THE VALUABLE VITAMINS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 27317, 17 February 1950, Page 2

THE VALUABLE VITAMINS

Daily Requirements For Healthy Living

NOTES f-QR WOMEN

Vitamins are a discovery of this century. Scientifically prepared diets containing all the energy producing foodstuffs and minerals known to be necessary, are yet not sufficient to keep the body in health if they lack vitamins. These substances are required only in small amounts and can all be obtained from a good diet of natural foods, with the exception of Vitamin D, which needs the action of the sun’s rays.

“ There is no need for a normal person to take an alphabet of vitamin pills, or one letter of that alphabet. Indeed, present trends of thought favour the view that there may be some harm from the exclusive use of one vitamin, for there is such a thing as disturbing the balance of the vitamins,” writes Dr Muriel Bell, in her “ Notes on Nutrition.”

The vitamins so far distinguished— A, vitamin B complex, C, D and the lesser known K and E—are either fat soluble or water soluble. Those which are fat soluble, A and D, can be stored, so that exposure to the sun's rays in the summer will give'adequate storage of vitamin D to last through the winter. The water soluble vitamins cannot be stored to anything like the same extent, so that the necessity for adequate daily intake is ‘more marked. Vitamin A Included with vitamin A is cartolene —a substance which may be converted into vitamin A, and is also necessary to enable the eye to adapt itself to changes of light, preventing night blindness. Vitamin A is necessary for normal growth and for the formation of good teeth. The richest sources in .food in order of merit are:—Liver, fish liver oil, green leafy vegetables, yellow vegetables, and fruit, butter, milk, cream, cheese and egg. Vitamin D This vitamin is necessary for good bone formation; deficiency leads to rickets. The chief source is fish liver oils, egg yolk and butter, or it can be produced by the body itself when the natural skm fats are exposed to sunshine. Vitamin B Complex When vitamin B was first named, it was not appreciated that there were a number of different factors present. These were later separated and given different names. Vitamin 81, Thiamin, is necessary to maintain the tone of the muscles of the digestive tract and for the health of the nervous system. Deficiency of this vitamin has been observed in New Zealand, writes Dr Muriel Bell, among chronic alcoholics, old people living without proper cooking facilities, and housewives who do not eat proper meals and tend to live on tea, bread and butter, and biscuits. Vitamin Bl is found in liver, whole grain cereals, milk, egg, potatoes and yeast extracts. Vitamin 82, or Riboflavin, is essential for normal growth and health of the skin round the mouth and the eyes. It is found in liver, milk, meat, whole cereals and egg. Nicotinic acid or Niacin, not to be confused with nicotine, keeps the skin healthy. It is found in liver, meat, whole cereals, fish, potatoes and nuts. Vitamin C Vitamin C, or ascorbic acid, prevents scurvy and is necessary for the proper formation of bones and teeth. Rose hip syrup, black currants, Chinese gooseberries, citrous fruits, tree tomatoes, Sturmer apples, tomatoes and raw vegetables and fruit are all valuable sources of this vitamin. Vitamins K and E, and others of the B complex group, are concerned with coagulation of the blood, fertility and maintaining the health of the skin. Much of the information in this article has been supplied by the home science extension of the Department of Adult Education, which has also supplied the daily dietary which will supply the required amounts of the various vitamins. Milk.—-Pre-school children, a pint and a-third to a pint and three-quar-ters daily; school children and adolescents, a pint and three-quarters; adults, a pint. ' Egg.—One a day whenever possible. When scarce, have, three to five a week and substitute dried legumes, extra milk, or extra cheese.

Cheese.—A small.cube every day. Meat. —A serving once a day. Serve liver at least once a week and fish once a week. Potatoes.—A generous serving once a day. Adolescents, two servings.

Vegetables.—Green, leafy vegetable or orange-coloured vegetable and one other vegetable each day. Fruit.—Fresh raw fruit daily, or the following fruits cooked or preserved:— Black or red currants, gooseberries, citrous fruits or their juices, berries, tree tomatoes or ordinary tomatoes. Rose hip syrup when these are in short supply. Fats.—Ration of butter and other fats.for cooking. Bread and Cereals.—At least half should be whole grain. lodised Salt: —Use for cooking and on the table. Cod Liver Oil.—One teaspoon daily for children, expectant and nursing mothers, and all who lack sunshine.

Additional Foods. Honey, jam, sweets, etc., to satisfy appetite.