The Importance Of Vitamins A & C

Vitamin A belongs to a class of nutrients called fat-soluble vitamins. These vitamins require fat in order to be absorbed properly. Vitamin C is a water-soluble vitamin, which means it dissolves in water in order to be properly absorbed. Vitamin A and vitamin C perform several different important functions.

Functions of Vitamin A

Vitamin A is essential for proper vision. When you are exposed to light, the light enters your cornea and travels to your retina. Two proteins in your retina, rhodopsin and iodopsin, absorb the light and translate it into an image. The process of turning light into an image is called bleaching. This process could not occur without vitamin A. Vitamin A also plays important roles in cell division and cell differentiation. Vitamin A also keeps your skin healthy and ensures that the mucus membranes in your intestines, lungs and kidneys form properly and stay healthy.

Vitamin A Recommendations

To reap the benefits of vitamin A, adult men should consume 900mcg of the vitamin daily and adult women should consume 700mcg daily. The best sources of vitamin A include organ meats, cheese, eggs, milk, cereal, sweet potatoes, spinach and carrots. "Nutrition and You" by Joan Salge Blake notes consuming a tablespoon of vegetable oil during the day can increase the absorption of vitamin A in your intestinal tract.

Functions of Vitamin C

Vitamin C acts as a coenzyme that is needed to ensure that a variety of chemical reactions are able to take place. Specifically, vitamin C is needed to make collagen, which is the most abundant protein in your body. Collagen helps keep your bones, skin, teeth and blood vessels healthy. Vitamin C also acts as an antioxidant and helps protect your cells from damage, thus decreasing your risk of developing chronic diseases, such as heart disease and cancer. Vitamin C also increases the absorption of the non-heme iron found in plant foods. Vitamin C allows your body to create white blood cells, which help you fight off infections and diseases.

Vitamin C Recommendations

Women should consume 75mg of vitamin C every day, whereas men require 90mg of the vitamin daily. Smoking increases the rate at which your body breaks down vitamin C, so smokers should increase vitamin C intake by 35mg daily. The best sources of vitamin C include orange juice, oranges, grapefruit juice, grapefruits, peppers, tomatoes, potatoes, broccoli and cantaloupe.