Category: Featured Articles

Which vitamin gives you lustrous hair? Good vision, Healthy skin, helps normal functioning of the nervous system as well as the liver? Prevents birth defects in unborn babies? Well, doesn’t sound like it’s a job of one vitamin. It sure isn’t, but it’s the work of group of vitamins which fall under this mighty Vitamin B complex. Once thought to be a single vitamin, this water –soluble component is a group of eight chemically diverse vitamins that often co exists in the same foods. Together they are known as Vitamin B Complex; individually they are named as B1, B2, etc.

Let’s start our series on this multi talented vitamin by taking the first vitamin in the group. That’s vitamin B1 – Thiamin. Being water soluble, our body needs a continuous supply of the vitamin from food, as very little of it is stored in the body & depletion of the vitamin can happen in 14 days.

What does it do for your body?

• It converts sugar, carbohydrates, proteins & starch into energy for the body’s need
• Aids in proper functioning of the heart, nervous system as well as the muscular system
• As it boosts the activity of the immune system, it improves the body’s ability to deal with stress
• Proper functioning of the brain & helps cope up with depression, it also enhances learning & memory
• Enhances blood circulation & blood formation
• As it helps in producing hydrochloric acid, it plays an important role in digestion of food
• It is said to be effective in treatment of arthritis as well as fertility

What happens in case of Deficiency?

The deficiency results in Beriberi which causes swelling, tingling or burning sensation in hands & feet, difficulty in breathing & uncontrolled eye movements. It can also result in a brain disorder where there is a neural damage to the central & peripheral nervous system resulting in memory loss. It heightens the chances of getting cataracts in the eyes. Thiamin deficiency can lead to congestive heart failures. It can also cause Alzheimer’s disease, extreme fatigue, irritability, constipation, edema & enlarged liver.

How do you know that you are not getting it enough?

Thiamin deficiency is rare but it’s important to understand the symptoms early on to avoid any complications. Poor memory & bad co ordination of body parts, weak & sore muscles, changes in the heart beats as well as stressful breathing, mood swings, loss appetite which results in severe weight loss, gastrointestinal disturbances, tingling sensation & numbness in hands & feet & finally nervousness are the signs to watch out for.

Where do I get it from?

Thiamin is obtained from both plant as well as animal source. Sunflower seeds, whole grain cereals, peanuts, wheat bran, whole wheat flour, wheat germ, sea-fish, liver, egg-yolk, kidney beans all contain good amounts of thiamin. Vitamin B1 can also be found in multivitamins (including children’s chewable and liquid drops) or B complex vitamins.

How to optimize its derivation from food?

Refrigerate fresh fruits & vegetables when not in use. Keep milk & grains away from strong light. Being water soluble, the vitamin is easily washed away during preparation & storage so it’s important to preserve them at room temperature in a dry place that is free of moisture.

I am sure that by reading this article, it has created an understanding in you about how essential this component is & how by incorporating certain foods in our daily diet we can avoid diseases caused by the deficiency.

Do you ever wonder why on an important date does your skin erupt with irritating, very obvious acne? Blaming it on the hormones? No, rather blame it on the lack of B5. This vitamin is also known as Pantothenic acid or anti-stress vitamin as it is important in making hormones & healthy red cells.

Benefits of B5:

• B5 is known as an anti – stress vitamin as it regulates the formation of stress hormones
• Helps generate energy for the body by breaking down carbohydrates, proteins & fats
• Plays an important role in the production of adrenal hormones in the adrenal glands
• Vitamin B5 produces neurotransmitters that is cholesterol required for proper nerve & muscle functioning
• It is responsible for haemoglobin production & metabolism of toxins by the liver
• It aids in the DNA reproduction & RNA transcription
• It is used in the treatment of osteoarthritis, Rheumatoid arthritis, Parkinson’s disease, depression, respiratory problems & carpal tunnel syndrome
• B5 greatly relieves acne, allergies, alcoholism, hair loss, asthma, low blood pressure
• Provides relief in cramps due to pregnancy
• Helps improve skin & prevents graying of hair

How do I include Vitamin B5 in my regular meals?

The term Pantothenic is derived from the Greek “Pantos” meaning everywhere that means Vitamin B5 is found in abundance in plant as well as animal sources. The storehouse of this vitamin are peanuts, liver , kidney, cauliflower, mushroom, seeds, other nuts, pumpkin, sweet potato, legumes, milk, soya, egg yolk, cheese, fish, chicken, wholegrain bread, breakfast cereals fortified with pantothenic acid & bananas. The richest of Vitamin B5 are ovaries of the cod & tuna fish.

Will the lack of B5 harm me?

Being a water soluble vitamin, it needs to replenished everyday in our body. The symptoms that indicate the lack of it are painful & burning feet, skin abnormalities, numbness & poor co ordination, abdominal & muscle cramps, vomiting, anemia, insomnia & depression, stunted growth & restlessness.  These can be effectively controlled with the usage of Vitamin B5 along with Vitamin B12 & Vitamin C.

Individuals who are prone to be deficient are women on birth control pills, smokers & alcoholics, people under stress, those prone to allergies & also who are used to eating high amount of refined food.

Preservation of Vitamin B5

Being an unstable vitamin, significant amounts can be lost through cooking, freezing & commercial processing. Soda bi carbonate should not be used in water used to cook vegetables as it results in the loss of pantothenic acid. It is advisable to store the food sources at room temperature in a dry place.

As Vitamin B5 is found “Pantos” (everywhere) you won’t have to go searching hard for it, hence it’s difficult to avoid this vitamin in our regular diet, what is important is that we realize its essence & make sure we use the right method to preserve it in order to maximize the nutritional content of the meal.

