Benefits Of Vitamins

Running away from vitamins?? Know why they are essential for healthy life!

Vitamins are substances that your body needs to grow and develop normally. There are 13 vitamins your body needs. They are

• Vitamin A

• B vitamins (thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, biotin, vitamin B-6, vitamin B-12 and folate)

• Vitamin C

• Vitamin D

• Vitamin E

• Vitamin K

The best way to get enough vitamins is to eat a balanced diet with a variety of foods. Though, in some cases, you may need to take vitamin supplements.In fact, if you eat a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and fortified food, you're probably getting all you need. But supplements do offer an easy, just-in-case form of health insurance.

Do you need them? Here's a quick guide to beneficial

Whole foods, rather than a supplement, provide an optimal synergy of compounds that your body absorbs and uses. If you're unsure if you're getting an adequate amount of vitamins, consult with your doctor. Overdosing on vitamins through supplements can be dangerous.

• Beta-carotene

Found in carrots, sweet potatoes, and green peppers, among other foods, this antioxidant is converted in the body to vitamin A and is important for healthy vision, a functioning immune system, and good skin.

• Calcium

Our bodies need calcium—mostly found in dairy products like milk, yogurt, and cheese—to maintain healthy bones and prevent osteoporosis.

• Folic

A study found that taking 200 micrograms daily reduced the risk of prostate, lung, and colorectal cancers, but other studies have been "complete flops,".

• Vitamin C

This much-touted cure-all, found in citrus fruits, berries, broccoli, and green peppers, just doesn't make the grade when it comes to common-cold prevention. One study did suggest that taking vitamin C regularly might reduce the length of a cold by a day.

• Vitamin D

Vitamin D, which helps the body absorb calcium, is necessary for bone health. It's mostly accessible through sun exposure, not food. Too little vitamin D can contribute to osteoporosis and rickets in children. Some evidence suggests that the vitamin may reduce the risk of type 1 and 2 diabetes and multiple sclerosis, but the jury's still out on these benefits.

• Vitamin E

Once upon a time, researchers thought this antioxidant could protect the heart, but a large trial published in 2005 found that 600 international units (IUs) every other day neither prevented cancer nor lowered the risk of heart attack or stroke in middle-aged and older women. (More recently, a 2008 study found no benefit of 400 IUs every other day in middle-aged and older