vitamin B1 are whole and dry grains, peas, soybeans, pasta and fortified breads .
When this vitamin is deficient, people experience weakness, neurological damage, psychosis, and fatigue . This can be caused not only by a low consumption, but also by an excessive consumption of alcohol, since it hinders the absorption of the vitamin.
Vitamin K
This vitamin is responsible for blood clotting and also plays an important role in strengthening bones in the elderly.
The foods that contain the most vitamin K are cereals, soybeans, spinach, cauliflower, and cabbage. It should be noted that this vitamin stands out for being formed thanks to the bacterial flora of the intestinal tract .
It is very rare for people to experience a deficiency of this vitamin and it usually only occurs when the body has problems absorbing it from the intestine. When this occurs, people are more likely to bleed and bruise.
Biotin
Biotin contributes to the breakdown of fats , proteins, and carbohydrates. In addition, it is necessary for adequate metabolic activity and growth.
The main food sources of biotin are lean meat, yeast, whole grains, eggs, milk and derivatives, fish and broccoli. Excess consumption of biotin produces symptoms similar to those of diarrhea.
Vitamin C
As one of the most important vitamins, vitamin C is vital for the repair and maintenance of cartilage , teeth, and bones, as well as wound healing. Helps prevent cancer, arthritis, and heart disease. It also favors the development and repair of tissues throughout the body.
The main sources of vitamin C are sweet potatoes, pineapple, cantaloupe, citrus fruits, papaya, cabbage, and cauliflower. If more than 2,000 milligrams per day of vitamin C are consumed, people may experience diarrhea and an upset stomach. On the contrary, if it is consumed in very low amounts, wounds take longer to heal, the skin becomes dry and the gums tend to bleed.
