Vitamins

Vitamins are molecules that are needed in small amounts by the body for health and growth, and they must be obtained by the diet daily. The exceptions to this rule are vitamin D, which is made in the skin when exposed to sunlight and vitamin K, which can be synthesised by gut bacteria in small amounts. Vitamins play an essential role in releasing energy from food and in speeding up many chemical reactions that occur in the body every second. They also play important roles in the formation of body components, such as blood and bone as well as being antioxidants.

Vitamins	Needed For	Key Sources
Vitamin A	Maintaining normal reproduction Good vision Formation and maintenance of healthy skin, teeth and soft tissues of the body Immune function (has anti-oxidant properties).	Milk, cheese, eggs, fatty fish, yellow-orange vegetables and fruits such as carrots, pumpkin, mango, apricots, and other vegetables such as spinach, broccoli.
Vitamin B1 (Thiamin)	Supplying energy to tissues Breaking down and using the energy and nutrients in carbohydrates, proteins and fats Nerve function	Fortified breakfast cereals, baking flour, whole grains, wheat germ, yeast, legumes, nuts, pork.
Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin)	Obtaining energy from food Making Vit B6 active in the body Reducing a key cardiovascular risk factor Production of red blood cells and body growth	Milk, cheese, yoghurt, fortified breads and breakfast cereals.
Vitamin B3 (Niacin)	Obtaining energy from food Breaking down and using carbohydrates, proteins and fats and their building blocks Maintaining healthy skin and nerves Releasing calcium from cellular stores	Beef, pork, liver, beans, wholegrain cereals, eggs, cow’s milk.
Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine)	Breaking down, using and reforming the building blocks of proteins	Muscle and organ meats, fortified breakfast cereals, brussel sprouts, green peas, beans, split peas, and fruit.
Vitamin B12 (Cyano-cobalamin)	Normal nerve function Normal blood function	Beef, lamb, fish, veal, chicken, eggs, milk and other dairy products.
Pantothenic acid	Making, hormones, vitamin A and D and substances that help make nerves work Helps make new fats and proteins in the body	Chicken, beef, potatoes, oat-based cereals, tomatoes, egg yolks, whole grains.
Folate	Breaking down and using the building blocks of proteins The processes of tissue growth and cell function Maintaining good heart health Preventing neural tube defects in newborns	Cereals, cereal products, vegetables e.g. broccoli, legumes and fruit e.g. oranges.
Vitamin C	Protects against oxidative damage Aiding absorption of iron and copper Formation of collagen Healthy bones Helps fight infection Helps regenerate and stabilise other vitamins such as vitamin E or folate	Blackcurrants, orange, grapefruit, guava, kiwi fruit, raspberries, sweet peppers (Capsicum), broccoli, sprouts.
Vitamin D	Absorption of calcium and phosphorus Maintenance of calcium levels in blood Immune function Healthy skin Muscle strength	Sunlight on skin allows the body to produce Vitamin D. Few foods contain significant amounts however main dietary sources are fortified margarine, salmon, herring, mackerel, and eggs.
Vitamin E	Acts as antioxidant particularly for fats Keeping heart, circulation, skin and nervous system in good condition	Oils and margarines, fats of meats, chicken, fish, wheat germ, spinach, cashews, peanuts, almonds, sunflower seeds.
Vitamin K	Normal blood clotting	Spinach, salad greens, cabbage, broccoli, brussel sprouts, soybean oil, canola oil, margarines

Vitamins

Vitamins

Needed For

Key Sources