Vitamin B3 - Niacin

All the B vitamins are so important to our health and niacin is no exception. Niacin like so many of the B vitamins is needed for energy and helping our bodies to properly use carbohydrates, proteins and fat. Our brains, nervous systems, digestion and skin all need the help of niacin. It also helps to regulate our blood sugar and eliminate toxins.

 

In too large of a dose, niacin causes a flushing and tingling of the skin which can last for fifteen minutes. I experienced this myself. It's not exactly comfortable, but it does pass.

 

Niacinamide  is the synthetic version of niacin. It does not cause flushing and has a slightly different effect on the body. It is good for those with rheumatoid and osteo-arthritis and those with early-onset type-1 diabetes. It is also an antioxidant.

 

So how can we add niacin to our diet? According to healthaliciousness.com here are the top ten foods for niacin. The first is yeast extract spread (Marmite), followed by bran (rice and wheat), fish (Anchovies, Tuna, Swordfish), liver, paprika, peanuts, liver (lean), chicken (light meat), bacon and finally there is sun-dried tomatoes. I will admit that after seeing how many times paprika has come up on these top ten lists that I have started to use a lot more of it in our meals.

 

What would you choose for increasing the niacin in your diet?

 

The information about Vitamin B3 comes from the Encyclopedia of Natural Healing, Alive Publishing Group, 1997.

Vitamin K

This vitamin is fairly straightforward. Basically we need it for blood clotting and to help support our bone structure. Our bodies can manufacture what we need through our intestinal bacteria. It is very rare to be deficient in Vitamin K. Vitamin K2 is produced by our bodies; while Vitamin K1 can be found in the chlorophyll of plants.

So just in case you are worried, here are the top ten foods for Vitamin K according to healthiliciousness.com. First, herbs - basil, sage, thyme - then, dark leafy greens, scallions, brussel sprouts and broccoli. There are spices - chili powder, curry, paprika and cayenne. You can also eat asparagus, cabbage, pickled cucumber and prunes. With foods like this if you do have to supplement it should be delicious.

The information about Vitamin K comes from the Encyclopedia of Natural Healing, Alive Publishing Group, 1997.

Vitamin E could be called the “Warrior Vitamin”! It protects our bodies in so many ways. It is an antioxidant that helps to protect us from toxins, pollution and premature aging. It also protects other nutrients from being damaged. Our immune system, nerves and muscles all need vitamin E to function properly. It helps to heal injured tissue and prevent scarring. It also has some anticoagulant properties to keep our blood from clotting. We store it in our liver, but if we have excess our body eliminates it through our urine. This is one powerful vitamin.

Since vitamin C and selenium are also antioxidants they are good to take with vitamin E to help fight toxins in our bodies. Vitamin E helps our bodies to absorb vitamin A, but iron absorption is hindered by vitamin E so take them at separate times.

So how can we get Vitamin A into our diet? According to http://www.healthaliciousness.com/articles/vitamin-E.php here are the top ten sources: sunflower seeds, paprika and chili powder, almonds, pine nuts, peanuts, dried herbs (basil and oregano), dried apricots, pickled green olives, cooked spinach and cooked taro root. No doubt you already eat many of these foods. Obviously adding vitamin E to your diet is simply and delicious. I do wonder though if anyone has ever cooked and/or eaten taro root. What is it like?

The information about Vitamin E comes from the Encyclopedia of Natural Healing, Alive Publishing Group, 1997.

Vitamin A

Wow! I’m learning a lot while studying the various vitamins. Today I want to talk about Vitamin A.

Did you know there are two forms of Vitamin A? There is Vitamin A itself and it’s precursor, beta-carotene. I didn’t know beta-carotene was a “precursor” to Vitamin A. I guess when I heard the word I thought it was synonymous with Vitamin A. They are two different things though. Vitamin A is only found in animal sources and beta-carotene comes from plants. The good news though if you are vegetarian is that most people have no trouble converting beta-carotene into Vitamin A. They do, however, need to make sure that they are getting Vitamins B12 and C, zinc, and protein to make this conversion happen.

So what does Vitamin A do for us? Vitamin A helps to renew our skin and mucous membranes. It also helps to repair the linings in our digestive and respiratory tracts. Our immune and respiratory systems need Vitamin A in order to function correctly. And, of course, we all know that Vitamin A is important to our vision, but did you also know that it is good for our bones, teeth and blood?

So how can we get Vitamin A into our diet? According to www.healthaliciousness.com here are the top ten sources: liver, paprika/red pepper/cayenne/chili powders, sweet potatoes, carrots, dark leafy greens, butternut squash, dried herbs, dark and colourful lettuces, dried apricot and cantaloupe. Other foods considered rich in Vitamin A are: papaya, mangoes, green peas, tomatoes, peaches, sweet red peppers, fortified skim milk, whole milk and fortified oatmeal. With a list like that it should be easy to work Vitamin A into your diet!

The information about Vitamin A comes from the Encyclopedia of Natural Healing, Alive Publishing Group, 1997.