Vitamin A
(Retinol) |
Benefits: Essential for growth, healthy eyes, bones and skin.
Sources: Liver, kidney, cod liver oil, butter, margarine, cheese, eggs, carrots, dark green and yellow vegetables. |
| Beta Carotine |
Benefits: Converted by the body into vitamin A when needed. It controls the formation of free radicals that damage cells.
Sources: Carrots, spinach, raw watercress, peppers, broccoli and spring greens.
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Vitamin B1
(Thiamin) |
Benefits: Essential for energy release from food. Keeps your nerves and muscles healthy.
Sources: Dried brewer’s yeast, cereal, oats, wheatgerm, meat, potatoes, nuts, beans and green vegetables. |
Vitamin B2
(Riboflavin) |
Benefits: Essential for releasing energy from food. Needed for healthy skin and eyes, and for growth healthy.
Sources: Yeast extract, liver, kidney, wheatgerm, cheese, eggs, milk, broccoli and spinach. |
Vitamin B3
(Niacin) |
Benefits: Essential for releasing energy from food.
Sources: Yeast extract, wheat, bran, liver, mackerel, chicken, wholemeal bread and soya beans. |
Vitamin B5
(Pantothenic Acid) |
Benefits: Essential Essential for releasing energy from fats and carbohydrates.
Sources: Vegetables, liver, kidney, yeast, eggs, brown rice and wholegrain cereals. |
Vitamin B6
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Benefits: Helps keep blood cells and the nervous system healthy. Used in the metabolism of proteins and amino acids.
Sources: Wheatgerm, oats, yeast, avocado, mackerel, nuts and liver. |
Vitamin B9
(Folic Acid) |
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Benefits: Used to form blood cells. Essential for the healthy development of the brain and spinal cord in a foetus
Sources: Offal, green vegetables, wheatgerm, nuts, eggs, bananas, oranges, cheese and fortified bread.
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| Vitamin B12 |
Benefits: Essential for the formation of red blood cells. Provides energy and helps keep the nervous system healthy.
Sources: Found naturally only in animal products like meat, liver, kidney, eggs and cheese.
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Biotin
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Benefits: Forms part of the enzyme system in a number of important metabolic reactions – helps burn up fats.
Sources: Offal, eggs, dairy products, peanuts, cereals and fish. |
Vitamin C
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Benefits: Essential for healthy cells and proper growth. Acts as an antioxidant to control the formation of harmful free radicals. Helps the body absorb iron from vegetables.
Sources: Fruits and vegetables – especially blackcurrants, oranges, broccoli, cabbage and potatoes. |
Vitamin D
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Benefits: Necessary for the absorption of calcium and for depositing calcium on the bones – keeping them strong and healthy.
Sources: Fish liver oils, fatty fish, margarine and eggs. Also formed in the skin by exposure to sunlight. |
Vitamin E
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Benefits: Acts as an antioxidant, protecting cells from damage and keeping blood vessels healthy.
Sources: Wheatgerm oil, sunflower oil and seeds, almonds, peanuts, egg yolks, spinach and soya beans.
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Calcium
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Benefits: Essential for your bone growth and ongoing health, for healthy muscles and for blood clotting.
Sources: Milk, cheese, tinned fish, green leafy vegetables, nuts and seeds.
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Iron
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Benefits: Iron in the body takes the form of haemoglobin, which carries oxygen around the body and is also needed for muscle protein.
Sources: Cockles, dried yeast, wheatbran, liver, dried fruit and spinach The iron found in vegetables is not as easily absorbed by the body as from animal sources. Vitamin C helps the absorption of iron from vegetable sources.
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Copper
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Benefits: Needed for a healthy blood and nervous system clotting.
Sources: Green vegetables, fish, liver, wholegrain cereals, carrots and brewer’s yeast.
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Zinc
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Benefits: Needed for enzyme production and cell maintenance.
Sources: Offal, meat, Mushrooms, yeast and eggs.
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Phosphorus
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Benefits: Essential for healthy bones and teeth, and for producing energy.
Sources: Present in most foods.
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Magnesium
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Benefits: Aids the function of nerves and muscles and helps maintain a steady metabolism.
Sources: Nuts, fish, leafy green vegetables and wheatgerm.
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Omega 3 Oil
(Eicosapentaenoic) |
Benefits: Helps maintain a healthy heart, supple joints and helps early brain development in infants.
Sources: Oily fish (eg salmon, trout, sardines, pilchards, mackerel) and some other unsaturated oils - vegetable oils like grapeseed, soya and sunflower oils.
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Omega 6 Oil
(Gamma linolenic acid) |
Benefits: Important for the development of children.
Sources: Grains, vegetable oils and meat. Some plants like evening primrose oil.
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