What Vitamins Should You Take
Are All Vitamins Vital to Your Health and Well-being?
It's important to take your vitamins, whether you prefer to consume them through nutrient dense foods or conveniently take them in supplement form. Our bodies don't produce vitamins on their own, and making a conscious effort to enrich your diet with them is important, because we need them to maintain normal growth and maintenance of every part of the human body at the cellular level.
Although they can be grouped according to their individual benefits for different functions in our bodies like hair, skin, and nail maintenance and immune support, the essential 13 vitamins each have their own individual functions. Read on to find out how much of each essential vitamin you need and how they benefit your health.
| Vitamin | Benefits | RDA | Sources |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vitamin A | vision, immune system | 700mcg | dairy products, oily fish, leafy greens |
| Vitamin B1 (Thiamin) | regular metabolic function | 1.2mg | whole grains, nuts, beans |
| Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin) | energy production | 1.1mg | cheese, liver, almonds, tempeh |
| Vitamin B3 (Niacin) | cardiovascular health | 13mg | dairy, fish, nutritional yeast |
| Vitamin B5 (Pantothenic acid) | manufacturing red blood cells | 5mg | mushrooms, broccoli, eggs, fish |
| Vitamin B6 | healthy brain function, blood production | 1.3mg | fortified cereals, chickpeas, pork, bananas |
| Vitamin B7 (Biotin) | hair, skin and nail growth and maintenance | 30mcg | nuts, bananas, legumes |
| Vitamin B9 (Folic acid) | producing snd maintaining new cells | 400mcg | citrus fruits, lentils, dark green vegetables |
| Vitamin B12 | healthy nerve cell and blood maintenance | 2.4mcg | poultry, fish, dairy products |
| Vitamin C | growth, repair and development of tissue | 75mg | oranges, kale, strawberries |
| Vitamin D | dental and bone health | 10mcg | oily fish, red meat, fortified cereals |
| Vitamin E | protection from free radical damage | 3mg | almonds, spinach, olive oil |
| Vitamin K | heart and bone health | 90mcg | leafy greens, cruciferous vegetables |
Image Source: POPSUGAR Photography / Sheila Gim
