You’ve heard vitamins are good for you, but do you know why?
In this blog post, we’ll explore 3 well-known vitamins (C, E, and Zinc) and why they’re crucial to your health.
Vitamin C
Vitamin C is considered one of the most important nutrients when it comes to supporting good health and fighting invaders. Among other things, vitamin C is an antioxidant, meaning that it helps to destroy “free radicals” that otherwise damage cells.
Vitamin C is also a precursor to the feel-good neurotransmitter serotonin, which can help to put the body in a calmer and more restorative state. You can find it in countless different fruits and vegetables, including (in particular) citrus fruits, apples, peppers, kale, sprouts, berries, and more.
Vitamin E
Vitamin E is a powerful antioxidant and also a key player in many of the fundamental biochemical reactions throughout the body governed by the immune system. Additionally, vitamin E may help prevent free radical damage.
Free radicals form as a result of normal body processes and they cause damage that shortens the life of your cells. Vitamin E is a powerful antioxidant that may help reduce free radical damage and slow the aging process of your cells.
Zinc
Did you know Zinc is an essential mineral that is a component of more than 300 enzymes needed to repair wounds, maintain fertility in adults and growth in children, synthesize protein, help cells reproduce, preserve vision, boost immunity, and protect against free radicals, among other functions.
Try this Zinc packed smoothie for a healthy midday snack:
- 2 carrots
- 2 apples
- 1 cup baby spinach
- 1 slice fresh ginger
- For a wonderful smoothie add 1 to 2 cups of cashew or soy milk.
- For extra zinc add sesame seeds or pumpkin seeds.
Supplements are often recommended as getting your daily intake of vitamins on food alone can sometimes be a challenge. Even though you might be taking supplementation daily, it’s still a great idea to make sure you eat plenty of whole fruit and vegetables daily. Nothing beats the vitamins offered by fresh food!