Having a healthy diet is really important. It keeps us healthy and improves our body’s metabolism. A healthy diet should include all the nutrients that are required by the body for proper function. The nutrients are carbohydrates, protein, vitamins, minerals, etc.

What are vitamins? The word vitamin means ‘vital amine’. The performance of the function of our cells and tissues is improved by various types of vitamins. They are powerful organic compounds which can be found in the food we eat and they are also produce by our body in small amounts.

But we cannot be dependable only on the vitamins produced by our body as they are really less. Hence, it is important to have vitamin rich food items. Basically, for the growth of our body vitamins are really important.

Vitamins are divided into two categories. They are known as water – soluble vitamins and fat – soluble vitamins. Vitamin A, D, K and E come under the category of water – soluble vitamins. Vitamin B complex and vitamin C come under the category of fat – soluble vitamins. Vitamins are required by our body in a certain amount.

If this amount increases then our body can be damaged and we can fall sick. For example let’s take vitamin D; the number of units of this vitamin required by our body in a day is 400 to 800. And if this amount exceeds, our kidneys can be damaged as it will absorb calcium from the bloodstream.

The importance of some type of vitamins is given as follows. Vitamin C – it helps our body tissues to remain healthy. Our body’s resistance to infection is also improved by this vitamin. There are many types of foods in which vitamin C can be found. They are broccoli, citrus fruits, tomatoes, cabbage, sweet red peppers, etc.

Vitamin E – tissues which are present in our eyes, lungs, skin, etc are improved by this vitamin. Red blood cells carry oxygen to our body parts, and this vitamin helps increase the formation of these cells. Egg yolk, seeds, nuts, green vegetables, etc are some types of foods that have vitamin E in them.

Vitamin B helps in increasing the metabolism of our body. Like this there are a lot of vitamins that help our body in one way or the other. Therefore, the intake of vitamins is really important for our body.