I would like to do a series on the different vitamins that we commonly take or should take to stay healthy. I want to take a look at natural food sources for vitamins and talk about their health benefits. I am going to hit on the most common uses and needs of vitamins. I won’t be giving you every piece of information out there. This is meant to be an overview, not an in depth study.
To do this, I am going to walk you through the nutrition label on the daily women’s multivitamin that I am taking. It’s called Just Once, Women’s One Multivitamin by Rainbow Light and you can get a great deal on it at iherb.com They are one of my affiliates and I have been buying from them for years. Their products are top quality and they have great shipping rates and great specials.
If you type in the coupon Code TOL704 you will get $5 dollars off your first order, and you will help support my blog. =)
As always, this is for your information only and should not be taken as medical advice. I am simply sharing with you what I learn and do for myself.
So. Here we go with vitamin A.
Vitamin A is good for the health of hair, skin, and mucus membrane cells. Why is this good? When membranes are healthy and moist they are more resistant to cell damage. We need vitamin A for healthy bone and tooth development as well as fertility and reproduction health. Also, vitamin A is known to be good for your vision (including night vision) and eye health as well as overall skin health. A lot of women take vitamin A based medications for Acne. It is an antioxidant, protecting cells from cancer and other diseases. It plays a key role in a healthy immune system by helping protect against infections.
Sources of Vitamin A.
Mainly found in animal foods but also comes from some plant foods, mainly in the form of beta carotene which is then converted into vitamin A in your body. Vitamin A is a fat-soluble vitamin which means that it is absorbed if taken alongside some sort of fat, such as olive oil or fish oil, to give two examples. However, beta-carotene is water soluble, so it does not have to be taken with fat to be absorbed by the body.
Top Animal Sources:
- Egg yolks
- Cheese
- Whole Milk
- Liver (I wish I liked liver)
Beta-Carotene Sources:
- Yellow vegetables: squash, sweet potatoes, carrots, pumpkin, canteloupe
- Spinach
- Collard and Turnip greens
- Broccoli
Risks of Overdosing on Vitamin A
Believe it or not, you can get too much vitamin A, but only through the animal source and supplements. With beta-carotene, your body will simply make the vitamin A it needs. Just Once, Women’s One Multivitamin contains 5,000 IU (international units), which is considered safe by many. Some sources have stated to use caution when taking supplements if you are taking fish oils and other animal sourced vitamin A, as well as eating a lot of beta-carotene, as this could lead to an overdose of vitamin A. Some symptoms include:
- Nausea
- Irritablity
- Orange/yellow hands and feet (harmless, just not a desired look)
- Possible birth defects and bone fractures in some people
- Liver damage
- Confusion
- Hair Loss
If you are ever unsure about taking any vitamin or supplement, ask you doctor.
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Awesome! I need to know about this stuff, and I don’t!!! Can’t wait to hear more!
Does heating up carrots take the nutrition out?
I know that lightly steaming carrots and other vegetables is the best way to retain more nutrients if you want them cooked. Raw is best because you won’t be killing the enzymes in the cooking process. I prefer the taste of cooked carrots but know that raw is best for me. You could make a shredded carrot salad! That is a pleasant way to eat raw carrots. =)
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