Best Sources of Vitamin A, Vitamin B12, Vitamin C and Vitamin D
My name is Dr. Lina Velikova, MD, Ph.D. As a clinical immunologist.
My journey into the world of medicine started in 2004. After graduation, I became motivated to become an immunologist. I have extensive experience as a scientist and author of scientific papers. My expertise includes autoimmune diseases, allergology, internal medicine, transplantation medicine, immunotherapy, and pediatric immunology.
What are the benefits of Vitamin A? Best source of Vitamin A?
Vitamin A is an essential vitamin for the immune system, vision, and reproductive functions. This vitamin takes part in producing the erythrocytes, or white blood cells that are on the front line when it comes to fighting bacteria in our blood. Besides the fight in the bloodstream, our body has other means of defending our body from the external pathogens - like mucous membranes in our gut, lungs, genitals, and eyes.
The best vitamin A source is dairy products, liver, fish (cod), and orange-colored fruits and vegetables like carrots, squash, and cantaloupe. Broccoli also contains high levels of vitamin A.
What are the benefits of Vitamin B12? Best source of Vitamin B12 ?
Vitamin B12 is one of the key nutrients for our nerves and blood cells. Its benefits are best assessed when a person has a deficit of it. The deficit reflects on nerves that are tingly, especially in hands and feet, but also fatigue, loss of appetite, general weakness, constipation, and in more severe deficit cases, megaloblastic anemia. Increased vitamin B12 (through diet, as the best option) helps alleviate these symptoms.
Vitamin B12 is a fat-soluble vitamin attached to a protein, and it cannot be found in plants. The best sources of the vitamin are liver, fish, milk and dairy products, meat, poultry, eggs, and fortified cereals.
What are the benefits of Vitamin C? Best Source of Vitamin C?
The major benefit of vitamin C is its antioxidant property that helps protect cells from the damage caused by free radicals. Free radicals emerge in our body due to processing the food into energy and from the outside pollution - cigarette smoke, environmental pollution, and UV lights from sun rays. Vitamin C also helps our body absorb iron. It helps create collagen, the protein that is the foundation for many tissues, especially the skin.
The best sources of vitamin C are citruses - oranges, lemons, and grapefruit; fresh fruits like kiwi, cantaloupe, strawberries, tomatoes, and vegetables - broccoli, red, green, or yellow peppers. Cooking diminishes the amounts of vitamin C in food, so the best way to consume it is via fresh fruits and vegetables.
What are the benefits of Vitamin D? Best source of Vitamin D?
Vitamin D is most well-known for its role in our bone health. Our bones' fortifier is calcium, and vitamin D helps us absorb the calcium and store it in our bones. It is so crucial for developing healthy bones that many countries worldwide prescribe it as a supplement to infants up to six months old or older. As with many other nutrients, the case with vitamin D is that it has multiple health roles. Besides the bones, it's essential for our muscles and nerves, and our immune system requires the vitamin intake to protect us from the outer pathogens like bacteria and viruses. Vitamin D is also beneficial for older people who are under the risk of osteoporosis.
The best source of vitamin D is fatty fish like mackerel, tuna, or salmon. Also, foods like egg yolks, beef liver, cheeses, and mushroom provide smaller amounts of D vitamin. An important way to produce vitamin D is by exposing our skin to the sun. However, prolonged exposure to the sun is dangerous, so it should be limited to 10 minutes a day.
- Dr. Lina Velikova, MD, PhD
Did you know each bottle of Chlorophyll Water is fortified with additional Vitamin A, Vitamin B12, Vitamin C and Vitamin D?
