List of Vitamins and Minerals

Balanced diet and regular exercises are an important part of a healthy lifestyle. If you want to lead an active and happy life, and minimize the possibility of diseases, then you need to provide healthy food to your body regularly. Though vitamins and minerals are essential for healthy body and mind, an overdose may prove to be harmful for the body.

The four vitamins A, D, E, and K are 'fat-soluble vitamins', while eight types of vitamin B, and vitamin C are 'water-soluble vitamins'. Water-soluble vitamins need to be consumed regularly through diet. The body can store fat-soluble vitamins in the liver and fatty tissues, and uses them sparingly.

Also known as retinol, it offers healthy eyes, shiny hair, and glowing skin. It is required to keep mucous membranes of the mouth, nose, throat, and lungs moist. Regular intake of vitamin A helps strengthen your immune system, and makes your teeth and bones strong.

B-complex vitamins include vitamin supplements that provide all vitamins from B1 to B12. Scarcity of B1 causes beriberi. Doctors recommend regular consumption of whole grain products, sunflower seeds, oatmeal, pine nuts, lean pork, wheat germ, etc. to ensure sufficient supply of B1.

Also referred to as niacin or niacinamide, it enhances the function of brain and the nervous system. Deficiency of B3 causes pellagra. Beef, chicken, fish, liver, peanut butter, barley, rice bran, wheat bran, etc. are high in niacin.

Foods rich in B5 include egg yolk, legumes, yeast, whole grains, organ meats, etc. It is required to produce red blood cells and also for proper functioning of the nervous system.

Meats, bananas, walnuts, brown rice, whole grains, yeast, blackstrap molasses, and wheat germ are foods high in B6. Vitamin B6 governs the metabolism of amino acids and carbohydrates.

Pregnant women should take sufficient folic acid in order to ensure that babies do not have any congenital defects. It is required to produce RNA, DNA, and red blood cells of the babies developing in the uterus.

Those who follow vegan diet are likely to develop vitamin B12 deficiency, as B12 cannot be obtained from plant sources. B12 enhances the production of red blood cells and is necessary for healthy nervous system.

Citrus fruits, cabbage, chili peppers, papaya, kiwi, green leafy vegetables, berries, melons, broccoli, and rose hips contains vitamin C. It is required for strong gums and for proper absorption of iron. It is required for the production of collagen and also aids in tissue repair.

It is required for the development of strong bones and teeth, and it also promotes proper absorption of calcium. Vitamin D can be obtained from fortified dairy products and fish oil.

It is required for healthy skin and hair. Various nuts and oils such as peanut oil, sunflower seed oil, sunflower seeds, olive oil, almonds, and peanut butter contain ample vitamin E.

It also promotes development of healthy skin. This vitamin is produced by friendly bacteria present in the intestine. Wheat bran, milk, oils like soybean oil, cottonseed oil, canola oil, and olive oil, liver, green leafy vegetables like turnip greens, spinach, cauliflower, cabbage, and broccoli are good sources of vitamin K.

Calcium is required for strong bones and teeth. It enhances blood clotting process and production of enzymes and helps stabilize blood pressure levels.

Iodine is necessary for proper functioning of thyroid gland. It also helps in protein synthesis.

Apart from the aforementioned list, there exist several other vitamins like B4, B8, B10, B13 to B22, and other B vitamins, which are required by the body. Similarly, there are several other essential minerals like chlorine, selenium, molybdenum, along with essential elements like sulfur, cobalt, nickel, chromium, fluorine, boron, and others.