What exactly are vitamins and why do we need them?
In this article we will describe what exactly are vitamins – and why do we need them.
Definition – vitamins are organic compounds which are needed in small quantities to sustain life. An organic compound is one that contains carbon.
When an organism (living thing) cannot produce enough of an organic compound that it needs in tiny amounts, it has to get it from food.
Most are essential nutrients, i.e. the body cannot produce enough of them on its own; so it has to get them from food. If they are not essential, you do not need to get them from food. Your body can make them on its own.
So what are vitamins? There are currently 13 recognised vitamins.
Fat vs water soluble
There are fat-soluble and water-soluble vitamins.
Fat-soluble vitamins
These are absorbed through the intestinal tract with the help of fats (lipids). They are stored in the fat tissues of our bodies, as well as the liver.
Fat-soluble vitamins are easier to store than water-soluble ones, and can stay in the body as reserves for days, some of them for months.
Vitamins A, D, E and K are fat-soluble. They are contained in dairy, eggs and oily fish.
Water-soluble vitamins
Theses do not get stored in the body for long – they rapidly get excreted in the urine. So water-soluble vitamins need to be replaced more often than fat-soluble ones.
Vitamins C and all the B vitamins are water-soluble. They are contained in dairy, fruit and vegetables, and grains.
Summary
We have described what exactly are vitamins and why do we need them. We hope you understand them better now.
