Vitamins

Vitamins are substances that your body needs to grow and develop normally in small quantities.. There are 13 vitamins your body needs. 
They are fat soluble vitamins A, D, E, K and the water soluble vitamins -B vitamins (thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, biotin, vitamin B-6, vitamin B-12 and folate) and vitamin C .
You can usually get all your vitamins from the foods you eat. 

• Fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E and K) are usually found in meat and meat products, animal fat and vegetable oils, dairy products and fish. They are transported around the body in fat, and your body stores any excess in the liver and fatty tissues. This means you don't need to get them from food sources every day.

     
Water-soluble vitamins (B, C, folic acid) are found in meat, fish, fruit, vegetables and wholegrains. They are transported around the body in water. The body can't store them because you pass the excess through urine. You need to eat foods containing these vitamins every day. 

 
     

                                         

Deficiency of certain Vitamins can lead to various diseases:

Vitamin A

Deficiency: The deficiency of vitamin leads to skin changes and to night blindness or failure of dark adaptation due to the effects of deficiency on retina.

Vitamin D

Deficiency: Deficiency of vitamin D causes rickets in children and osteomalacia in adults.

Vitamin K

Deficiency: deficiency results in impaired blood clotting, usually demonstrated by tests that measure clotting time. Symptoms include easy bruising and bleeding diathesis. In infants, vitamin K deficiency may result in intracranial hemorrhage.

Vitamin C

Deficiency : The deficiency causes scurvy, anemia, decreased ability to fight infections, slow metabolism which may result in weight gain and dryness.

Thiamine (B1)
Animal and plant sources include yeast, whole grains, lean pork, nuts, legumes, and thiamine-enriched cereal products.
Deficiency: A deficiency of this vitamin causes beriberi.

Riboflavin (B2)
Deficiency: Deficiency leads to fissures in the corners of the mouth, inflammation of the tongue showing a reddish purple coloration and skin disease.

Nicotinic acid or Niacin (B3)
Deficiency: The deficiency state in humans causes skin disease, diarrhea, dementia, and ultimately death.

Pyridoxine (B6)
Deficiency: can result in central nervous system disturbances e.g. convulsions in infants, More generally the effects of deficiency include inadequate growth or weight loss and anemia due to the role of B6 in the manufacture of hemoglobin.

Folic Acid (B9)
Deficiency: Its Deficiency during pregnancy is associated with birth defects, such as neural tube defects

Cyanocobalamin (B12)
Deficiency: Its deficiency results in megaloblastic anemia.

* Without vitamins the body cannot survive.

* Your body can also make vitamins D and K. 
* Water-soluble vitamins can be destroyed by cooking – so steam and grill rather than boil.


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