Types of fat-soluble vitamins and how to get enough of them

Lately, there has been extra stress on taking your vitamins on time or maintaining your intake by consuming different vitamin-rich foods, in order to boost your immunity. But before you reach out to pop that vitamin pill, here is a little more you should know.

In this article, we will talk about the type of vitamins and how to get enough of them from your regular diet, which means no more popping pills.

All the vitamins are either water-soluble or fat-soluble. The difference between them is how they get absorbed and stored in the body.

Both the types of vitamins are absorbed during digestion and any excess fat-soluble vitamins are stored in the liver and fatty tissues and excess water-soluble vitamins are flushed out of the body.

Here is a list of fat-soluble vitamins and the sources to get them.

Fat-soluble vitamins are the ones that dissolve in fat. These vitamins need fat in order to be absorbed. If they don't get digested, they are stored in the liver and fatty tissues and used later for functions such as vision and controlling blood clots.

On the other hand, the water-soluble vitamins can be consumed on an empty stomach and do not require any fat present.

Water-soluble vitamins need to be consumed more often than fat-soluble vitamins.

Too much build-up of fat-soluble vitamins in the body can be toxic. But toxicity rarely happens due to the diet alone and is usually caused by excessive consumption of supplements.

Fat-soluble vitamins are important for normal functioning, growth and maintenance of the tissues. These also work as antioxidants, which means they support the immune system and prevent the premature ageing of cells.

Here is a list of fat-soluble vitamins and their unique health benefits:

The major role of vitamin A is an important process called cell differentiation. This process specifies cells for a specific function in the body.

Cell differentiation is what allows cells in the eyes to transfer an image to the brain and cells in the stomach to digest food. The vitamin is extremely important for pregnant women.

It is also important for eye health and is found in various fruits and vegetables including pumpkin, carrots, sweet potatoes, kale, tomatoes and spinach.

Animal products like cheese, butter and egg yolk are another great source of vitamin A.

Vitamin D regulates the absorption of calcium from the intestines. Calcium helps in blood pressure management, muscle contraction and helps in maintaining proper bone density.

Vitamin D deficiency removes the calcium from the bone to maintain its necessary functions. This can lead to conditions such as osteoporosis and rickets.

Studies have also shown that adequate levels of vitamin D in the body can also reduce the risk of severe COVID-19 infection.

It is found in fatty fish, mushrooms, fortified milk and is produced by the skin when it's exposed to the sun. One can also take it in the supplement format if they don't go out in the Sun or are vegetarian.

Vitamin E is an antioxidant that protects the body from free radicals. Free radicals are actually the unstable molecule that comes from outside sources like cigarette smoke, pollution or as a natural byproduct of the body's metabolic process.

These free radicals can potentially damage the other cells in your body, which can increase the risk of developing cancer and other serious health issues. Vitamin E helps in the expansion of blood vessels, prevents harmful blood clots that can lead to stroke and heart attack.

It is found in sunflower seeds, nuts, vegetable oils. Including these foods in your daily diet is the best way to maintain your vitamin E levels.

There are two main types of vitamin K - K1 and K2. Both the types prevent blood clotting, improve bone health, cardiovascular health and various other body functions.

Most people do not need to worry about their vitamin K intake but babies are particularly deficient in the vitamin as they are born with low levels of it. Doctors usually recommend giving vitamin K shot to babies.

Vitamin K1 can be found in parsley, kale, spinach and brussels sprouts. While K2 is found in egg yolks, fermented and soybeans.