With a well-balanced diet, you can get all of benefits from an array of vitamins. The articles below detail which vitamins can be found in the foods you eat!

Health Snack Food Rich in Vitamins and Nutrients

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Nuts and seeds: Nuts and seeds are a good source of protein and are packed full of vitamins and nutrients. They are always a good choice of foods for snack time. Although, they contain a higher portion of fat, it is the healthier unsaturated kind, and so they make a good snack when you feel a little hungry. Be on guard if you are really hungry because you may have the tendency to eat too big a portion. Eat no more than a handful of nuts (about 1.5 oz) for a quick and nutritious snack.

Cookies and bars: If you have more of a sweet tooth at snack time, look at the low fat and low sugar snacks such as oatmeal cookies or a protein/nutrition bar. There are many energy bars available now to choose from and they are made to give you a balanced nutrition with vitamins in small portions, so they make good and convenient snacks.

Crackers and cheese: if you crave the salty snacks it will take will power to stay away from the high carbohydrate and fat these snacks contain. Watch out for crackers and chips as they may contain higher amounts of fats such as trans fats or saturated. Package labels will provide the nutrition information so read carefully before you buy.

Pretzels or popcorn: there are plenty of low-fat and low-sodium crackers, pretzels, chips, etc. Served with a variety of low-fat cheeses or vegetable spreads will add flavors and extra vitamins and nutrients at snack time. Keep the portion size small because the calories in these snacks can add up fast. For a low-calorie option, a cup of popcorn makes a nice crunchy snack. Reduce the amount of fat by sprinkling a little celery salt or spice instead of using butter and salt. Product packages will give you the calories per serving sizes so you can keep the portion sizes right while being energized and still not exceed your total daily intake requirements.

Fruit and vegetables: Any fruit such as apples, berries, melons or a mixture of these will give you a host of vitamins and Add a half apple or other fruit when you eat any other snack food to make a more balanced and healthy snack. Raw vegetables such as carrots and celery make nutritious snacks that are low in fat and rich in vitamins and nutrients.

What is most important with any snack is to combine health food and vitamins in a proper balance of carbohydrates, proteins and fats for your level of physical activity. more active you are the more you’ll require snacks between meals. If you are less active but like to snack eat fewer calories at meal times and divide the rest of your daily requirements into the number of snacks. If you are conscious about losing or maintaining your weight, be sure to keep the calories from fats between 10 to 20% of the total with each snack.

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Importance and Role of Vitamins

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A polish researcher by the name of Dr. Cacimir Funk proposed the term ‘Vitamine’ meaning a vital amine to designate a new food substance which cured beriberi. But later finally the alphabet “e” was dropped and the word “Vitamin’ met with popular favor.
 
The potent organic compounds which are found in small concentrations in foods are known as vitamins. They are important and vital to the functioning of various organs in the body. Absence of vitamins or their deficiency or improper absorption results in specific deficiency disease. All the possible vitamins are essential for the growth and development of human body. They are found in minute quantities in organic foods in their natural state. These foods provide us with all the essential vitamins and dietary supplements.
 
There are different kinds of vitamins and they differ from each other in their chemical structure, physiological functions and in their distribution in the food. There are two varieties of vitamins namely fat soluble and water soluble. They are not normally destroyed by ordinary cooking methods and are stored in the body to some extent normally in the liver. Their measurement is done in international units.
 
Vitamins cannot be stored permanently in the body and hence they have to be taken daily in foods. Even extra vitamins taken do not have any benefit and are eliminated as waste. They are measured in milligrams or micrograms whichever is appropriate. Drugs are proved to be toxic and have many side-effects while vitamins are non-toxic and safe. The various types of vitamins are illustrated below:
 
Vitamin A: Vitamin A is essential for optimum growth and vitality. It increases resistance against respiratory and other infections and works mainly on the eyes, lungs, stomach and intestines. It prevents diseases of the eye and plays a vital role in nourishing hair and skin. The main sources of Vitamin A are whole milk, curds, fish liver oil, pure ghee, cheese, cream, butter, green leafy vegetables and other dry fruits such as almonds.
 
