A raw food diet includes foods that are uncooked and unprocessed, such as fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds and sprouted legumes and grains. Vitamins are organic chemicals found in plant-based foods. Raw foods are a good source for most vitamins, with the exception of vitamin B-12, which is found in seafood, dairy and meat. Consult your nutritionist about how you can obtain an adequate intake of vitamins eating raw foods.
Vitamin B-6
Vitamin B-6, also called pyridoxine, pyridoxamine and pyridoxal 5 phosphate, is a water soluble nutrient that is found in cereal, banana, spinach, tomato juice, avocado, peanuts, soybeans and walnuts. Vitamin B-6 assists enzymes involved in protein and red blood cell metabolism, synthesis of hemoglobin and neurotransmitters, such as serotonin and norepinephrine, maintenance of blood sugar levels within normal range and the conversion of tryptophan to niacin. Hemoglobin is a substance in red blood cells that carries oxygen from your lungs to your cells.
Vitamin C
Vitamin C, also called ascorbic acid, is a water soluble nutrient found in fruits and vegetables, such as strawberries, oranges, grapefruits, tomatoes, sweet red pepper, broccoli and potato. Vitamin C protects your cells from harmful chemicals and toxins, slows down the aging process and stimulates your immune system. The vitamin is also involved with the synthesis of neurotransmitters, carnitine, a substance that burns fat into energy in cells and collagen, which is part of the structure of bone, tendons, ligaments and blood vessels. Vitamin C also helps to convert cholesterol into bile acids. Consuming fruits and vegetables increases plasma vitamin C levels and may reduce your risk of diabetes, according to research by scientists at the Institute of Metabolic Science in Cambridge, England and published in the "Archives of Internal Medicine" in 2008.
Vitamin E
Vitamin E is a fat soluble vitamin found in green leafy vegetables, carrots, nuts, seeds, olives, plant oils, wheat germ, avocado and whole grains. Vitamin E is an antioxidant that protects your cells from harmful chemicals called free radicals and cancer. The vitamin may also reduce your risk of heart attacks and cataracts.
Vitamin K
Vitamin K is a fat soluble vitamin found in green leafy vegetables, such as kale, spinach, Swiss chard, watercress and parsley. Vitamin K functions to clot blood and help you stop bleeding. However, if you take an anticoagulant, such as warfarin, you may need to limit your intake of foods with vitamin K.
References
- Living Foods; Living and Raw Foods; 2010
- Centers For Disease Control and Prevention; Vitamins and Minerals; 2010
- MayoClinic.com; Vitamin B12; 2010
- National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements; Vitamin B6; 2010
- Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State University; Vitamin C; Frei, B.; November 2009
- "Archives of Internal Medicine"; Plasma Vitamin C Level, Fruit and Vegetable Consumption, and the Risk of New-Onset Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus; Anne-Helen Harding, et al.; Jul 28 2008
Member Comments