Essential Vitamins and Minerals

Everyone knows that there is a long list of secondary nutrients that the body needs to function properly. They perform a range of functions related to the growth and maintenance of the human body.

A List of Vitamins and Minerals

Essential Vitamins:

Vitamin A: Its first and foremost function is to maintain good eyesight especially in the dark. A vitamin A deficiency is most strongly highlighted by poor vision in dim light. It also helps maintain skin health.

Vitamin B: It's not just one vitamin, but also includes several others. Vitamin B is generally associated with metabolism and the various sub-vitamins aid digestion and maintain digestive health. The various essential vitamins under the Vitamin B umbrella are Vitamin B1 (thiamine), Vitamin B2 (riboflavin), Vitamin B3 (niacin), Vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid), Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine), Vitamin B7 (biotin), Vitamin B9 (folic acid) and Vitamin B12. Vitamin B can be found in milk, meat and nuts.

Vitamin C: It is a very important group which helps build and maintain healthy teeth and gums. Vitamin C also helps in absorption of iron and aids formation of collagen and enzymes. It can be found in most citric fruits.

Vitamin D: It is one of those vitamins which is not found abundantly in food items. In fact, early morning sunlight is supposed to be one of the best sources of Vitamin D. Vitamin D is good for calcium absorption and hence, helps maintain healthy bones and teeth.

Vitamin E: Like others, Vitamin E too performs a protective function by protecting human body cells. It is also a very good antioxidant and helps improve blood circulation. Vitamin E is most commonly found in nuts like almonds and peanuts.

Vitamin K: Vitamin K is one of the most crucial as it helps seal the wounds by forming blood clots where the injury has occurred. Vitamin K is found in leafy vegetables and eggs.

Essential Minerals

Iron: Undoubtedly, one of the most important minerals for the human body is iron. Iron helps in the formation of red blood cells and aids transportation of oxygen in the blood. It also supposedly helps improve concentration. Iron is commonly found in eggs, meat and leafy vegetables.

Calcium: The next, most important mineral in the body is calcium. As we know calcium is a major component in teeth and bones. Hence calcium is required for the growth and maintenance of bones and teeth. Calcium is abundantly found in milk.

Potassium: Another mineral required to maintain the proper functioning of the body is potassium. Potassium is a key mineral required to maintain normal pH levels and water levels. Potassium also helps facilitate normal muscle growth and a healthy nervous system. Potassium is most commonly found in bananas and potatoes.

Zinc: The next mineral is zinc. Zinc helps improve the immune system of the body and improves fertility. Zinc is commonly found in leafy vegetables, lima beans and legumes.

Iodine: Iodine helps the thyroid perform its daily functions properly. Iodine is found in iodized salt and leafy vegetables.

Other minerals which the body requires in traces includes chromium, copper, magnesium, manganese, molybdenum and selenium.

As you can see, vitamins and minerals are very important for the body as they help perform several important functions related to maintenance and growth of the body. Hence they should be consumed daily.