As most people know, a vitamin is a nutritious compound found in the basic ingredients of food. Without them, your body isn’t protected from disease; more importantly, humans aren‘t able to produce vitamins themselves. That‘s why you need to consume food containing a rich supply of vitamins. Here are five of the top ones, and where to find them in the Czech Republic.
Vitamin A (axeroftol)
Vitamin A is essential for healthy vision; its absence can cause failure of vision and night blindness. To make sure your eyes work well, buy fish oil, carrots, liver, spinach, butter, corn, and cherries (all available year round or locally grown seasonally in Prague).
Daily value: The recommended daily value of Vitamin A is 3,333 IU per day.
Vitamin D (antirachitický)
This one affects your metabolism of calcium and phosphorus, and therefore is essential for healthy bones and teeth. Vitamin D is most readily available from tablets.
Daily value: In normal circumstances, Vitamin D is produced in your skin, thanks to sunshine. But not every day is sunny in Prague, and you need at least 20 minutes of sunshine per day to activate the Vitamin D already in your body.
Vitamin C (kyselina L-askorbová)
Necessary for life and for maintaining health, Vitamin C performs many important functions in the human body, most famously, helping fight off attacks by colds and flu. Look for fruits and vegetables such as lemons, kiwi, oranges, grapefruit, broccoli, lemons, strawberries, and black currant. All are available year round, the last two grown seasonally in Prague.
Daily value: The recommended daily vaue of Vitamin C is EU 60 mg a day.
Vitamin E (tokoferol)
This vitamin does double-duty as an antioxidant. You’ll find it in milk, spinach, broccoli, and many nuts.
Daily value: About 10 EU mg a day is recommended; but taking too much may create problems with absorving other vitamins.
Vitamin B (thiamin)
This one is great for stabilizing metabolism. Vitamin B is found in meat, cheese, pulses, and nuts.
Daily value: 0.9-1.5 EU mg a day for adults, 0.9-1.0 for children.