You body absorbs vitamins two ways; by water soluble or fat soluble.

Vitamins that are fat soluble can be stored in fat cells for later use if the body senses that vitamins are deficient and draw them out of stored fat cells.  Vitamins that a water soluble do not store in the body and excess is expended with water through our urinary system.  Hence, water soluble vitamins are required on a daily basis as the do not get stored.

Water Soluble Vitamins	Fat Soluble Vitamins
Vitamin B1, B2 B3 B5, B6, B7, B9 B12	Vitamin A
Vitamin C	Vitamin D
	Vitamin E
	Vitamin K

Sources of Vitamins

A non-restrictive, diverse natural diet and food intake will ensure an adequate vitamin supply to the body.  Simple internet searches will give you targeted results for each vitamin and sources of food. 

Here are four important points to go by when considering food intake for vitamins:

• Fruit and vegetables are the best sources of Vitamin C.
• Animal sources are the best sources of B group Vitamins, especially Vitamin B12.
• Vitamin D (D3) is best sourced from sunlight absorbing through the skin, approximately 20-30 minutes exposure per day.
• The more you store or heat food sources, the less the vitamin content of the food. Fresh is best for vitamin intake.  All processed foods have compromised vitamin content.

Fun Fact

Vitamin B12 can only be sourced from animal products.  B12 is synthesized by bacteria in animals.  Humans can only source B12 from animal sources or by supplementation (supplement pills etc).

Recommended Daily Allowances (RDAs)

You will hear of RDAs of vitamins (and minerals) that you should get as a recommended intake per day, such as eating an orange for your daily allowance of vitamin C.  These RDAs are a general guideline that really only fulfill a minimum for human health.  The RDAs don’t consider body type, size, age, special needs or conditions.  The important thing is to consume a variety of natural un-altered foods that meet your carbohydrate, protein, and fat needs for the day in accordance with your nutritional goals.

Benefits of knowing which foods have water and fat soluble vitamins

Having knowledge of which foods are abundant with water and fat soluble vitamins will help you choose your foods more conservatively.  The general rule that can be applied to most foods is that plant based foods contain mostly water soluble vitamins with the exception of the vitamin B group (animal source) and animal type foods contain mainly fat soluble vitamins.

• Coach Stephen