B complex vitamins: There are different varieties of vitamins in the B group the more important among them are:
Thiamine which is very important in the normal functioning of the nervous system, the regulation of carbohydrates and good digestion. Whole grains, nuts, pulses, peas, milk, eggs, bananas are the main sources of Thiamine.
 
Riboflavin which is necessary for the growth and general health and also for healthy eyes, skin, nails and hair. Main sources of riboflavin are almonds, sunflower seeds citrus fruits tomato and green leafy vegetables.
 
Niacin which is essential for proper circulation, healthy functioning of the nervous system and proper protein and carbohydrates metabolism. It is found in liver, fish, poultry, peanut, whole wheat, tomato, dates and figs.
 
Pyridoxine which helps in proper absorption of fats and proteins protects against degenerative diseases and prevents skin and nervous disorders. The main sources of pyridoxine are wheat bran, pulses, cereals, walnuts, milk, liver and fresh vegetables.
 
Folic acid which is essential for the formation of red blood cells and improves hemoglobin. Its main sources are spinach, lettuce, breweries, mushrooms, yeast, liver and peanuts.
 
Panthothenic acid or vitamin B5 helps in cell building and development and growth of central nervous system. The main sources are whole grain, bread and cereals, gram, vegetables, peas, beans and peanut.
 
Vitamin C: Also known as ascorbic acid this vitamin is necessary for the maintenance and normal growth of all the tissues inside the body especially those of bones, teeth, joints and gums. It is a natural antibiotic and protects from infections. It also helps in decreasing blood cholesterol. It prevents infections, colds neutralizes various toxins in the system, increases sexual vitality and speeds up healing processes in virtually all cases of health. Vitamin C is found in citrus fruits, berries, grean leafy vegetables, tomatoes, potatoes and green and sprouted Bengal gram.
 
Vitamin D: This vitamin is necessary for the proper functioning of the thyroid gland and for proper bone and teeth formation. It assists in the assimilation of phosphorous, calcium and other minerals from the digestive tract. The main sources of this vitamin are raysofsun, fish, milk and eggs. This vitamin is necessary in the treatment of constipation, nervousness and other muscular disorders.
 
Vitamin E: This vitamin is essential for fertility, physical stamina and normal reproductory functions. It is essential for the prevention of asthma, heart diseases, arthritis and many other conditions. It is available in milk, grain, cereals, eggs, whole sprouted seeds and nuts. This vitamin has proved to be beneficial in the treatment of various forms of paralysis, various heart diseases and diseases of the muscles.
 
Vitamin K: Vitamin K is necessary to prevent bleeding from any part of the body, clothing of blood and normalize the liver functions. It reduces excessive menstrual flow in women during periods. Its deficiency can lead to reduced vitality, premature ageing and insufficient bile salts in the intestines. The main sources of this vitamin are cow’s milk, yolk, eggs, green leafy vegetables, cauliflower, cabbage and tomato.
 
Thus we can conclude that vitamins taken in our daily food improve health, vigour and stamina naturally without the side-effects of medicines.
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Benefits of Calcium, Calcium Rich Food, and Calcium Deficiency

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Calcium is an essential dietary mineral for healthy bones and strong teeth. A constant blood calcium level is essential for the maintenance of the normal heartbeat, and for the usual functioning of nerves and muscles.

Advantages of calcium -

-Calcium ion is essential for a large variety of important physiological functions, including muscle contraction, nerve stimulation, hormonal release, cell membrane, permeability, proper enzyme function.

-Calcium is necessary to stabilize the activity of a number of proteins and enzymes. The binding of calcium ions is required for the activation of "vitamin K-dependent" clotting aspects in the blood coagulation process.

