Vitamins

We can divide vitamins into 2 groups:

• Fat-soluble vitamins: vitamins A, D, E and K
• Water-soluble vitamins: all other vitamins such as B vitamins and vitamin C

Fat-soluble vitamins

Vitamin A

A precursor to vitamin A is beta-carotene, which is converted into vitamin A in the body.

Functions

• Improves vision and prevents night blindness
• Prevents and treats skin problems and skin ageing
• Growth of teeth and bones
• Formation and maintenance of skin, hair and mucous membranes
• Protection against infections

You can find vitamin A in dark leafy greens, orange vegetables, orange-yellow fruit, liver, full-fat dairy products, oily fish, eggs and cooking fats.

Vitamin D

Vitamin D is one of the few vitamins our body can produce itself. It can do this under the influence of UV rays from the sun.

Functions

• Growth of teeth and bones
• Maintenance of heart activity and nervous system
• Strengthens the immune system

You can produce vitamin D by going out in the sun. You can also find it in oily fish, full-fat dairy products, egg yolk, liver and cooking fats.

Vitamin E

Vitamin E protects blood cells and tissues from breakdown (antioxidant).

You can find vitamin E in whole grains, leafy vegetables, broccoli, fruit, eggs, nuts, oils and cooking fats.

Vitamin K

Besides vitamin D, vitamin K can also be produced by our body itself. This happens through bacteria in the large intestine.

Vitamin K plays an important role in blood clotting. Without vitamin K, wounds would keep bleeding.

In addition to its own production, you can also absorb vitamin K through food: green leafy vegetables, meat, liver and full-fat dairy products.

Water-soluble vitamins

B vitamins

There are various vitamins that belong to the B group. Their functions are interdependent and they are therefore often seen as a group.

Vitamin	Function	Source
B1	Carbohydrate digestion, growth and muscle tone	Potatoes, brown rice, oats, wheat bran and germ, vegetables, pork and brewer's yeast
B2	Digestion of macronutrients, keeping skin and hair healthy	Grain products, green leafy vegetables, dairy, liver and yeast
B3	Needed to extract energy from food	Meat, fish, grain products, vegetables and potatoes
B5	Role in digestion, together with coenzyme A	Grain products, vegetables, dairy products and meat
B6	Formation of body tissues, protein digestion	Meat, fish, eggs, liver, whole grain products, legumes and nuts
B9	Development of genetic material, production of red blood cells	Whole grain products, green vegetables, fruit, eggs, liver and dairy products
B12	Cell development and function of nervous system	Only in animal products: meat, fish, dairy

Vitamin C

Functions

• Plays an important role in maintaining the body's immune defence
• Ensures good wound healing
• Promotes iron absorption

The most important sources of vitamin C are potatoes, vegetables and fruit.