Vitamins Hang out in
Water and Fat
There are two types of vitamins: fat-soluble and water-soluble.
When you eat foods that contain fat-soluble vitamins,
the vitamins are stored in the fat tissues in your body
and in your liver. They go and wait around in your body
fat until your body needs them. Fat-soluble vitamins are
happy to stay stored in your body for awhile - some stay
for a few days, some for up to six months! Then, when
it's time for them to be used, special carriers in your
body take them to where they're needed. Vitamins A, D,
E, and K are all fat-soluble vitamins, and they all come
from milk!
Vitamin A
Looking at the stars at night? Checking out a colorful
bug by day? Then you'll sure be glad there's vitamin A!
This vitamin plays a really big part in eyesight. It's
great for night vision, which means being able to see
well in the dark. Halloween wouldn't be the same without
vitamin A - without it, you wouldn't be able to see where
you were going when you were trick-or-treating. Vitamin
A helps you see in color, too, from the brightest yellow
to the darkest purple. It also helps you grow properly
and aids in healthy skin. When you've got nice skin from
vitamin A, you'll want to show your face all over the
place!
Vitamin D
No bones about it . . .vitamin D is the vitamin you need
for strong bones! It's also great for forming strong teeth.
Vitamin D even lends a hand to an important mineral -
it helps your body absorb the amount of calcium it needs.
So how do we get vitamin D?
Drinking milk is a great way to get your body the D it
deserves. Other tasty treats that are excellent sources
of vitamin D are pudding and malted milk. And while you
can't eat it, the sun is another great source of vitamin
D - just be careful not to get too much sun, and always
wear your sunscreen. Tuna fish is a great source of vitamin
D, and so are eggs. How about an egg-salad sandwich, then?
Sounds D-licious!
Vitamin E
Everybody needs E . . . this hard-working vitamin protects
a lot of your body's tissues, like the ones in your eyes,
skin, and liver. It also protects your lungs from becoming
damaged by polluted air (vitamin E wants you to breathe
easy). Vitamin E helps your body store a totally different
vitamin - vitamin A. It even lends a hand to vitamin K,
to help with blood clotting. Two thumbs up for vitamin
E for cooperating so well with other vitamins!
Vitamin K
Vitamin K is the clotmaster! Remember the last time you
got a cut? Your blood did something special called clotting.
This is when certain cells in your blood act like glue
and stick together at the surface of the cut. Clotting
keeps more blood from coming out and stops germs from
getting in. None of this would be possible without vitamin
K - this vitamin helps your blood get it together.
Calcium
Calcium is the top macromineral when it comes to your
bones. This mineral helps build strong bones, so you can
do everything from standing up straight to scoring that
winning goal. It also helps build strong, healthy teeth,
for chomping on tasty food.
What's the best way to get calcium? Just say moo! Calcium
is in lots of dairy products, like milk, yogurt, frozen
yogurt, and milk shakes. It's also found in many different
kinds of cheeses - the next time you order a pizza, you'll
be getting lots of calcium on top. And if you dream of
ice cream, you're onto another good way to get calcium.
Some juices, like orange juice, are even fortified with
calcium (fortified means it's been added). So drink and
eat up foods with calcium, and your bones will thank you!
Riboflavin
(also called vitamin B2)
Riboflavin is essential for the production of energy in
the body and for normal growth of body tissues.
Source: kidshealth.org
