| If you want to know what is a vitamin then you also | | | | groups, those that are water-soluble and those that |
| really need to know what it does and why it is | | | | are fat-soluble. Water-soluble vitamins such as vitamin |
| necessary for the health, well-being and vitality of | | | | B, vitamin C and biotin can be dissolved in water and |
| the human body. A vitamin is an organic substance, a | | | | thus it is very difficult to achieve too high a level of |
| molecule that helps you and your body to react in a | | | | these vitamins as they can be passed out of the |
| certain way to other influences. The only way that | | | | body rather easily. With fat-soluble vitamins on the |
| you can get vitamins is from energy as in the sun, or | | | | other hand, it is possible to take too much of them |
| from food and nutritional sources. | | | | as they are more likely to be retained in the body |
| Although they never actually answered the question | | | | whether or not they are needed. |
| of what is a vitamin the first people to make good | | | | But if you want to know what is a vitamin and what |
| use of vitamins were 18th century sailors. Sailors | | | | its effects are on your overall health the answer is |
| used to suffer from a very unpleasant disease called | | | | very simple. You need the right amounts of vitamins |
| scurvy due to the fact that they were at sea for | | | | to help to maintain your natural bodily processes. |
| long periods of time and did not have any access to | | | | The best way to make sure the you have a good |
| fresh fruits or vegetables. They soon discovered that | | | | supply of vitamins and minerals available for your |
| by giving the sailor's limes they could help to prevent | | | | body is to eat a good healthy diet containing all the |
| scurvy and keep the sailors a great deal healthier. | | | | essential ingredients such as fresh fruit, vegetables, |
| The active ingredient that was helping to prevent the | | | | grains and proteins. If you are in any doubts as to |
| dreaded illness was vitamin C or ascorbic acid. It was | | | | what constitutes a good diet the best person to ask |
| not until the 1920s that vitamins were actually | | | | is your doctor. They can give you a good diet that |
| discovered in their own right. | | | | encompasses most foods and will make sure that |
| But what is a vitamin and are they all the same? | | | | your body is supplied with all the essential nutrients. |
| Vitamins are actually divided into two very distinct | | | | |