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How to Store Vitamins

December 13th, 2009

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There are two main types of vitamins, water soluble vitamins and fat soluble vitamins, and the way that the body does or does not store vitamin content taken from food depends on which type it is. The body cannot store water soluble vitamins and this means that a person needs to replenish their water soluble vitamin intake on a daily basis. The eight B vitamins and vitamin C are water soluble vitamins and the body cannot store vitamin content that is either of these.

It is not simply that the body cannot store vitamins that are water soluble but also the water soluble vitamins are easily destroyed by improper storage, handling, or cooking of foods that contain these vitamins. In particular, it is important not to overcook vegetables by boiling as the water soluble vitamins are in effect washed out of them but this lack of being able to store vitamins that are water soluble can be overcome by light cooking or steaming and by using the water that vegetable have been cooked in to form sauces and gravies. As the body cannot store vitamin C or the other water soluble vitamins it is essential to eat a balanced diet with at least 5 portions of fruit and vegetables to ensure that enough vitamins are available for the body to use when necessary and a person does not suffer from a vitamin deficiency due to the body’s inability to store vitamin content.

On the other hand, the body can store vitamin content that is fat soluble. The body will store vitamin content in the fat cells so that it can be used when required and a person does not need to consume as many of these fat soluble vitamins on as frequent a basis as they do with water soluble vitamins. The fat cells store vitamin A, D, E, and K as these are all fat soluble vitamins.

It is also important to store vitamin supplements correctly to ensure that the beneficial qualities of these are not diminished. The best way to store vitamin supplements is in a container with a screw top lid and to keep the container in a dry place. When you store vitamin supplements it is also essential to check that they have not been kept longer than the expiration date. The vitamin content of supplements cannot be guaranteed if you store vitamin tablets past their use by date.

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Tags: b vitamins, body, cannot, content, fat cells, fat soluble vitamins, screw top, store, vitamin, vitamin content, water, water soluble vitamins

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A Guide to the C Vitamin

December 3rd, 2009

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The c vitamin has got to be the most widely known vitamin these days. It is not surprising because the body needs c vitamin for over 300 functions. In fact, the c vitamin has been proved to help protect against heart disease, cancer and other serious illnesses. Without the c vitamin the body would not be able to heal itself either. This is because the c vitamin is vital for the formation of collagen. Whenever a person has a cut or an injury it is the collagen that helps repair the damage and without sufficient c vitamin this would be almost impossible. Collagen has a multitude of functions in the body, including keeping the organs in place, and it would not be able to do this without sufficient c vitamin.

The c vitamin is also an antioxidant for the body and helps other vitamins and minerals to be absorbed better. Folic acid and iron, for example, need the c vitamin to maximise their usefulness. The more c vitamin that the body has, the better its defence against colds and other common ailments and the c vitamin may not prevent a person catching a virus but it does help speed up the recovery process.

There is c vitamin in almost every fruit and vegetable but some have far higher c vitamin content than others. Cranberries and melons have high c vitamin content. In fact, tropical fruits have the highest c vitamin amounts of all fruit. Hot peppers are amongst the richest sources of the c vitamin when it comes to vegetables. The hotter the pepper, the higher its c vitamin content is. Unfortunately, the c vitamin is water soluble so many vegetables lose their effectiveness as a c vitamin provider if they are boiled for a long time. Steaming or quick stir frying vegetables ensures that more of their c vitamin content is retained. The recommended daily amount of the c vitamin is easily obtained from eating five portions of fruit and vegetables a day if they are consumed raw or cooked quickly.

C vitamin supplements are extremely useful to ensure that people obtain sufficient c vitamin. However, with a balanced diet the amount of c vitamin the body receives is likely to be sufficient. However, if a person begins feeling tired or lethargic then a c vitamin supplement will help overcome this. There is no danger of having too much c vitamin as the body simply excretes the excess.

Posted in Nutritions