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The roles different vitamins play
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Did you know?
A nutritious diet is
a vital component of a
healthy lifestyle. When
it’s part of a health regi
men that includes routine
exercise, a healthy diet
that’s rich in fruits and
vegetables can help
people reduce their risk
for various illnesses, in
cluding chronic diseases
like heart disease, cancer
and diabetes.
Many adults have
known about the value
of fruits and vegetables
since they were young
sters and their parents
repeatedly told them
how important it was to
eat healthy foods. De
spite those early lessons,
the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention
reports that less than
10 percent of adults and
adolescents eat enough
fruits and vegetables.
That’s unfortunate, as
fruits and vegetables are
loaded with vitamins
that benefit the body in
myriad ways.
The U.S. National Li
brary of Medicine notes
that vitamin deficiency
occurs when people do
not get enough of certain
vitamins. Recognizing the
many functions vita
mins serve may compel
adults and adolescents to
include more fruits and
vegetables in their diets.
• Vitamin A: The USN-
LM notes that vitamin A
helps form and maintain
healthy teeth, bones, soft
tissue, mucous mem
branes, and skin. Accord
ing to the World Health
Organization, vitamin A
deficiency is the lead
ing cause of preventable
blindness in children
and increases the risk of
disease and death from
severe infections.
• Vitamin B6: Vitamin
B6 helps form red blood
cells and maintain brain
function. Though the Na
tional Institutes of Health
notes that isolated
vitamin B6 deficiency is
uncommon, a deficiency
has been associated
with various conditions,
including a weakened im
mune system and derma
titis cheilitis, a condition
marked by scaling on the
lips and cracks at the
corners of the mouth.
• Vitamin C: Vitamin
C is an antioxidant that
promotes healthy teeth
and gums, helps the
body absorb iron and
maintains healthy tissue.
In addition, vitamin C
plays an integral role in
helping wounds heal.
Vitamin C deficiency
impairs bone function,
and Merck notes that in
children that impairment
can cause bone lesions
and contribute to poor
bone growth.
• Vitamin D: The
USNLM notes that 10 to
15 minutes of sunshine
three times per week is
enough to produce the
body’s vitamin D require
ment for people at most
latitudes. It’s hard to rely
on food to supply ample
vitamin D, which helps
the body absorb calcium
that is necessary for the
development and main
tenance of healthy teeth
and bones.
• Vitamin E: Vitamin E
helps the body form red
blood cells and utilize
vitamin K. Green, leafy
vegetables like spinach
and broccoli are good
sources of vitamin E.
The Office of Dietary
Supplements notes that a
vitamin E deficiency can
cause nerve and muscle
damage, potentially lead
ing to muscle weakness
and vision problems.
• Vitamin K: Vitamin
K helps to make certain
proteins that are needed
for blood clotting and
the building of bones.
The T.H. Chan School of
Public Health at Harvard
notes that the main type
of vitamin K is found in
green leafy vegetables
like collard greens, kale
and spinach. Vitamin K
deficiency is rare, but
it can lead to bleeding,
hemorrhaging or osteo
porosis.
Vitamins are crucial
to human beings’ over
all health. Eating ample
amounts of fruits and
vegetables is a great and
delicious way to avoid
vitamin deficiency.
According to the
World Health Organiza
tion, an estimated 250
million preschool chil
dren are vitamin A defi
cient. That’s a significant
concern, as children who
are not getting enough
vitamin A are at greater
risk for severe visual im
pairment and blindness.
Vitamin A deficiency also
increases a child’s risk
of severe illness, and
even death, from com
mon childhood infec
tions, including diarrheal
disease and measles. The
WHO notes that breast
milk is a natural source
of vitamin A and urges
mothers of infants to
breastfeed to ensure chil
dren get ample amounts
of vitamin A. Parents of
older children can look
to various healthy foods
to make sure young
sters are getting enough
vitamin A. The National
Institutes of Health notes
that foods such as sweet
potatoes, carrots and
fortified cereals typi
cally contain substantial
amounts of vitamin A.
The U.S. National Library
of Medicine reports that
various animal products,
including meat, fish,
poultry, and dairy prod
ucts, also contain signifi
cant amounts of vitamin
A. Parents can speak
with their children’s
pediatricians to deter
mine the healthiest, most
effective ways to ensure
their youngsters are get
ting enough vitamin A.
Herbs and spices that can promote healthy hearts
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A nutritious diet is
a key component of a
healthy lifestyle. When
paired with regular physi
cal activity, a nutritious
diet can help people
dramatically reduce their
risk for various diseases,
including heart disease.
According to the
World Health Organiza
tion, ischaemic heart
disease and stroke claim
more lives each year
than any other disease,
annually accounting for
roughly 15 percent of all
deaths across the globe.
Many deaths caused by
heart disease can be
prevented, and eating
a healthy diet is a great
preventive measure that
anyone can take.
Though some people
may associate healthy
diets with bland foods
that lack flavor, people
can incorporate various
heart-healthy herbs and
spices into their favorite
dishes to make them
more nutritious and
flavorful.
• Garlic: Garlic has
long since earned its
place on the kitchen
spice rack. However, bo-
tanically, garlic is neither
an herb or a spice but a
vegetable. Regardless of
how it’s classified, garlic
is loaded with flavor and
can be used to improve
just about any recipe,
all the while benefitting
heart health. The United
States-based health
services provider Mercy
Health notes that garlic
can help lower blood
pressure and reduce bad
cholesterol levels.
• Cayenne pepper: Few
ingredients may change
a recipe as quickly as
cayenne pepper. The ad
dition of cayenne pepper
can instantly make dish
es more spicy. But cay
enne pepper brings more
than a little extra kick to
the dinner table. Health
line notes that various
studies have shown that
capsaicin, the active in
gredient in cayenne pep
per, can provide a host
of health benefits. One
such study published
in the British Journal of
Nutrition found that add
ing capsaicin to a high-
carbohydrate breakfast
significantly reduced
hunger and the desire to
eat before lunch. Eat
ing less can help people
more effectively control
their body weight, which
in turn reduces their risk
for heart disease.
• Turmeric: Garlic and
even cayenne pepper
may already be staples in
many people’s kitchens,
but that’s not necessar
ily so with turmeric. A
yellow spice often used
when preparing Indian
foods, turmeric has anti
inflammatory properties
thanks to curcumin, the
part of turmeric responsi
ble for giving it its yellow
color. Experts acknowl
edge that turmeric needs
to be studied more to
definitively conclude its
effects on heart health,
but WebMD notes that
one small study indicated
that turmeric can help
ward off heart attacks
in people who have had
bypass surgery.
• Coriander: A popu
lar herb used across
the globe, coriander is
sometimes mistaken
for cilantro. Though the
two come from the same
plant, cilantro refers to
the leaves and stems
of the coriander plant,
while the coriander in
recipes typically refers to
the seeds of that plant.
Mercy Health notes that
coriander seeds may
help reduce bad cho
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