The Best Natural Vitamins for Overall Health
Vitamins are elements that make the body grow and develop as you transform from a child into an adult. Including various food items in your diet or basking in the early morning sunlight can help fulfill only some part of the daily requirements of the body. As you grow, the nutritional value needed increases at a high rate, and this cannot be satisfied by a normal adult diet no matter how many additional portions you add to it every day. Doctors advise the use of supplements for these natural vitamins to cover up the gap and maintain overall well being. First of all, it is important to know the best natural vitamins that make up a balanced diet.
Vitamin A
This fat-soluble element is known by its scientific name Retinol and found in food items such as pumpkin, fish, spinach, etc. Ripe yellow fruits are responsible for fulfilling the requirement of Carotenoids. On the one hand, a deficiency of the same can cause night blindness; on the other hand, too much Vitamin A can cause hypervitaminosis.
Vitamin B
This is a complex water-soluble vitamin that is further divided into eight parts:
Vitamin B1: Vitamin B1 or Thiamine is found in potatoes, eggs, and oatmeal. While beriberi is said to have been caused by a lack of this vitamin in the body, excessive intake of the same can result in drowsiness.
Vitamin B2: Riboflavin, as it is known in the medical world, is essential to prevent stomatitis and anemia. Food items such as bananas, asparagus, and dairy products help attain the required nutritional value.
Vitamin B3: The onset of a disease called pellagra can be triggered if Vitamin B3 or Niacin is not included in the diet. However, it should be noted that if taken immoderately, this vitamin can also result in liver damage. The common sources include mushroom, eggs, meat, and fish for this type of vitamin.
Vitamin B5: Pantothenic acid found in broccoli and avocados helps in getting rid of the tingling needle-like sensation called paresthesia.
Vitamin B6: Pyridoxine assists in alleviating the symptoms of anemia and peripheral neuropathy.
Vitamin B7: Egg yolk, green leafy vegetables, and liver provide Vitamin B7, also called Biotin, the deficiency of which is said to cause skin diseases such as dermatitis.
Vitamin B9: The requirement of Folates, as the name suggests can be realized by eating green leafy vegetables and cereal. This vitamin is particularly advised to pregnant women since its deficiency can cause complications and birth defects such as megaloblastic anemia.
Vitamin B12: This vitamin essentially comprises of four elements namely cyanocobalamin, methylcobalamin, adenosylcobalamin, and hydroxocobalamin which are together responsible for preventing pernicious anemia. Dairy and poultry products are great sources to cover up the deficiency of Vitamin B12.
Vitamin C
Vitamin C, or Ascorbic acid, is the most common form of nutrient found in citrus fruits such oranges and lemons. If you are suffering from gum problems such as scurvy, there is a possibility that your body requires more of this vitamin.
Vitamin D
Cholecalciferol and Ergocalciferol are fat soluble vitamins that are required by the body for absorbing calcium. A deficiency of this vitamin automatically corresponds to lack of calcium in the body, thereby causing rickets. Vitamin D supplements have never been more common; thanks to today’s lifestyle that has limited the body exposure to sunlight (the main source of this vitamin).
Vitamin E
It is made of organic compounds called Tocopherols that are present in almost all food items. Therefore, a deficiency of this vitamin is highly unlikely.
Vitamin K
Phylloquinone can be utilized to treat bleeding disorders such as bleeding diathesis. Although it is found naturally in green leafy vegetables and liver, it is a common component of dietary supplements.
It is noteworthy that not all vitamins are natural and some of them may be synthesized as well. Knowing the best natural vitamins comes handy especially while buying a supplement from the market where brands are involved in a competitive war. You can find out if the product has the best natural vitamins using basic intelligence.
Firstly, make sure that the product label contains the word “100% natural”.
Secondly, search for natural elements in the ingredients such as the name of a food item.
To increase the shelf life of supplements, many companies add salts that contain the name chloride, acetate, or nitrate.
Also, the term “di” affixed to any chemical compound indicates that the product contains synthetic materials.
Hence, the best natural vitamin supplements will not contain any of these artificial, synthetic elements. It is recommended to procure the best natural vitamins through food items to the maximum extent possible. Before consuming any supplement, take the guidance of a doctor or get a lab test conducted. This will help you in ascertaining which of the best natural vitamins the body is lacking and to what extent these can be taken through different sources.