Vitamin E aids in formation & functioning of red blood cells, it also helps in the process of blood clotting along with vitamin K. This vitamin helps in repair of the tissues by improving blood circulation & promotes healing.  Continue reading “Vitamin E-ssential” →

Imagine a tiny cut on your finger, an occurrence which is not rare. You just wipe it off, apply a band aid & forget about it. Now imagine this scenario, the cut is tiny, but the bleeding does not stop! The blood keeps flowing on & on. Well, who do you need right now but our own K- Man! Yes Vitamin K! Vitamin K is essential for the functioning of several proteins involved in blood clotting. It is derived from the German word “”koagulation” which refers to the process of blood clot formation. Vitamin K is a fat-soluble vitamin. It is not a single chemical substance but rather a family of chemically related substances that go by the general name of “vitamin K.”

What our K Man does for you?

• Allows your blood to clot normally
• Helps protect your bones from fracture
• Helps prevent postmenopausal bone loss
• Helps prevent calcification of your arteries
• Provides possible protection against liver and prostate cancer

How does the lack of Vitamin K harm you?

As the primary function of the vitamin is in blood clotting, it is most affected in case of deficiency. This results in a longer bleeding time, in severe cases it can also lead to fatal anemia. Not just adults but even newborns are at an increased risk of deficiency as babies are born with sterile intestines which means they do not have any bacteria in the guts to produce vitamin K. Other symptoms of deficiency include heavy menstrual bleeding in women, brittle bones, anemia, bruising, and bleeding of the gums or nose.

Where do I find the K Man?

Vitamin K is easily found in the following vegetable sources in abundant quantities. Dark, green leafy vegetables like spinach, brussels sprouts, Swiss chard, green beans, asparagus, broccoli, kale, mustard greens, green peas & carrots. Cow milk is also considered as a good source of the vitamin. However you ought to keep in mind that hydrogenation of vegetable oils will decrease the absorption & biological effect of the vitamin.

How much do I need?

our daily requirement of  vitamin k is around 80 ug. which can be easily fulfilled by a cup of spinach, or cabbage, or any green leafy vegetable.

Is too much too good?

There is no known toxicity associated with Vitamin K if taken via natural sources. However a synthetic form of the vitamin if taken in excess causes allergic reactions & hemolytic anemia.

It is important to understand the relevance of this K man in our daily meals. I hope this article has enlightened you enough to welcome him to your lunch & dinner every day!

What makes Bugs Bunny smart? Or closer to home, why does Private detective Karamchand has such a sharp eye? Any guesses? Well, its our dear old Vitamin A!! Haven’t you seen both of these smarties chomping on carrots, Bugs outwitting Elmer Fudd whereas Karmachand & Kitty solving case after case? Now you will ask me how is eating carrots going to help me? Well, simple fact that carrots are a rich source of Vitamin A.

But we are not talking about carrots alone here, what we are going to discuss is Vitamin A.  Vitamin A being a fat soluble vitamin is stored in our body, so primarily it can be used whenever the body needs it.

How Does Vitamin A helps?

• It helps fighting against common ailments like common cold, allergies etc.
• It helps in providing healthy atmosphere for conception and also it helps growth of baby  inside the womb.
• It helps preventing osteoporosis, and helps recover broken bones.
• Sufficient vitamin A ensures glowing skin.
• It helps to fight against cancer.

How do we get our vitamin A?

There are two different sources available for vitamin A, the vegetarian source and non veg source, Veg source does not provide direct vitamin A but the element known as beta carotene, beta carotene is converted in vitamin A by human body as per requirements.  All the orange, yellow, green and red coloured fruits and veggies like mango, carrots, broccoli, sweet potato, spinach and pumpkins are rich source of beta carotene. While animal source is the direct source of vitamin A.  Whole milk products, eggs, liver, cod liver oil, etc are rich sources of Vitamin A.

How much do we require daily?

Though the adult and children have different level of requirements , you will be amaze to know that a carrot or a small bunch of spinach or a ripe mango can provide you enough Vitamin A for a day.

What happens if we don’t get enough?

You will wonder why we need to eat all these. What’s the need of this Vitamin? Once you read through the importance of the Vitamin A, you will realize how crucial it is for our body & what its deficiency can do? Vitamin A plays a role in a variety of functions throughout the body, such as:

• Vision – It can’t improve your distance vision or help you see more clearly, but a deficiency can certainly harm your vision in several ways. One form of vitamin A in your body, retinal, helps nerves transmit the image of what you see to your brain. When you are in a dark situation (such as driving at night) and light flashes (such as oncoming headlights), certain compounds in the visual cycle are bleached out and need to be refreshed by having a good supply of retinal available. If a person is deficient in vitamin A it takes much longer for their eyes to adjust to be able to see again. Another way vitamin A helps your vision is by maintaining the moisture of your mucous membranes.

The deficiency of the Vitamin A can cause blindness in the eyes, the hardness in the lungs are not able to fight infections whereas the damage to the intestine & stomach causes severe digestive problems. The deficiency can prove fatal.

What happens if we exceed the dose?

Just as deficiency is dangerous for the body, too much is not too good also.  Being vegetarian secures you from exceeding the dose of Vitamin A, because the body has control to converts Vit A from beta carotene as required. But have caution while having non veg , specially read meat and liver, cause having them excessively might cause overdose. The symptoms of the toxicity are general fatigue, severe headaches, blurred vision, insomnia, hair loss, menstrual irregularities, skin rashes & joint pain

So I hope now that you realize the importance of this A-ssential vitamin, you will not skip it in your meals nor will you go overboard with it. Fortunately for us, the cases of Vitamin A deficiency are very rare as our staple diet includes the source in form of meat, dairy products, colorful fruits & vegetables.