Chemistry

Vitamin B-12, or Cobalamin, is the largest and most complex vitamin currently known to man. A slight deficiency of vitamin B-12 can lead to anemia, fatigue, mania, and depression, while a long term deficiency can cause permanent damage to the brain and central nervous system. Vitamin B12 can only be manufactured by bacteria and can only be found naturally in animal products, however, synthetic forms are widely available and added to many foods like   cereals . Vitamin B12 can be consumed in large doses because excess is excreted by the body or stored in the liver for use when supplies are scarce. #1: Shellfish (Cooked Clams) Vitamin B12 in 100g 3oz (85g) 20 small clams (190g) 98.9μg (1648% DV) 84.1μg (1401% DV) 187.9μg (3132% DV) Other Shellfish High in Vitamin B12 (%DV per 3oz serving cooked):   Oysters (408%), and Mussels (340%).   Click to see complete nutritionfacts. #2: Liver (Beef) Vita...

Vitamin D is an essential vitamin required by the body for the absorption of calcium, bone development, immune functioning, and alleviation of inflammation. Vitamin D deficiency can lead to rickets, a weakened immune system, increased cancer risk, poor hair growth, and osteomalacia. Excess vitamin D can cause the body to absorb too much calcium, leading to increased risk of heart disease and kidney stones. The current U.S. Daily Value for vitamin D is 600 IU (international units) and the toxicity threshold is thought to be 10,000 to 40,000 IU/day. 2 Sometimes vitamin D values are given in micrograms (mcg,μg), when this is the case remember that 1μg=40IU for Vitamin D. Vitamin D is oil soluble, which means you need to eat fat to absorb it. Natural foods high in vitamin D include fish oils, fatty fish, mushrooms, beef liver, cheese, and egg yolks. Vitamin D is also naturally made by your body when you expose your skin to the sun, and is called the sun-shine vitamin. In addition, vitami...

Cholesterol is a steroid lipid (fat) found in the blood and is necessary for proper functioning of cell membranes. Our bodies already manufacture all the cholesterol we need, so it is not necessary to consume more. High levels of cholesterol have been shown to increase the risk of heart disease and stroke. Cholesterol lowering foods should be incorporated into everyone's diet for optimal health. The percentages by which these foods lower cholesterol reflect people who have high levels of cholesterol greater than 200 mg/dL, and therefore have been diagnosed with hypercholesterolemia. Different diets, lifestyles, and foods will work differently for different people. It is recommended that you buy a   Cholesterol Test Kit , so you can monitor your cholesterol levels at home and see which diet and lifestyle work best for you. Cholesterol lowering foods include oat bran, flax seeds, garlic, almonds, walnuts, whole barley, and green tea. Below is a detailed list of foods which lower...