Benefits of Vitamin D vs Vitamin B
Ever hear the phrase “Eat the rainbow”? It’s a saying to encourage people to eat a variety of different fresh fruits and veggies. With all those pretty produce colors mean that each item has a different combination of vitamins and minerals, and with the different combinations of vitamins and minerals come different health benefits. There are two important vitamins that give foods their different colors – B vitamins and of course, our beloved vitamin D!
B is for Boosting
Vitamin B is actually a group of eight different vitamins, not just 1, collectively referred to as B vitamins. All eight B vitamins play a role in how our bodies breakdown food for fuel, therefore creating and boosting energy. They also aid in the production of red blood cells and play a large role in maintaining healthy nerve function. Red blood cells carry oxygen to our other cells to help prevent us from feeling sluggish and tired, whereas the healthy functioning of our nerves boosts mental cognition, keeping us alert and focused.
To get all the boosting benefits, aim to work in these B vitamin-rich foods: dark leafy greens (like spinach, kale, romaine, chard), salmon, whole grains (quinoa, brown rice, oatmeal, whole-grain bread, eggs, dairy products, legumes (like chickpeas, peas, beans, edamame), and poultry (like chicken and turkey).
Now that we have all the energy, this is where vitamin D comes in…
D is for Doing
Vitamin D is for doing because it keeps our bones strong allowing us to physically carry out all the things we want to do in a day. Vitamin D helps to prevent our bones from becoming weak and breaking and instead works to build strong and healthy bones. It’s hard to do a lot of things we love, like sports, dancing, running, walking, playing, or just simply getting around with broken bones and fractures.
Keeping up an adequate intake of vitamin D simply allows us to do all the things we want to do each and every day. Aim to work in vitamin D rich foods when you can like egg yolks, salmon, swordfish, canned tuna, and fortified milk and dairy. An easy way to get sufficient vitamin D is, of course, to take a vitamin D supplement.
Author: Brigitte Zeitlin, MPH, RD is a registered dietitian-nutritionist
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