I have recently been reading “Eat Your Vitamins” by Mascha Davis, MPH, RDN and I have been learning a lot. The book is a great review of all the vitamins and minerals we need for our bodies to function and where to find them in a whole food source. It’s an easy read and it comes with recipes to try after each review of a vitamin or mineral. This has been a positive step in my health journey and I am having a lot of fun learning about food. I am excited to incorporate what I have learned and try to get more vitamins from a whole food source instead of supplements. This will be part one of the fun things I have learned so far and I’ll try to do part 2 once I finish the book.

1. Whole foods can utilize and regulate vitamins and minerals better than taking a synthetic form. 
2. Food is best eaten fresh. For fruits and vegetables as soon as they are picked they start to lose their nutritional value. 
3. Collagen in the body starts to decrease at the age of 25 which can cause skin and tissue aging. Vitamin C is essential in the formation of collagen so it can help boost collagen production in the body. Eating 2 brightly colored fruit and four to six vegetables a day can help you get all the vitamin C you will need (helping prevent aging). 
4. Vitamin C can help prevent Iron deficiency by converting plant-based iron into a form that’s more easily taken up by the body.
5. Vitamin B9: Folate- is important during pregnancy for proper spine and brain development of babies. Which is why it is recommended for women who are sexually active to be taken a prenatal vitamin. This will help reduce birth defects because it is in the early stages that folate is vital for babies development.
6. Vitamin B1: Thiamin- Recent research studies have found that a deficiency in thiamin can lead to Alzheimer’s disease or dementia. 
7. Beef liver is a great source of B vitamins. Not the only source, but contains higher levels.. 
8. Dried apricots ½ cup, Dried contains more potassium sitting at 1,101 MG then 1 medium banana peeled sitting at 422 MG. 

There is so much more info in this book, but just some of the things that stood out to me that I didn’t know. Cooking and eating whole foods is a good place to start when trying to be healthy. Hopefully this is helpful and knowing everyone’s body is different so you should consult with a registered dietitian before you make any major changes to your diet or supplements. 

Cheers to eating more vitamins!

Grace