Water Soluble Vitamins

Vitamins are defined in two groups-water-soluble vitamins and fat-soluble vitamins. Unlike fat-soluble vitamins, which need to be absorbed by fluids or bile, water-soluble vitamins are easily absorbed in your body. Fat-soluble vitamins stay in your body until the body needs them, but water-soluble vitamins are used as we need them, and if we don’t need them, they are removed through our urine.

It is important that we know which vitamins are from which group. The following are water-soluble vitamins:

• The "B" Vitamins consist of Vitamin B1, B2, B3, B5, B6 and B12 and though they each have similarities, they each are unique in their own way.
• Thiamine/B1 is good for your nervous system and helps your body use carbohydrates for energy. Food sources are lean beef, pork, liver, legumes, nuts and enriched whole-grain products.
• Riboflavin/B2 promotes healthy skin, and helps your body process fats, carbohydrates and protein and can be obtained by eating lean beef, pork, liver, eggs, cheese, milk, nuts and enriched whole-grain products.
• Niacin/B3 also helps you process protein and fats in addition to helping you keep a healthy nervous system, skin and digestion. Food sources are liver, turkey, tuna, salmon, swordfish, peanuts, beans, yeast and enriched whole-grain breads and cereal. Possible side effects from too much are redness of the skin and upset stomach.
• Pantothenic Acid/B5 helps your body process nutrients as well as makes red blood cells, and can be obtained with organ meats, chicken, beef, peanuts, peas, beans, lentils, broccoli, yeast, cereals and whole grains.
• Pyridoxine/Vitamin B6 is a multifunctional vitamin that helps the body use protein and fats, helps your immune and nervous system, breaks down copper and iron, helps the body carry oxygen to your tissues and helps maintain normal blood sugar levels. Food sources are organ meats, pork, beef, poultry, fish, eggs, peanuts, bananas, carrots, yeast and fortified cereals. Possible side effects from too much are nerve damage and numbness to arms and legs, trouble walking and pain.
• Vitamin B12 helps maintain healthy nerve cells and red blood cells and can be obtained by eating liver, poultry, clams, sardines, herring, eggs, milk, blue cheese and fortified cereals.
• Choline is also a part of the B family that helps with the utilization of fat and hormone production, helps the liver keep our body free