How to Get All of Your Nutrition From Your Food Instead of Supplements

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For the human body to work properly, the essential vitamins A, C, D, E, K, and the B must be consumed. Typically, people will take a vitamin that they are low on through the form of supplements. However, there are many natural foods that can help increase your intake of these vitamins without the need for supplementation.

Probiotics

Probiotics can help increase the metabolization of these vitamins by regulating and promoting the growth of healthy bacteria. A good source of these bacterium are through the consumption of plain yogurt, sauerkraut, or miso.

Vitamin A and Beta-carotene

Vitamin A is a vitamin that is quite common and can be found in a variety of milk products such as cheese, cream, or milk. In addition, this vitamin can be found in liver, code, or kidneys and will ensure healthy eye functions.

A precursor to this vitamin is beta-carotene. This synergistic mineral can be ingested by eating sweet potatoes, squash, pumpkin, carrots, grapefruit, and spinach. When choosing a vegetable for consumption, more intense colors will provide higher-than-average beta-carotene.

Vitamin C and Its Benefits

A very important vitamin that will help promote a healthy immune system is vitamin C. Also called absorbic acid, this vitamin can be found in most citrus fruits and strawberries.

Other sources include tomatoes, cantaloupe, broccoli, and turnip greens.

Vitamins D, E, and K

Vitamin D is available by eating cream, oysters, cheese, butter, and margarine. Another way to naturally get more vitamin D is by exposing yourself to minimal amounts of sunlight which the body naturally makes its own.

Vitamin E can be naturally consumed by eating wheat germ, seeds, green vegetables, corn, olives, asparagus, and spinach.

Vitamin K is another essential vitamin that can be take by consuming more cabbage, spinach, soy, and cauliflower.

Multiple Forms of B Vitamins

There are various forms of the B vitamins that help contribute to the metabolism of the cell. B vitamins are plentiful and are available in the following:

– Thiamine

– Riboflavin

– Niacin

– Pantothenic acid

– Biotin

– Vitamin B6

– Vitamin B12

– Folate

Vitamin B1, also known as thiamine, can be found within a variety of fortified cereals and whole grains. This vitamin is also easily consumed through lean meats, soybeans, fish, and beans.

Riboflavin, also named vitamin B2, is used to regulate overall heath functions in humans and can be found in green vegetables, kidneys, legumes, and mushrooms. Almonds, mushrooms, and yeast also all carry large amounts of B2.

Vitamin B3, also called niacin, is an essential vitamin that is found in nuts, meats, eggs, and poultry. Enriched breads and most legumes will contain some niacin.

Pantothenic acid, also known as vitamin B5, contributes to the synthesizing of proteins in the body. Eggs, dairy products, legumes, broccoli, beef, and fish will all have sufficient amounts of pantothenic acid.

B6 allows for the transformation of glycogen to glucose in the human body. This vitamin is needed for one of the most basic energy functions and can be found in grains, cereals, spinach, peas, and carrots. For more sources of B6, this vitamin can also be found in milk, cheese, and eggs.

Folate is another B vitamin that is required for normal red blood cell function. Folate is found in abundance in any leafy, green vegetables and can also be found in an assortment of foods that are fortified with minerals.

B12 is a vitamin that helps create new red blood cells, protect against allergies, is necessary for normal nervous cell function.

Image courtesy of Martin Cathrae at Flickr