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Vitamins
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:
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Vitamin D in milk helps your bones.
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Vitamin A in carrots helps you see at
night.
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Vitamin C in oranges helps your body
heal if you get a cut.
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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!
[This information from
http://kidshealth.org/kid/stay_healthy/food/vitamin.html]
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