Vitamins Celebrate 100 Years
If you've been looking for an occasion to celebrate, what better occasion than great health? You're well and active—largely thanks to the vitamins you consume, whether in supplement form or from the food you eat. And while celebrating, take a moment to recognize this: 2012 marks the 100th anniversary of the discovery of vitamins!
That's right—in 1912, a biochemist named Casimir Funk coined the term "vitamin" when he isolated vitamin B1 from rice bran.
You've heard the term vitamin before—you may even be taking vitamins every day—but do you really know what vitamins are? They're organic substances that are essential for proper nutrition for people, animals, and even some plants. Vitamins are found in many natural foods, and your body even produces several types of vitamins, but not enough of what you need. That's why supplementation is so important!
There are 13 types of vitamins, many of which fall into the vitamin B category. I know what you're thinking—that adds up to way to many pills to take each day. That's why multivitamins—like Ultimate Multi-Complete—are great for overall wellness, but if you're looking for specific benefits, here's a breakdown of what vitamins can do for you:
- Vitamin A—Supports healthy teeth, skin, and vision. Vitamin A can be found naturally in carrots, kale, broccoli, dairy products, and meat.
- B vitamins—Supports your heart, nervous system, red blood cell production, and maintains energy. The vitamin B complex (B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, and B12) can be found naturally in grains, green vegetables, fish, beans, and dairy products.
- Vitamin C—Supports immune defense, healthy teeth and gums, and provides antioxidant protection. Vitamin C can be found naturally in citrus fruits, broccoli, cabbage, spinach, tomatoes, and many other fruits and veggies, notably strawberries.
- Vitamin D—Support strong bones, healthy teeth, and aids in calcium absorption. Known as the "sunshine vitamin," D3 is produced in the body when your skin is exposed to sunlight. Vitamin D can be found naturally in fish, egg yolk, dairy products, and from 10-15 minutes of sun exposure (without sunscreen) each day.
- Vitamin E—Supports red blood cell production and provides antioxidant protection. Vitamin E can be found naturally in whole grains, leafy greens, and nuts.
- Vitamin K—Supports healthy blood clotting and coagulation. Vitamin K can be found naturally in liver, cereals, and members of the cabbage family.
It's important to eat a balanced meal—rich with fresh produce, lean meat, nuts, and whole grains—to be sure you're consuming a variety of vitamins every day. Without them, your body would struggle to maintain its status as a well-oiled machine, and your health would dwindle.
But sometimes there's just no time to prepare fresh, healthy meals. I've been there too! Frozen food becomes convenient and can even trick your taste buds into satisfaction if you train them just right.
Here's an idea that I started doing myself. I go grocery shopping over the weekend and buy plenty of fresh fruit, and then early in the week I wash it all thoroughly and chop it up into a big fruit salad. That way, whatever I end up eating for a meal as the week goes on, I at least can top it off with healthy fruit salad, chock full of vitamins and nutrients!
If you're looking to supplement with vitamins, be sure to visit our sister company, Vitamin Research Products. VRP has a wide variety of single vitamins so you can give your body extra support where you need it most.
We'd love to hear from you! How do you get your daily dose of vitamins?