10 Things You Didn’t Know About Vitamins
Your vitamin levels indicate the quality of functioning of an intricate somatic system. We all take vitamin tablets at some point in our lives to help boost nutrition, maintain a healthy metabolism, and build immunity to battle common illnesses. But with 13 essential vitamins, it can get a bit tricky to wrap our heads around how to get the best of all of them.
Here are 10 things you probably didn’t know or were confused about when it comes to vitamins.
1. How you pair your vitamins makes a difference
Essentially there are two types of vitamins – water-soluble and fat-soluble.
Vitamin C and the group of B vitamins – referred to as ‘B-complex’ are water-soluble vitamins and can be consumed at any time of the day. While a majority of vitamins are water-soluble, which means when consumed with a glass of water they will dissolve and be absorbed by the body very easily, there are a few which need a little support to be effective.
There are four fat-soluble vitamins- A, D, E, and K. For optimal absorption of these vitamins, you need to consume them with a meal. And the meal needs to have some healthy fats like avocado and cheese, or some fatty fish like salmon, mackerel, herring, and sardines.
2. When you take your vitamins makes a difference
While a glass of water can help you absorb most vitamins, when you take your vitamins does make a difference.
Taking vitamins on an empty stomach can cause nausea or stomach cramps as your body releases acidic digestive juices to break down the vitamin supplements. Without food in the system, excessive digestive juices can irritate the stomach. Food helps to slow down the digestive process and gives your body more time to absorb all the essential vitamins from the food and the supplements.
3. Depending on the type, vitamins need to be replenished
Water-soluble vitamins are not stored by our bodies in large amounts, which means they need to be replenished often. If your diet is not balanced and lacks vit B complex, you could reach a deficiency level quickly. On the other hand, to be deficient in fat-soluble vitamins like A, D, E and K it would take much longer as they are stored in our body with the fats for a longer period.
4. Sleep better with vitamin B6
Serotonin is a neurotransmitter produced by our body naturally. The right amount keeps us happy but excessive serotonin causes restlessness and hampers sleep quality. Tryptophan regulates the serotonin level produced by our brain and vitamin B6 is essential to make tryptophan.
People who eat foods rich in Vit B6 are usually happy as their serotonin levels are kept in check. Include B6-rich foods such as salmon, pistachios and chickpeas in your diet for better sleep and to maintain a positive state of mind.
5. How you cook your food determines its nutritional value.
Eating food rich in vitamins and minerals is the best way to get your daily dose of vitamins. However, some cooking methods may cause food to lose its nutritional value. For example, washing vegetables after cutting can deplete the level of water-soluble vitamins in the food. Prolonged heat exposure may cause some foods to lose vitamins B and C.
6. You're Vegan, take B12 supplements
Vitamin B12 known as cobalamin is a cofactor in the synthesis of DNA and in the metabolism of both fatty and amino acids. It is essential for the normal functioning of the nervous system. Vit B12 is naturally found in fish, dairy products like curd and cheese, eggs, and fortified foods. If you are a vegan, chances are your diet does not include most B12-rich foods. It is advisable to take supplements to obtain the necessary vitamin B12.
7. Consuming vitamin C regularly is important, but excess consumption does go to waste.
Vitamin C is essential for tissue repair and must be consumed regularly. If you are recovering from injury or have a cold, do consume more vitamin C. However, it is water-soluble, which means excess vitamin C will simply be expelled by the body.
8. Vitamin D is naturally produced by the body.
Vitamin D (includes D1, D2, and D3) is known as the sunshine vitamin for a reason. It is naturally produced by the body upon exposure to sunlight and is responsible for the proper intestinal absorption of a lot of important minerals and nutrients needed by the body such as calcium and phosphorus.
9. You lose vitamins through sweating
Sweating is good for health; it regulates your body temperature and removes toxins. But you also lose water-soluble vitamins while sweating. Make sure to replenish lost vitamins regularly.
10. Vitamin B complex is key to oral health
We are aware of the benefits of Vitamin D and Calcium for the building of strong teeth and enamel, but the vitamin B complex is key to oral hygiene. Frequent Canker sores also called aphthous ulcers, and bad breath is signs of deficiency of the vitamin B complex. Eat foods rich in B complex and maintain your oral health.
