Vital Vitamins – Are you getting enough?

dreamstimefree_954653Eating plenty of vegetables and fruits can help you ward off heart disease and stroke, control blood pressure, prevent some types of cancer, avoid a painful intestinal ailment called diverticulitis, and guard against cataract and macular degeneration, two common causes of vision loss.

Fat-soluble vitamins are found in fatty foods such as animal fats, vegetable oils, liver and oily fish. Your body needs these vitamins every day but you don’t need to eat them every day. This is because your body is capable of storing them in your liver and fatty tissues to use when they are needed.Fat soluble vitamins are Vitamin A, D, E and K

Water soluble vitamins are different. Your body cannot store them so you need to consume them more frequently. These vitamins are found in fruit, vegetables and grains.Water soluble vitamins are Vitamin B6, B12, C, Biotin, Folic Acid, Niacin, Panthothenic Acid, Riboflavin, Thiamin.

So if vitamins are vital for life, what’s the best way to ensure we’re getting enough?

“Five a day” – A recent Cambridge University study highlighted four things we can do to extend our life by an average of 14 years. These included not smoking, drinking alcohol in moderation, getting regular exercise and of course eating 5 servings of fruits or vegetables daily. Don’t worry though! It’s easier than it seems. As well as fresh fruit and vegetables, frozen, dried or tinned (in fruit juice) all count. A glass of fruit juice also counts as one serving. However no matter how much more juice you drink that day it can only count as one of your five servings.There are many more benefits from getting your daily vitamins from fruits and vegetables rather than just taking a daily multivitamin. The fibre content of these foods is also healthy. A study conducted by Harvard School of Public Health showed that “Eating plenty of vegetables and fruits can help you ward off heart disease and stroke, control blood pressure, prevent some types of cancer, avoid a painful intestinal ailment called diverticulitis, and guard against cataract and macular degeneration, two common causes of vision loss.”

So start getting your “Five a day” today and stay fit and healthy in the winter months!

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