12 Best Vitamins For Women

Written by Tanya Arora  • 

According to a recent study, it was found out that 75% of Indians suffer from vitamin deficiencies (1). That’s nearly 7 out of every 10 people in the country! Additionally, a large part of the vitamin deficient India is said to be made up of women. Which is really alarming as vitamin deficiencies in women can lead to severe problems, including pregnancy complications. Hence, to prevent yourself from the iron grip of diseases, you should ensure you follow a vitamin-rich diet. Here’s a list of 12 vitamins women should have regularly:

1. Vitamin A

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Found in foods such as carrots, pumpkins, sweet potatoes, and broccoli in abundance, vitamin A packs in many benefits (2). It is full of antioxidants, which help in keeping your skin soft and smooth. Vitamin A also slows down the aging process and keeps your vision sharp. It also gives your immune system a major boost.

2. Vitamin D

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One of the primary benefits of vitamin D is that it keeps your bones strong, thereby preventing osteoporosis (3). It can also aid in cancer prevention as well as help you avoid conditions such as depression and rheumatoid arthritis. Besides, this vitamin that’s found in eggs, fish, chicken, and sunlight can also aid in dealing with PMS.

3. Vitamin K

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Just like vitamin D, vitamin K also plays a role in preserving your bone health. It aids in the normal functioning of blood clotting and is even known to prevent heart disease. You can get this energy-giving vitamin from foods such as spinach, soybean, grapes, and hard-boiled eggs (4).

4. Vitamin B6

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A stronger immune system is one of the many health benefits of vitamin B6. This vitamin can also give your metabolism a boost and ensure you don’t suffer from PMS or emotional disorders. That’s not all. It maintains your hormone balance and blood sugar levels as well, and also can prevent pregnancy issues (5). Natural sources of vitamin B6 include bananas, oatmeal, beans, avocados, fish, and more.

5. Vitamin E

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Vitamin E is the secret to good skin, hair, and eyes. It’s rich in antioxidants, which are useful in preventing signs of aging. It can also keep heart diseases and cataracts at bay (6). If you want to enjoy the benefits of vitamin E, you should eat foods like hazelnuts, almonds, sunflower seeds, and spinach.

6. Vitamin B12

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Anemia and birth defects prevention, improved bone health, and decreased chances of macular degeneration are just a few of the benefits of vitamin B12 (7). Other advantages of this vitamin include high energy levels, improved heart health, prevention of depression, and beautiful skin, hair and nails. You can get vitamin B12 from cheese, eggs, yogurt, fish, milk, and more.

7. Vitamin C

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The healing of wounds can be sped up with the help of vitamin C in your system. This vitamin – that’s commonly found in citrus fruits, broccoli, tomatoes, pepper and sprouts – also helps in maintaining skin health. It can even reduce your chances of getting heart diseases or high blood pressure.

8. Vitamin B9

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Commonly known as folic acid, vitamin B9 is absolutely crucial for your heart health. It not only prevents strokes but also decreases the risk of cancer. This vitamin is a must during pregnancy as it can reduce the instances of birth defects in the baby among other things (8). Folic acid is also a memory booster and you can find it in foods such as melons, orange juice, eggs, dark leafy vegetables, and legumes.

9. Vitamin B7

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Vitamin B7, generally referred to as biotin, can guarantee improved hair health and stronger nails. It can provide a boost to your metabolism while decreasing your blood sugar levels if you have diabetes. It’s a must for mothers-to-be as it ensures a healthy pregnancy and breastfeeding course (9). Biotin is great for your skin too, with rich sources being egg yolks, cheese, soybeans, potatoes, milk, yogurt, etc.

10. Vitamin B2

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Present in large quantities in foods such as almonds, mushrooms, nuts, green veggies, dairy, and more, riboflavin (or vitamin B2) can improve your overall health. Riboflavin is essential for your eye health. It also helps in keeping you active and energetic by preventing exhaustion and anemia (10).

11. Vitamin B3

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Niacin or vitamin B3 should be your go-to vitamin for younger looking skin. One of its major functions is to keep your cholesterol levels in check and consequently, help prevent heart disease. It improves your brain function too and can possibly cure type 1 diabetes. The best food-based sources of niacin are peanuts, beef, tuna, lentils, etc.

12. Vitamin B1

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Medically known as thiamine, vitamin B1 keeps your nervous system, brain, and heart working as they should. Its other roles include increasing your metabolism and keeping diseases at bay. You can get your fill of this vitamin via pork, peas, dried beans, nuts, legumes, bread, lentils, etc.

A vitamin deficiency can spell a lot of trouble for your health, which can continue well into your old age. Save yourself from its adverse effects by following a vitamin-rich diet.

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