Question

What are the types of vitamins? Describe their sources and functions.

Vitamins are very essential for working of the body and are divided into two groups. Explain about them.

Answer 1

Vitamins are divided into two main groups - fat-soluble vitamins and water-soluble vitamins.

A. Fat-Soluble Vitamins (A, D, E, K): They are stored in the body and are not easily excreted, so excessive intake can become toxic.

Vitamin	Sources	Functions
Vitamin A	Milk, butter, cheese, cream, egg yolk, liver; beta-carotene from dark green leafy vegetables and yellow/orange fruits and vegetables like carrot, pumpkin, mango, papaya	Vision in dim light, healthy skin and mucous membranes, growth, immunity
Vitamin D	Egg yolk, liver, cod liver oil, shark liver oil, pure milk; natural source, morning sunlight	Absorption of calcium and phosphorus; strong bones and teeth
Vitamin E	Soybean, corn and safflower oils, green leafy vegetables, wheat germ, whole grains, liver, egg yolk, nuts and seeds	Antioxidant; protects cell walls; keeps skin healthy; helps in blood clotting
Vitamin K	Green leafy vegetables, cabbage, spinach, cauliflower, tomatoes, peas, carrot	Helps in normal blood clotting; anti-bleeding vitamin

B. Water-Soluble Vitamins (B-Complex and Vitamin C): They are not stored in the body and are excreted in urine, so they are needed frequently in small doses.

Vitamin	Sources	Functions
Vitamin B1 (Thiamine)	Whole-grain cereals, pulses, peanuts, seeds, mushrooms, green peas, beans, egg yolk, meat	Carbohydrate metabolism; healthy muscles and nerves
Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin)	Milk, eggs, liver, kidney, green leafy vegetables, whole-grain cereals, legumes	Antioxidant; maintains healthy blood cells, skin and eyes
Vitamin B3 (Niacin)	Whole-grain cereals, pulses, meat, poultry, fish, vegetables, peanuts	Energy metabolism; healthy nervous and digestive systems and skin
Vitamin B5 (Pantothenic acid)	Milk, meat, peanuts, eggs	Energy metabolism
Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine)	Meat, poultry, fish, nuts, seeds, pulses, whole grains, spinach, bananas, potatoes	Protein and amino acid metabolism; formation of red blood cells
Vitamin B7 (Biotin)	Organ meats, egg yolk, nuts, soybeans, whole grains, bananas, cauliflower	Acts as coenzyme in metabolic reactions
Vitamin B9 (Folate/Folic acid)	Green leafy vegetables, pulses, oranges, orange juice, liver, cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli	Formation of DNA and new cells, especially red blood cells
Vitamin B12 (Cobalamin)	Fish, meat, poultry, eggs	Maintains healthy nerve cells; production of DNA and RNA
Vitamin C (Ascorbic acid)	Amla, guava, orange, lemon, malta, mausambi, strawberry, green chillies, papaya, mango, ber	Growth and regeneration, healthy gums, wound healing, immunity