Did You Know Just That Many Cancers Are Linked To A Vitamin Deficiency?
If you're like most kids, you've probably
heard at least one parent say, "Don't forget your vitamin!"
"Eat your salad - it's packed with vitamins!"
But what exactly are vitamins?
Vitamins
and minerals are substances that are found in foods we eat.
Your body needs them to work properly, so you grow and develop
just like you should. When it comes to vitamins, each one
has a special role to play. For example:
Vitamin
D in milk helps your bones.
Vitamin A in carrots helps you see at night.
Vitamin C in oranges helps your body heal if you get a cut.
B vitamins in leafy green vegetables help your body make
protein and energy.
Vitamins Hang Out in Water and Fat
There are two types of vitamins: fat soluble and water soluble.
When you eat foods that contain fat-soluble vitamins, the
vitamins are stored in the fat tissues in your body and
in your liver. They go and wait around in your body fat
until your body needs them.
Fat-soluble
vitamins are happy to stay stored in your body for awhile
- some stay for a few days, some for up to 6 months! Then,
when it's time for them to be used, special carriers in
your body take them to where they're needed. Vitamins A,
D, E, and K are all fat-soluble vitamins.
Water-soluble
vitamins are different. When you eat foods that have water-soluble
vitamins, the vitamins don't get stored as much in your
body. Instead, they travel through your bloodstream. And
whatever your body doesn't use comes out when you urinate.
So
these kinds of vitamins need to be replaced often because
they don't like to stick around! This crowd of vitamins
includes vitamin C and the big group of B vitamins - B1
(thiamin), B2 (riboflavin), niacin, B6 (pyridoxine), folic
acid, B12 (cobalamine), biotin, and pantothenic acid.
Vitamins
Feed Your Needs
Your body is one powerful machine, capable of doing all
sorts of things by itself. But one thing it can't do is
make vitamins. That's where food comes in. Your body is
able to get the vitamins it needs from the foods you eat
because different foods contain different vitamins. Though
some kids take a daily vitamin, most kids don't need one
if they're eating healthy foods.
Now,
let's look more closely at vitamins - from A to K:
Vitamin
A
This vitamin plays a really big part in eyesight. It's great
for night vision, like when you're trick-or-treating on
Halloween. Vitamin A helps you see in color, too, from the
brightest yellow to the darkest purple. In addition, it
helps you grow properly and aids in healthy skin.
Which
foods are rich in vitamin A?
eggs
milk
apricots
nectarines
cantaloupe
carrots
sweet potatoes
spinach
The B Vitamins
There's more than one B vitamin. Here's the list: B1, B2,
B6, B12, niacin, folic acid, biotin, and pantothenic acid.
Whew - that's quite a group!
The
B vitamins are important in metabolic (say: meh-tuh-bah-lik)
activity - this means that they help make energy and set
it free when your body needs it. So the next time you're
running to third base, thank those B vitamins. This group
of vitamins is also involved in making red blood cells,
which carry oxygen throughout your body. Every part of your
body needs oxygen to work properly, so these B vitamins
have a big job.
Which
foods are rich in vitamin B?
whole
grains, such as wheat and oats
fish and seafood
poultry and meats
eggs
dairy products, like milk and yogurt
leafy green vegetables
beans and peas
citrus fruits, such as oranges
Vitamin C
This vitamin is important for keeping body tissues, such
as gums and muscles in good shape. C is also key if you
get a cut or wound because it helps you heal. This vitamin
also helps your body resist infection. This means that even
though you can't always avoid getting sick, vitamin C makes
it a little harder for your body to become infected with
an illness.
Which
foods are rich in vitamin C?
citrus
fruits, like oranges
cantaloupe
strawberries
tomatoes
broccoli
cabbage
Vitamin D
No bones about it . . . vitamin D is the vitamin you need
for strong bones! It's also great for forming strong teeth.
Vitamin D even lends a hand to an important mineral - it
helps your body absorb the amount of calcium it needs. Which
foods are rich in vitamin D?
milk
and other dairy products fortified with vitamin D
fish
egg yolks
Vitamin E
Everybody needs E. This hard-working vitamin maintains a
lot of your body's tissues, like the ones in your eyes,
skin, and liver. It protects your lungs from becoming damaged
by polluted air. And it is important for the formation of
red blood cells.
whole
grains, such as wheat and oats
wheat germ
leafy green vegetables
sardines
egg yolks
nuts
Vitamin K
Vitamin K is the clotmaster! Remember the last time you
got a cut? Your blood did something special called clotting.
This is when certain cells in your blood act like glue and
stick together at the surface of the cut.
Which
foods are rich in vitamin K?
leafy
green vegetables
liver
pork
dairy products, like milk and yogurt
When your body gets this vitamin and the other ones it needs,
you'll be feeling A-OK!
http://kidshealth.org/kid/
stay_healthy/food/vitamin.html
