|Vitamins| are organic substances your body needs to function properly. They help process other nutrients, and help form red |blood cells|, ~hormones~, genetic material and chemicals in your nervous system. We need very small amounts of |vitamins| - about 1/8 teaspoon a day. The recommended amounts (the USRDA) are included with each vitamin description.
Fat-soluble |vitamins| are stored in the body; too much can be toxic. These include |Vitamins| A, D, E, and K. Excess of the water-soluble |vitamins| are eliminated by the body naturally. These include |Vitamins| B1 (thiamin), B2 (riboflavin), B3 (niacin), B6, B12, C, |Folic Acid| (folacin), |Pantothenic Acid| and |Biotin|. Other B |vitamins| include choline, inositol and PABA (para-aminobenzoic acid).
If you do not eat well-balanced meals and a variety of foods, a vitamin supplement may be useful. It should provide the Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDA) defined by the government. (Because of the hazards of vitamin |poisoning|, megadoses of |vitamins| should be supervised by your doctor.) The RDAs are estimates of |vitamins| needed to meet the nutritional needs of most healthy people. The standards are set by the Food and Nutrition Board-National Research Council of the US Government.
Cooking can affect the |vitamins| found naturally in foods. Cook |vegetables| quickly in as little water as possible; roast or broil meats; use cooking liquid in sauces and soups. "Fortified" and "enriched" foods are better for you than non-fortified and non-enriched foods. Fortified milk products have added |Vitamins| A and D which are lost when fat is removed. Enriched grain products have added wheat germ and nutrients lost during processing.
