Mother Nature has provided us with an abundance of seeds and nuts, which are packed with nutrition, including several varieties of vitamins. You can enjoy the nutritional benefits by eating a handful of nuts or seeds or by using them in soups and stews, in recipes for cakes and cookies, and as toppings for cereals, yogurt and ice cream.
B Vitamins
Nuts and seeds are a rich source of vitamin B complex. They are packed with six out of the eight water-soluble vitamins in this group. Nuts and seeds provide vitamins B1 (thiamine), vitamin B2 (riboflavin), vitamin B3 (niacin), vitamin B6 (pyridoxine), folate and pantothenic acid. According to Colorado State University, these vitamin B complex vitamins are vital to the function of the body, working as coenzymes to provide energy and a healthy nervous system, as well as good vision, healthy skin and red blood cell formation.
Vitamin C
Vitamin C, also called ascorbic acid, is another water-soluble vitamin available from nuts and seeds. Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant that enhances the immune system and, according to eMedtv, can treat and prevent the common cold. It benefits the cardiovascular system and the age-related condition of macular degeneration (a condition that affects older adults causing blurring or loss of central vision). Vitamin C is not manufactured by the body and must be obtained from foods or supplements. Because it is a water-soluble vitamin, it is not stored in the body and is excreted in the urine. Adding nuts and seeds to the diet will supply ideal amounts of this healing vitamin.
Vitamins A, E and K
Nuts and seeds are packed with vitamins A, E and K. These are fat-soluble vitamins--meaning they dissolve in fat before they are absorbed into the bloodstream to perform their functions. In contrast to water-soluble vitamins, any excess of these vitamins in the body are stored in the liver, so they are not needed in the diet every day, says Colorado State University. Vitamin A is essential for good eyesight and the prevention of night blindness. Vitamin E enhances the immune and cardiovascular systems and prevents muscular dystrophy and sterility. Vitamin K is an essential vitamin for the clotting of blood and the prevention of hemorrhage.
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