As children we all had that moment when we sat at the dining room table, pushing our food around with the fork, dreading the last bite of carrots. Our doting mothers would smile and say, “Eat your vegetables, and you will grow up to be big and strong.” Many years later, we are all grown up and still have no idea what those carrots really did to help us grow. We take our daily multivitamins, but don’t understand the importance of all the items listed on the printed supplements label. With the help of Dr. Silvia Giraudo, associate professor in the department of food and nutrition and neuroscience program, The Red & Black has compiled this list to help define the importance of a some of those key nutrients.

Overview: Vitamin A is important in vision, bone growth, reproduction and cell division. It helps promote healthy surface linings of the eyes and the respiratory, urinary and intestinal tracts. Vitamin A also regulates the immune system and aids lymphocytes – a type of white blood cell – to fight infections. Vitamin A works best with Vitamin D. Combine one of the vitamin A-rich fruits, such as a peach, with a bowl of vitamin D-fortified cereal for breakfast.
Giraudo said she believes that vitamin A is the most crucial daily vitamin.
“If you don’t eat any fruits and vegetables, that is the one you should be interested in getting in, especially because the daily amount is a little more than most vitamins,” Giraudo said.
Sources: Fortified milk, egg substitutes, cheese, beef and chicken liver, carrots, spinach, papayas, mangos and peaches.

Overview: Vitamin B12 helps keep nerve and red blood cells healthy. It is needed in the production of DNA, and it is important to fat, carbohydrate and protein metabolism. Vitamin B12 works to release food energy. It also helps in the growth and development of a variety of cells, including skin, hair and blood.
“Vitamin B12 is the only B vitamin you cannot get from fruits or vegetables. You have to get it from some animal product, so for someone that is completely vegan, he or she needs to get it from a supplement,” Giraudo said.
Sources: Fish, meat, poultry, milk, yogurt, cheese and fortified breakfast cereals.

Overview: Vitamin C is essential in the manufacturing of collagen, which is necessary for tissue repair. It is important for healthy immune and nervous systems because it strengthens blood vessels. Vitamin C is required for utilizing carbohydrates and synthesizing fats and proteins. It also supports gums, teeth and even helps heal wounds and burns. Vitamin C is also a natural antioxidant. It fights cell damage, especially during stress and illness. For people with respiratory conditions such as asthma, bronchitis and chest colds, Vitamin C can help.
“When you come to college, you are told to drink a lot of vitamin C, and that it helps you not get a cold,” Giraudo said.
Sources: Grapefruit, guava, lemons, mangos, orange juice, tomatoes, strawberries, Brussels sprouts, green peppers, kale, papayas, spinach and tangerines.

Overview: Vitamin D plays a significant role in normal overall body growth and development. It is one of the fat-soluble vitamins that are naturally present in very few foods. It is produced when ultraviolet rays from sunlight are absorbed by the skin and trigger vitamin D synthesis. With calcium, this vitamin can help protect older adults from developing osteoporosis. In addition, vitamin D can be helpful in the maintenance of healthy immune and nervous system. Vitamin D also can potentially reduce the risk of breast cancer.
“Vitamin D helps in the absorption of calcium,” Giraudo said. “It is one of the first supplements that are given to babies or young children.”
Sources: Sunlight, cod-liver oil, egg yolks, herring, mackerel, salmon, tuna and vitamin-D fortified milk.

Overview: Vitamin E works to protect fats, cell membranes and several enzyme systems. Along with vitamin D, it is also a fat-soluble vitamin, and it exists in eight different forms. Alpha-tocopherol is the name of the most active form in humans. Vitamin E is a powerful antioxidant and fights against the effects of free radicals, pollutants and other chemicals. Vitamin E can also help fight blood clotting and improve the immune system.
“You can find vitamin E in any oil, like dressings,” said Giraudo.
Sources: Almonds, walnuts, peanuts, spinach, asparagus, broccoli, corn and fortified cereals.

Overview: Iron plays a key role in the construction of hemoglobin, which makes up red blood cells and transports oxygen through the blood stream to body cells. It also assists in the production of connective tissue and certain neurotransmitters. Furthermore, iron can promote a healthy immune system.
Sources: Egg yolks, fish, red meat, garbanzo bans, lentils, flour, greens and poultry.

Overview: Vitamin K is another fat-soluble vitamin. It assists in blood clotting processes and promotes kidney functions in the human body. Furthermore, when vitamin K-containing foods are cooked, little of the vitamin is lost.
Sources: Asparagus, broccoli, cabbage, cheddar cheese, liver, spinach, turnip greens.

Overview: Omega-3 fatty acids can have beneficial effects on the circulatory system, helping to protect against coronary heart disease and arteriosclerosis, which is a hardening of the arteries. There also is some evidence to suggest omega-3 fatty acids may reduce the chance of blood clots and stroke.
Sources: Flaxseed oil, walnuts, tuna and cold water fish, such as salmon, cod and halibut.

Web sites used in compiling this list:
ods.od.nih.gov, www.vitamins-nutrition.org