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About Healthy Nutrition

The Elements of a Healthy Diet

Vitamins

Vitamin A
Sources: Organ meats (liver and kidney), eggs, butter, fish oils, dark green and yellow fruit and vegetables such as carrots, spinach and watercress.
Function: Needed for good vision, strong bones and healthy skin. It improves the body's ability to heal and it is an antioxidant.

Vitamin B1
Sources: All plants and animal foods including pulses and wholegrain products.
Function: Promotes growth. Converts blood sugar into energy and is a nerve tonic.

Vitamin B2
Sources: Milk and dairy products, green leafy vegetables, organ meats (liver and kidney) and yeast.
Function: Aids in cell respiration, growth and reproduction. Essential for the body to produce energy and it is an antioxidant.

Vitamin B3
Sources: Meat and fish, peanuts, avocados and wholegrains.
Function: Essential for sex hormones, increases energy, helps digestion and aids nervous system.

Vitamin B5
Sources: Organ meats (liver and kidney), eggs, fish, nuts and wholegrains.
Function: Aids in healing wounds, fights infections, strengthens immune system and builds cells.

Vitamin B6
Sources: Meats, eggs, fish, nuts and wholegrains, yeast, cabbage and melon.
Function: Aids the nervous system. It is crucial for a healthy immune system and for the production of antibodies and white blood cells.

Vitamin B12
Sources: Organ meats, eggs, fish, dairy products, meats.
Function: Forms red blood cells, increases energy, improves memory and concentration. Promotes growth in children and maintains nervous system.

Folic Acid (Vitamin Bc)
Sources: Fresh green leafy vegetables, yeasts and liver, carrots, avocados and apricots.
Function: Essential for red blood cells, protects against fetal abnormalities, helps in the metabolism of sugar, produces antibodies, crucial for the production of DNA and RNA and to the nervous system.

Vitamin C
Sources: Fresh fruits (especially oranges) and green leafy vegetables, leafy herbs like parsley, berries and potatoes.
Function: Essential for good vision, healthy skin, bones, muscles, healing and protection from allergies and infections. It is an effective antioxidant.

Vitamin D
Sources: Milk, eggs, fatty fish and fish oil. It is synthesized in the skin from sunlight.
Function: Essential for growth and healthy bones and teeth. Increases absorption of calcium from diet.

Vitamin E
Sources: Seeds, nuts, vegetable oils like sunflower and corn, avocados, wholegrains, wheatgerm, soya and leafy vegetables.
Function: Necessary for absorption of iron, metabolism of essential fatty acids, increases fertility, protects the circulatory system and cells and protects against fetal abnormalities. It is an effective antioxidant.

Vitamin K
Sources: Green leafy vegetables, molasses, wholegrains, vegetable oils, cod liver oil.
Function: Produces blood-clotting factors.

02 January, 2009