VITAMINS

Each vitamin has a specific functions. The food containing these vitamins

Vitamin A
  Helps in the formation and maintenance of healthy teeth, bones, soft tissue, mucous membranes, and skin. (Fat soluble)

  Foods: Apricots, romaine lettuce, cantaloupe, mangoes, carrots, raw & juiced, nectarines, collard greens, peaches, hot chili peppers, leaf lettuce, pumpkins, sweet potatoes, spinach, red peppers, yams, tuna, turnip, beet greens, butternut squash, fish & eggs.

Vitamin B6
  Is also known as pyridoxine. The more protein a person eats, the more vitamin B6 is needed to help the body use the protein. Vitamin B6 helps form red blood cells and maintain brain function, among other things. (Water soluble)

Foods:  Whole-grain cereals, bananas, avocados, chicken, beef, brewer's yeast, eggs, brown rice, soybeans, whole wheat, peanuts, walnuts, oats, carrots, sunflower seeds, potatoes, bananas, peanut butter, turkey and chicken white meat

Vitamin B12
  Like the other B vitamins, is important for metabolism. It also helps form red blood cells and maintain the central nervous system. (Cyanocobalamin) (Water soluble)

Foods: This vitamin is found only in animal products.
Organ meats, clams, ham, cooked oysters, king crab, salmon, tuna, lean beef, liver, blue cheese, milk, shellfish, meat, cheese

Vitamin C
 Also called ascorbic acid, is an antioxidant that promotes healthy teeth and gums. It helps the body absorb iron and maintain healthy tissue. It also promotes wound healing.

Foods: Red and green peppers, brussels sprouts, cabbage, oranges, cauliflower, pink grapefruit, strawberries, mustard greens, kiwi fruit, orange juice, broccoli, cantaloupe, asparagus, avocados, collards, dandelion greens, kale, lemons, mangoes, onions, radishes, watercress. 

Vitamin D
  Is also known as the "sunshine vitamin," since it is made by the body after being in the sun. Ten to 15 minutes of sunshine three times per week is enough to produce the body's requirement of vitamin D. This vitamin promotes the body's absorption of calcium, which is essential for the normal development and maintenance of healthy teeth and bones. It also helps maintain proper blood levels of calcium and phophates. (Fat soluble)

Foods: Sun exposure, sardines, salmon, mushrooms, eggs, fortified milk, fortified cereals, herring, liver, tuna, cod liver oil, margarine.

Vitamin E
  Is an antioxidant also known as tocopherol. It plays a role in the formation of red blood cells and helps the body use vitamin K.

Foods: Vegetables & nut oils, including soybean, corn, safflower, spinach, whole grains, wheat germ, sunflower seeds, almonds

Vitamin K
Is not listed among the essential vitamins, but without it blood would not stick together (coagulate). Some studies suggest that it helps promote strong bones in the elderly. (Fat Soluble):

Foods: Green leafy vegetables including spinach, kale, cauliflower, broccoli.

Biotin
Is essential for the metabolism of proteins and carbohydrates, and in the production of hormones and cholesterol.

Foods: Bread, brown rice, bran cereals, egg yolk, yeast, nuts, beans, peas, cauliflower, liver, kidney and fish.

Niacin
  Is a B vitamin that helps maintain healthy skin and nerves. It is also has cholesterol-lowering effects.  (Water soluble)

Foods: Chicken breast, tuna, veal, beef liver, brewer's yeast, broccoli, carrots, cheese, corn flour, dandelion greens, dates, eggs, fish, milk, pork, potatoes, tomatoes,.salmon, turkey, peanuts, chicken

Foliate
 Works with vitamin B12 to help form red blood cells. It is necessary for the production of DNA, which controls tissue growth and cell function. Any woman who is pregnant should be sure to get enough folate. Low levels of folate are linked to birth defects such as spina bifida. Many foods are now fortified with folic acid.

 Foods:Asparagus, garbanzo beans, endive, lentils, lima beans, mustard greens, pigeon beans, pink beans, pinto beans, spinach, strawberries, white beans

Pantothenic acid
  Is essential for the metabolism of food. It is also plays a role in the production of hormones and cholesterol. (Pantothenic Acid) (Water soluble)

Foods: Whole grains, mushrooms, salmon, brewer's east, fresh vegetables, kidney, legumes, liver, pork, royal jelly, saltwater fish, torula yeast, whole rye & whole wheat flour. 

Riboflavin
(B2) works with the other B vitamins. It is important for body growth and the production of red blood cells. (Riboflavin) (Water soluble)

Foods: Poultry, fish, Broccoli, turnip greens, asparagus, spinach, yogurt, milk, cheese, liver, eggs, pork
 
Thiamine
(B1) helps the body cells change carbohydrates into energy. It is also essential for heart function and healthy nerve cells. (Thiamine) (Water soluble)

Foods: Wheat germ, rice beans, ham, fresh peas, beans, bread, oranges, cereals, pork, beef, peanuts, brazil nuts