Luis Aceves
SCI/241
2/11/15
The body needs about fifteen different vitamins that are essential. The classifications of the vitamins are water soluble, and fat soluble vitamins. Vitamin C and B are water or complex group vitamins. Vitamin A, D, E and K are fat soluble vitamins. All these vitamins are essential for the body to function properly. There is not a food that exists where you can get all these vitamins from so you must get the vitamins from a variety of different foods. Fat soluble vitamins if over consumed can do more harm to the body then good.
The functions of vitamin A are that it helps the skin, eyes; helps build strong teeth, and bones. Vitamin A is in a variety of foods like bell peppers, cantaloupe, green beans, turnip greens, sweet potatoes, and liver. Not enough vitamin A in your diet can cause problems with your health like diarrhea, infections in the intestines, vision impairment, and blindness at night. Too much vitamin A in your diet can cause a variety of problems like blurred vision, nausea, loss of hair, and pain in your bones.
Vitamin D is another vitamin that helps build strong bones and teeth. Vitamin D can be made by your skin and the exposure of sunlight. During the winter or people that don’t get the right amount of sunlight have to intake vitamin D through a healthy well balanced diet and variety of food. Vitamin D foods are fish like salmon, mackerel, tuna, and animal based products like milk and eggs. Not enough vitamin D will hurt the body and could cause rickets. Too much vitamin D will cause weight loss, kidney damage, it can also calcium to move from bones into your body tissue.
Vitamin E is an essential vitamin because you need it for your reproductive system and nervous system. Vitamin E helps with your skin. Vitamin E is in a variety of foods such as turnip greens, sunflower seeds, mustard, and almonds. Not enough vitamin E is not possible unless you starve to death. Too much vitamin E can cause you digestive system to get messed up.
The body uses vitamin K to blood clot, to make kidney and bone tissue, and healthy bones. Cabbage, celery, broccoli, spinach, cauliflower, green beans, Brussel sprouts, lettuce, and tomatoes are foods that all have vitamin K. Not enough vitamin K in your body to not blood clot when you get cuts so you over bleed. You cannot over dose on vitamin K. The body can be at risk of vitamin toxicity happens when you intake to many fat soluble vitamins.
Vitamin C and B are water soluble vitamins that need to replace daily. The vitamins in the B complex are niacin, folate, biotin, riboflavin, thiamin, folate, and pantothenic acid. You can get these vitamins in common foods. These vitamins uses are to aid in protein metabolism, and to obtain energy from food. These vitamins can be found in fruits, meats, eggs, vegetables, grains, seeds, and dairy products.