WHAT ARE VITAMINS ?
By Din Lubis

Vitamins are substances necessary to mantain life. The word vita means life. These substances formed by plants or animals which must be supplied to the body in tiny quantities so that the vital processes can continue as they should.

Until late in the 19th century,a peculiar and dangerous disease called “scurvy” used to cause serious illness among the crews sailing ships all over the world. Late in the 18th century,it was discovered that the eating of fresh fruits and vegetables cured the desease. It took scientist 100 years to find out that this desease happened because fresh foods contained vitamin!

Because they didn’t know the exact chemical nature of these vitamins,they didn’t give them names but simply called them vitamins A,B,C,D,etc. Let us see why some of these vitamins are necessary for good health.

Vitamin A is always found in association with fat in animal body. It is formed in growing plants and transferred to animals when they eat plants.Vitamin A helps prevent infection. It is found in egg yolk,milk,cold liver oil ,liver,and in carrots ,.spinach and lettuce.

Vitamin B,or the “B complex” as it is called,was for many years thought to be one vitamin. Now it is known to be at least six different vitamins. These are called “B1,B2”, etc.Vitamin B1 is necessary for prevention of certain nervous desease,and its absence cause a desease called “beriberi”. Vitamin B1 is found in fresh vegetables,fresh fruits , whole grain cereals, and milk. Vitamin B1 must be constantly replaced in the body.

Another important vitamin is vitamin C .Absence of this vitamin causes scurvy. The joints become stiff, teeth become loose, and the bone become weak. Orange, tomatoes, and cabbage are rich in vitamin C.The body is unable to store vitamin C so it must be replace constantly.

Vitamin D is important for infants in proper bone development and for teeth. This vitamin is found in great quantities in egg yolk, cold liver oil, and liver. Sunligh provides our body with vitamin D, too .If you eat well-balanced diet, you are probably getting enough of the vitamin you need.

Vitamin E protect vitamin A in the body,allowing it to perform its essential functions. Furthermore , vitamin E is also one of the anti-oxidants that serve to protect the cells of the body from damaging free radicals,wich are waste product from the making of energy. Vitamin E is found in vegetable oils and nuts, as it is in dark,leavy green vegetables.

We know that there are certain foods we should eat,such as fresh vegetables and fruits. But often we do not, pressed by time os simple through a lack of desire, many of us simply do not consume near enough of these important food. In these circumstances,vitamin supplement may be the best choice to ensure that the body gets what it needs to be stong and healthy. [M1]

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