Vitamins are essential food nutrients in nutrition. They are required for the normal functioning of the body. They are substances that are required in trace or minute quantities to support adequate body function. Vitamin in nutrition is one of the six classifications of food nutrients namely – carbohydrates, protein, vitamins, minerals, fat, and oil and water.

Types of Vitamins

There are two major types of vitamins.

1. 1. Fat Soluble Vitamins in Nutrition:

Fat-soluble vitamins in nutrition are found in regular food materials ingested. This is evident on how vitamins are as essential nutrients in nutrition. These types of nutrients (vitamins) dissolve in fat and are made available to the body during the digestion process.  Fat-soluble vitamins can be stored in the body for later use.

Examples of Fat Soluble Vitamins

There are four examples of fat soluble vitamins. These four are;

1. I) Vitamin A (Retinol)

II)  Vitamin D (Cholecalciferol, D3 ; Ergocalciferol, D2)

III) Vitamin E (Tocopherol)  and

IV) Vitamin K

Food sources of fat soluble vitamins are;

1. i) Vegetables oils

ii)  Fish liver oils

iii) Cod live oils

iv) Liver

v) Eggs

vi) Carotene food sources (these are food items or fruits that come naturally in orange colours e.g palm oil, carrots, pawpaw)

2. Water Soluble Vitamins in Nutrition:

Water soluble vitamins are synthesized by the body. This means that water soluble vitamins are produced in the body of animals and are used for the well being of the body. Water soluble vitamins in nutrition are not stored in appreciable quantities in the body. Hence, they must be synthesized regularly. These vitamins are needed for vital physiological activities in the body so they have to be available as the body requires it. Supplemental sources of water soluble vitamins are obtained from the in-take of some foodstuffs and synthetic sources.

Examples of Water Soluble Vitamins

Below are examples of water soluble vitamins;

I)Vitamin B complex

II)  Vitamin C

III) Biotin

IV) Choline

V) Inistol

Food sources of water soluble vitamins are;

1. i) Foodstuffs

ii)  Synthetic forms

iii) Microbial synthesis

As important as vitamins are essential nutrients in nutrition, in some cases are found lacking or deficient in the body. This deficiency may be as a result of any of these four factors;

Causes of Vitamin Deficiency

1. 1. The variety of food offered or made available: The vitamin content of the food ingested into the body will determine the availability or non availability of vitamins to the body as well as the vitamin in the nutrition. A good meal must provide vitamins that will ensure the adequate running of the body system.

• 2. The food processing technique the food material is subjected to: Excessive processing of food materials before ingestion will eventually render the vitamin content of the food non nutritive. Vitamin-giving food items are to be subjected to minimal processing before ingestion. This will ensure that the body gets as much vitamin nutrients as possible.

• 3. The digestive system of the animal: Animals with complex stomach system – where the food ingested can take longer in the digestive system tend to exude or synthesize more vitamins for the animals than those with the simple monogastric digestive systems.  

• 4. The existence of micro organism that can synthesize vitamins in the digestive system.