Functions of Vitamins & Minerals

So today's post is going to be about the functions of certain vitamins & minerals. Vitamins & minerals are essential for your body to be healthy. I remember when I was little my grandmother used to have me take a Flinstone vitamin every night (who remembers those?!). I HATED them. Why? Because I HATE chalky. If you want to give me vitamins, you give me gummies (hence, the meme)!!! I hate anything chewable, like Tums or chewable Pepto or Tylenol. Any pills I take can't be chalky either, I'd rather have caplets. Anyway, getting off track here. Let's dig into the functions of vitamins!

• Vitamin A
• Good for your eyes, teeth, & skin.
• Some foods that contain Vitamin A include:
• Fish, eggs, broccoli, carrots, tomatoes, bell peppers, cheese, beans, peas, & peaches.
• Vitamin B
• Good for your immune function, iron absorption, & energy production.
• Some foods that contain Vitamin B include:
• Eggs, chicken, red meat, fish, cheese, & milk.
• There are two different kinds of Vitamin B: B6 & B12:
• Vitamin B6 is essential for helping your body produce brain chemicals, called neurotransmitters, that carries signals from one nerve cell to another.
• Vitamin B12 is essential in the production of red blood cells.
• Read more facts about the differences in B6 & B12 vitamins here.
• Vitamin C
• Good for strengthening blood vessels, skin elasticity, anti-oxidant function, & iron absorption.
• Some foods that contain Vitamin C are:
• Oranges, bell peppers, broccoli, kiwi, lemon, blackberry, & parsley.
• Vitamin D
• Good for strong, healthy bones.
• Some foods that contain Vitamin D are:
• Cereal, whole milk, orange juice, oatmeal, beef liver, mushrooms, eggs, oysters, goat cheese, pork tenderloin, canned salmon, sardines, shrimp, butter, tofu, and Swiss cheese.
• The sun is also a great source of Vitamin D!
• Vitamin E
• Good for protection from free radicals & improves blood circulation.
• Some foods that contain Vitamin E are:
• Olive oil, coconut oil, sunflower oil, broccoli, kale, spinach, avocado, almonds, & peanuts.
• Vitamin K
• Good for blood coagulation.
• Some foods that contain Vitamin K are:
• Broccoli, bell peppers, parsley, squash, tomatoes, kale, & olive oil.
• Folic acid
• Good for cell renewal & preventing birth defects in pregnancy.
• Some folic acid-rich foods are:
• Leafy greens, broccoli, asparagus, oranges, avocado, seeds & nuts, Brussels sprouts, beans, peas, lentils, okra, cauliflower, beets, & bell peppers.
• Calcium
• Good for healthy teeth & bones.
• Some calcium-rich foods include:
• Almonds, dried apricots, artichokes, asparagus, blackberries, baked beans, bread, broccoli, chickpeas, cinnamon, edamame, figs, kale, kidney beans, olives, oranges, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, tofu, & walnuts.
• Iron
• Builds muscle naturally & maintains healthy blood.
• Some iron-rich foods include:
• Edamame, whole wheat spaghetti, cashew nuts, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, almonds, lentils, black eyed peas, spinach, chickpeas, dried apricots, red kidney beans, curly kale, cumin, turmeric, thyme, parsley, bread, walnuts, hazelnuts, prunes, dried figs, & raisins.
• Zinc
• Good for fertility, immunity, & growth.
• Some zinc-rich foods include:
• Oysters, chicken, cheddar cheese, cashews, watermelon seeds, almonds, milk, red meat, yogurt, pumpkin seeds, salmon, & dark chocolate.
• Chromium
• Good for glucose function & sustained energy.
• Some chromium-rich foods include:
• Romaine lettuce, broccoli, tomatoes, oats, black pepper, & barley.

Well, that wraps up today's post. Hope this helped in some way!