-Calcium, especially calcium derived from dairy products help adjust body fat.

-Calcium helps slow bone loss in postmenopausal women, may reduce premenstrual syndrome symptoms, and is associated with reduced threat of colorectal cancer.

-The body requires calcium to make strong teeth and healthy bones. The bones serve as the storage place for the body's calcium. They continuously release calcium into the bloodstream, and then keep replacing it as the body's requirement for calcium arises. When calcium intake is low, there is poor absorption; and there is a high probability of bone breakdown because the body uses up the stored calcium to perform normal biological functions.

-Calcium is also needed for muscle contraction and maintenance of cell membranes.

-Calcium supplements help alleviate mood swings, food cravings, pain, and bloating associated with premenstrual syndrome.

What is the recommended daily requirement of calcium?

Optimal calcium intake depends according to a person's age, sex, and ethnicity.

The U.S. Recommended Dietary Allowance for calcium is 1,000 milligrams per day - given for adults (except pregnant or lactating women) and children over 4 years of age.

It is about 1200 milligrams for individuals older than 50 years of age.

The calcium intake of vegans tends to be slightly below the recommended optimal amounts but the body does adapt to lower intakes. Since vegetarians have a slightly lower protein intake and rule out meat from their diet, encourages their bodies to retain calcium so their dietary need is relatively lower.

Sources of Calcium -

Dairy products (milk, yoghurt, cottage cheese, cheese) are the main sources of calcium. Individuals with lactose intolerance (people who cannot completely digest the milk sugar lactose) and those who are vegans tend to avoid or eliminate dairy products from their diet. We all know that it is important for vegetarians to meet calcium needs with alternative calcium sources.

Good vegan sources of calcium include tofu (if prepared from calcium sulphate), green leafy vegetables, dried figs, broccoli, seeds and nuts. Some soya milks, instant breakfast cereals are also fortified with calcium. Drinking water can provide as much as 200mg of calcium daily, as hard water contains a rich source of calcium.

Although most grains are not high in calcium, they do contribute calcium to the diet because they are consumed regularly and frequently.

What affects calcium absorption and excretion from the body?

Only 20-30% of calcium in the average diet is absorbed into the body, the rest gets excreted.

A high protein diet, especially based on animal foods, causes calcium loss in the body. The higher sulphur-to-calcium ratio of meat increases calcium excretion.

Calcium absorption can also be affected by the amount of calcium present in the body, amount of vitamin D presence (helps improve calcium absorption), age, pregnancy (intestinal calcium absorption increases during pregnancy), fibre content in diet etc. The amount of calcium consumed at one time such as in a meal is inversely related to the absorption rate.

Calcium excretion refers to the amount of calcium eliminated from the body through urine, feces and sweat. Calcium excretion is affected by factors such as amount of sodium, protein, caffeine and potassium in diet.

Calcium is lost in cooking some foods even under the best conditions.

To retain calcium:

-Foods are best cooked in a minimal amount of water.

-Cook food for the shortest possible time.

What does calcium deficiency lead to?

Osteoporosis: major cause of bone fractures in the elderly, especially women. Prevention includes an adequate intake of calcium throughout life, but especially in childhood and young adulthood; and reducing trigger factors such as smoking, heavy drinking and lack of physical exercise.

Diets high in protein and salt also increase calcium loss from the body. Post-menopausal women are more prone because they produce less oestrogen, which protects the skeleton in younger women.

Rickets is a childhood disorder involving softening and weakening of the bones. It is caused by lack of vitamin D, calcium, or phosphate. Deficiency of vitamin D leads to improper regulation of calcium and phosphate. Symptoms of rickets in children include delayed sitting, crawling, walking and the development of bowlegs.

Warning: The reader of this article should exercise all precautionary measures while following instructions on the home remedies from this article. Avoid using any of these products if you are allergic to it. The responsibility lies with the reader and not with the site or the writer.

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