Benefits of Vitamins
If you've heard about vitamins but aren't quite sure what they are or how to get more of them in your diet, you're in the right place. Vitamins are essential for overall health and wellbeing. Even though the body requires them in small amounts, these tiny powerhouses pack a punch of nutrition.
Vitamins are classified into two groups, water-soluble and fat-soluble, which represents how the vitamin is absorbed and used in the body. Consuming a wide range of foods should provide all the vitamins your body needs to function correctly.
Some example of vitamins and how to get more of them in your diet using whole foods:
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Vitamin A:
- Sources: Sweet potatoes and carrots
- Function: Supports cell growth, immune function, fetal development, and vision.
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Vitamin C:
- Sources: Citrus fruits, bell peppers, and lettuce
- Function: Antioxidant, helps fight off infections
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Vitamin K:
- Sources: Dark, green leafy vegetables
- Function: Helps with blood clotting
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Riboflavin:
- Sources: Eggs, lean meats, almonds, dairy
- Function: Key component of coenzymes involved with the growth of cells, energy production, and the breakdown of fats, steroids, and medications.
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Vitamin D:
- Sources: Egg yolk, fatty fish, UV-treated mushrooms, dairy
- Function: Maintaining healthy bones, mood, and immune system
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Magnesium:
- Sources: Nuts, leafy greens, avocados, bananas, legumes, and seeds
- Function: Essential for hundreds of metabolic processes and has been shown to improve blood pressure, sleep, and mood.
- Iron:
- Sources: Beans, lentils, tofu, spinach, dark chocolate
- Function: A major component of hemoglobin, a type of protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen from your lungs to all parts of the body
Ensuring that you consume a variety of foods every day is crucial for getting all the necessary vitamins and nutrients. You can challenge yourself to try at least one new food every week and see how much better you feel! Dr. Longo also suggests taking a multivitamin "buffer" every 3 days to fill any potential nutrient gaps as part of the Longevity Diet lifestyle.