Walk into any health shop or chemist these days and you will find the shelves stacked from top to bottom with a multitude of different vitamins and supplements in all shapes and sizes, bottles, packets and powders.

Infact there are so many different types of vitamins out there now that it can be a bit off-putting and if, like me, your often in a rush, its usually easier just to play it safe and opt for the A to Z option, telling yourself that by taking one of these little tablets every morning your giving your body its daily dosage, which must be a good thing, right?

Well, yes and no really. By taking an A to Z vitamin supplement you will be consuming the recommended daily dosage based on the average person but if there is a vitamin your body is lacking in specifically this is unlikely to change with A to Z supplements.

Many people are now of the opinion that vitamin tablets and supplements are a pointless product for those who don’t have a controlled and healthy diet and while this is, to an extent, true, it is also true to say that many of us are so busy these days its nigh on impossible to ensure we are consuming the correct amount of each vitamin from our daily diets.  

Vitamins and minerals are the substances that are found in the foods we eat. Our bodies need them in order to function properly and with children it is especially important that they receive the correct amount of vitamins in order to grow and develop properly and at the right rate.

When it comes to vitamins, each one has a special role to play. For example:

Vitamin D found in milk helps your bones

Vitamin A found in carrots helps you see better at night

Vitamin C found in oranges helps your body heal if you get a cut

B Vitamins found in leafy green vegetables help your body make protein and energy.

There are two types of vitamins: fat soluble and water soluble. When you eat foods that contain fat soluble vitamins, the vitamins are stored in the fat tissues in your body and in your liver where they remain, in storage, until your body needs them, wit some staying for a couple of days and others for up to 6 months.

Vitamins A,D,E and K are all fat soluble.

Water soluble vitamins are a completely different kettle of fish and when you eat food which contains this type of vitamins, the vitamins themselves are not stored in your body. Instead they travel through your bloodstream and whatever your body doesn’t use leaves via urine.

So it is these vitamins we need to replace on a more regular basis. Vitamin C and the group of B vitamins – B1 (thiamin), B2 (riboflavin), niacin, B6 (pyridoxine), folic acid, B12 (cobalamine), biotin and pantothenic acid.

So what does each Vitamin do?     

Vitamin A

This vitamin plays an extremely important role in eyesight. It aids night vision Vitamin A also helps us see in colour, from the brightest yellow to the deepest purple, vitamin A ensures we see these colours in their clearest forms as well as ensuring our skin is healthy and that we grow properly.

Which Foods are naturally rich in Vitamin A?

• Eggs, milk, apricots, nectarines, cantaloupe, carrots, sweet potatoes, spinach

The B Vitamins

There’s more than one B vitamin. To list them all we have; B1,B2,B6,B12, niacin, folic acid, biotin and pantothenic acid.

The B vitamins are important in metabolic activity – this means that they help make energy and set it free when our body needs it. So the next time your running to the bus stop and get there just in time, you can thank the B vitamins for their help!

The B vitamins are also involved in the making of red blood cells, which carry oxygen throughout the body. Every part of our body needs oxygen to work properly, so these B vitamins have a big job to do.

Which Foods are naturally rich in Vitamin B?

Whole grains, fish and seafood, poultry and meats, eggs, dairy products, leafy green vegetables, beans and peas, citrus fruits

Vitamin C

This vitamin is important for keeping body tissues, such as gums and muscles in good shape. Vitamin C is also important if you cut yourself as it helps the healing process. Vitamin C also helps our bodies resist infection. This means that even though we can’t always avoid getting sick, Vitamin C makes it a little harder for our bodies to become infected with an illness.

Which Foods are naturally rich in Vitamin C?

Citrus fruits, cantaloupe, strawberries, tomatoes, broccoli, cabbage

Vitamin D

Vitamin D is the vitamin you need to maintain strong bones. It’s also great for forming strong teeth. Vitamin D even lends a hand to an important mineral by helping our bodies absorb the amount of calcium it needs.

Which Foods are naturally rich in Vitamin D?

Milk and other dairy products fortified with vitamin D, fish, egg yolks

Vitamin E

Everybody needs Vitamin E. This hard working vitamin maintains a lot of our body’s tissues, like the ones in our eyes, skin and liver.  Vitamin E protects our lungs from becoming damaged by polluted air and like the B vitamins it helps the formation of red blood cells.

Which Foods are naturally rich in Vitamin E?

Whole grains, wheat germ, leafy green vegetables, sardines, egg yolks, nuts.

Vitamin K

Vitamin K is the clot master! Remember the last time you cut yourself? Vitamin K is the vitamin that allows your blood to clot, stopping the cut from bleeding constantly.

Which Foods are naturally rich in Vitamin K?

Leafy green vegetables, liver, pork, dairy products

Your doctor will be able to advise you further on Vitamins and supplements and can advise you best on what specific vitamins your body in particular may need topping up on as well as advising you on how to increase your vitamin intake via a healthier more balanced diet suitable for you.