In my last few articles I discussed the four fat soluble vitamins. Today I am going to explain the remaining nine water soluble vitamins. Water soluble vitamins are given their name because they dissolve in water. They are found in a variety of foods. Unlike fat soluble vitamins which can be stored by the body, water soluble vitamins are only stored for brief periods and any excess is usually excreted in the urine (with the exception of vitamin B12 which is stored in the liver). Therefore, you need to replenish your supply of water soluble vitamins on a daily basis. When preparing … [Read more...]
Vitamin K Explained
Vitamin K is a fat soluble vitamin that assists with blood clotting and bone strength. It was first noticed in 1929 by Danish scientist Henrik Dam who observed that after feeding chickens a diet lacking in cholesterol they would start bleeding. He concluded that a second compound, koagulationsvitamin aka vitamin K, had been extracted from the food with the cholesterol. As I mentioned above, vitamin K's most important function is that it helps the blood to clot. Without vitamin K even a minor cut would bleed continuously. It is therefore vital for the proper healing of wounds. On top of … [Read more...]
Vitamin E Explained
Vitamin E is a fat soluble vitamin which has a number of important functions in the body. It was discovered in 1922 by two University of California researchers, Herbert Evans and Catherine Bishop, when they were doing an experiment involving rats on a semi-purified diet. The rats grew well but when the females became pregnant their pups would die in the womb. However, when their diet was supplemented with lettuce and then wheat germ, the female rats would give birth to healthy pups, leading Evans and Bishop to conclude that their diet was missing a “Factor X”. This “Factor X” was later … [Read more...]
Vitamin D Explained
Vitamin D is a fat soluble vitamin and is often known as the sunshine vitamin because sunlight can prompt the body to produce it. Early signs of the benefits of vitamin D were discovered in the early nineteenth century when researchers suggested that sunbathing and cod liver oil could cure rickets (softening of the bones in children and young animals which is now known to be caused by vitamin D deficiency). Vitamin D was officially discovered in 1919 when Edward Mellanby raised a group of dogs on nothing but porridge and also kept them inside (unintentionally) meaning they had no exposure to … [Read more...]
Vitamin A Explained
In my last few articles I have been talking about vitamins. Today I am going to be discussing in greater detail the vitamin at the beginning of the alphabet – Vitamin A. Vitamin A was the first vitamin discovered hence it being given the the first letter of the alphabet. It was officially discovered between 1912 and 1914 by Elmer McCollum and M. Davis, although in 1913 Thomas Osborne and Lafayette Mendel found that butter contained a fat soluble nutrient that would soon become known as vitamin A. Vitamin A is a fat soluble vitamin and its most notable function is that it helps improve … [Read more...]
What Are Fat Soluble Vitamins?
In my last post I provided a basic introduction to vitamins. Today I am going to discuss the fat soluble vitamins A, D, E and K in greater detail. Fat soluble vitamins dissolve within the body's fat cells and are usually found in fats and fatty foods. Unlike water soluble vitamins, (which are quite easily removed from food during cooking and preparation) fat soluble vitamins normally stay in the food when it is cooked. If they are not needed immediately, the body will store fat soluble vitamins for later use in the liver and fatty tissues. Therefore, fat soluble vitamins do not need to be … [Read more...]
What Are Vitamins?
In a number of my previous articles I have mentioned vitamins in passing. However, I have never really expanded on this topic further and discussed exactly what vitamins are. So today I thought I would write about this exact topic and answer the question 'What are Vitamins?' Vitamins are essential nutrients that your body needs to help the cells function properly. They contain no calories and do not provide the body with energy but they are required for a number of important functions. Vitamins are distinguished from minerals because they are organic compounds (they come from plants and … [Read more...]
Fibre: The Perfect Gym Food
In my last few posts I have been discussing fibre, the benefits of getting enough, the potential disadvantages of getting too much and how to make sure you are getting enough. Today, I'm going to explain why I think fibre is the perfect gym food and why you should consider making it part of your pre-workout meal. Personally, I never was one of the those people who enjoyed drinking high sugar sports drinks before working out. I don't particularly like the taste and I didn't notice a significant energy boost after drinking them. On top of this they're not cheap and can actually be quite … [Read more...]
The Disadvantages Of Consuming Too Much Fibre
In my last few articles I have been bigging up fibre. However, this article series wouldn't be complete without providing a balanced view of the topic. That's why today I am going to be discussing the disadvantages of a fibre rich diet. 1) WIND:- Wind is commonly listed as the main problem with a high fibre diet. I never had this problem when increasing my daily fibre intake but according to Weight Loss Resources a diet that is high in fibre can lead to the production of methane, hydrogen and carbon dioxide. This can then lead to you feeling bloated and frequently passing wind. … [Read more...]
How To Make Sure You Are Getting Enough Fibre
In my last couple of articles I have discussed the different types of fibre and the associated benefits. The British Nutrition Foundation recommend that we get around 18g of fibre per day. Personally, I do not think that this amount of fibre consumption is difficult to achieve BUT I understand that some people may struggle. That is why today I have decided to write about how I manage to consume enough fibre each day. In this article I will be discussing (with examples) the foods I eat to get my daily fibre requirements and the times that I eat them. 1) BREAKFAST (6AM-7AM):- On weekdays I … [Read more...]