Two groups of vitamins are present in the body – water soluble (C and all B vitamins), which are found in all watery components of cells; and fat soluble vitamins such as A, D, E and K, found in the fatty cell compartments such as membranes.
There are more than 20 vitamins, each having different chemical structures and roles within the body, which are used in many unique ways. For example, Vitamin C is used to form collagen, which is produced by ribosomes and exported from the cells to form collagen systems. During this process a substance called hydroxylproline from an amino acid, is formed, but if there is no Vitamin C available, the process cannot be completed. The first sign of this process breaking down is found in weak blood vessels and loose teeth. Collagen holds teeth in their sockets, so this simple deduction was first discovered when scurvy became rife amongst sailors who lacked fresh vegetables and fruit for months on end. Hence limes and lemons became an important part of their diet.
However, nowadays there is minimal Vitamin C found in citrus fruit, due to deficient soils and lack of sunshine at ripening, hence the necessity to supplement with good doses of Vitamin C on a daily basis. We are able to store some vitamins, and whilst Vitamin C is not one of them, Vitamin A is well stored in the liver, so be careful of over dosing!
In 1912, Polish scientist Casimir Funk described natural food substances that are essential for life when working on symptoms of beriberi. Funk suggested that these four precise diseases were caused by a lack of ‘amines’ in the diet:
Rickets – lack of Vitamin D caused ‘softening’ of the bones
Scurvy – lack of Vitamin C caused blood loss from leaking blood vessels
Pellagra –lack of Vitamin B3 caused skin changes, constant diarrhea and dementia
Beriberi – lack of Vitamin B1 caused pain in the limbs, weak muscles and enlarged and weak heart
Most vitamins are not produced in our bodies, and so we need to find them in our food. Common thinking is often that if we eat a ‘healthy’ diet of lots of fresh vegetables, fruit, legumes, grains, nuts, seeds and good protein.
We can get all of the vitamins we need in our food
Sorry about this, but the answer is no. Unless, of course you are growing all of your own food under perfect organic conditions, with soils that are rich in ALL the nutrients we need. As we’ve said before – organic is great, but the soil the food came from has to be very nutrient rich.
Independent studies conducted in the United States, and the United Kingdom amongst other countries reveal that the nutrient content of our food has fallen substantially over the past few decades. The table below gives examples of potatoes sold in Canada between 1951 and 1999.
Potatoes, one potato, peeled before boiling, 136g. 100/136=.74
|
| Calcium
(mg) | Iron
(mg) | Vitamin A
(I.U.) | Vitamin C
(mg) | Thiamine
(mg) | Riboflavin
(mg) | Niacin
(mg) |
| 1951 | 11.00 | 0.70 | 20.00 | 17.00 | 0.11 | 0.04 | 1.20 |
| 1972 | 5.74 | 0.49 | 0.00 | 16.39 | 0.09 | 0.03 | 1.15 |
| 1999 | 7.97 | 0.30 | 0.00 | 7.25 | 0.09 | 0.02 | 1.74 |
| % Change | -27.55 | -57.14 | -100 | -57.35 | -18.18 | -50.00 | -45.00 |
See also:United Kingdom - Meat and diary: where have all the minerals gone? Food Magazine 72, pub. by The Food Commission, UK. Jan/Mar 2006.
Image source=3D Chem
Keyword=n_d
New research indicates that taking a single daily 
