Your guide to Fat Soluble Vitamins

Vitamin A
RDA

What is it and why do you need it?
Vitamin A is needed for reproduction and development. It is also needed for healthy eyes, skin and hair. It is also important for a healthy immune system. Vitamin A comes in two forms preformed vitamin a (retinoids) which come from animals and provitimin A (beta-carotene and other carotenoids) which comes from red and yellow fruits and vegetables such as carrots.

Deficiency signs
Poor vision, dry and scaly skin and reduced immune system.

Food sources
Liver
Carrots
Butter
Sweet potatoes
Red chillies

Vitamin D
RDA

What is it and why do you need it?
Vitamin D is needed for healthy bones and teeth as it is needed for calcium absorption. Vitamin D along with K are the only vitamins to be produced in the body .all the body needs to produce vitamin D is sunlight and in the summer only a couple of hours sunshine a week is needed. This means that for most people there is no need to rely on a diet to obtain the RDA.

Deficiency signs
Rickets in children and osteomalacia in adults. Osteomalacia is a condition where bnes become soft and easily broken

Food sources
Cod liver oil
Oily fish
Egg yolk
Margarines
Evaporated milk

Vitamin E
RDA

What is it and why do you need it?
Vitamin E is a natural antioxidant that neutralises free radicals before they can cause any damage. It can be applied to the skin to  prevent scarring and keeps red blood cells healthy.

Deficiency signs
It is very rare to be deficient in this vitamin as it is available in so many food. It is possible to be deficient if you are following a very low fat diet. The signs of deficiency are poor healing. There are 8 naturally occurring forms of vitamin E with alpha-tocepherol being he most common.

Food sources
Wheat germ oil
Sunflower oil
Sunflower seeds
Almonds
Sun-dried tomatoes

Vitamin K
RDA

What is it and why do you need it?
Vitamin K is important for blood clotting and kidney functions. It can be made in the body by bacteria and babies get an injection of this bacteria at birth as a newborns gut is free of bacteria. Eating bio-yoghurts will help you maintain your levels of intestinal bacteria and therefore vitamin k production. This can be important for those on a course of antibiotics.  

Deficiency signs
It is very rare to be deficient in this vitamin but it can occur in new born babies and with people on long term antibiotic use . Vitamin K deficiency stops blood clotting properly so it can cause uncontrolled bleeding and easy bruising. Vitamin K is best known for its blood clotting properties and is also known as the band aid vitamin.

Food sources
Spinach
Lettuce
Soya Beans
Cauliflower
Cabbage

Essential Fatty Acids
RDA

What is it and why do you need it?
Essential fatty acids are the fatty acids that the body can not make and have to be consumed from the diet. If enough omega-3 fatty acids are consumed then the boy use it to synthesise all the other fatty acids. Essential fatty acids may help control cholesterol levels when eaten in place of saturated fats in a low fat diet.

Deficiency signs
Lack of essential fatty acids can cause poor vision and hearing, dry skin, poor wound healing and liver problems.

Food sources
Oily fish
Canola oil
Egg yolk
Hazelnuts
Oyster