Losing weight has never been an easy process, especially for those who are overweight and obese. Trying to force yourself into a strict and unreasonable diet will cause the body to fall into a state of nutritional deficiency and can be harmful to your health. There are 4 types of vitamins that are beneficial for weight loss that you can add to your menu.
So which vitamins are the most effective and safest for weight loss? Read this article to learn and know more about the foods that you can add to your diet.
Vitamin B
The main function of vitamin B is to help the body metabolize carbohydrates, proteins, fats and use the energy stored in food. Increasing metabolism is the key to weight loss because it ensures that the body burns calories effectively and does not store them as fat.
Here are the roles of vitamin B and the food sources that contain it that you can refer to.
B1 – Thiamine
- Role: Converts carbohydrates into energy;
- Foods containing B1: Meat, fish, whole grains.
B2 – Riboflavin
- Role: Supports the breakdown of proteins, fats and carbohydrates;
- Foods containing B2: Green leafy vegetables such as watercress, cabbage, kale, spinach, cheese, milk.
B3 – Niacin
- Role: Participates in DNA repair and the production of some stress-related hormones;
- Foods containing B3: Meat, fish, eggs.
B5 (Pantothenic Acid)
- Role: Supports the processing and digestion of fats;
- Foods containing B5: Chicken, beef and many vegetables.
B6 (Pyridoxine)
- Role: Converts food into energy;
- Foods containing B6: Green beans, tuna, salmon.
B7 (Biotin)
- Role: Participates in the metabolism of lipids, proteins and carbohydrates;
- Foods containing B7: Nuts, egg yolks, organ meats.
B9 (Folic Acid)
- Role: Helps the body produce and maintain the activity of new cells;
- Foods containing B9: Dark green leafy vegetables, asparagus.
B12 (Cobalamin)
- Role: Maintains the stability of the body’s blood cells and nerve cells;
- Foods containing B12: Clams, liver, salmon.
If you have difficulty supplementing enough B vitamins in your meals, you can use alternative functional foods, such as Vitamin B Complex tablets.
Vitamin B is found in many different foods.
Vitamin D
Vitamin D is responsible for supporting the absorption of Calcium – a very important mineral for the body. Calcium can help increase thermogenesis slightly, thereby promoting metabolism, helping the body burn fat. In his studies, Michael Zemel – PhD, director of the Institute of Nutrition at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville – along with his colleagues have shown that the more Calcium there is in fat cells, the more fat the cells will burn, which is very beneficial for weight loss.
In addition, if you are deficient in vitamin D, your parathyroid hormone levels may increase. This will cause your body to convert sugar into fat instead of energy. Therefore, maintaining adequate vitamin D levels can prevent this unwanted fat storage. Here are some ways you can supplement vitamin D for your body:
- Sunlight exposure: This is the best source of vitamin D for everyone.
- Add foods rich in vitamin D to your diet: Egg yolks, milk, tuna, salmon, cereals.
- Other functional foods containing vitamin D.
Vitamin D is not only beneficial for weight loss, it is also an important vitamin in maintaining stable bone, tooth and immune system health. Therefore, you need to pay attention to fully supplementing this vitamin regardless of whether you are in the process of losing weight or not.
Vitamin D is responsible for supporting the absorption of Calcium – a very important mineral for the body.
Vitamin C
Vitamin C (or Ascorbic Acid) has long been known for its immune-boosting and antioxidant properties. Many studies have shown the positive roles of vitamin C in weight loss, including:
- Regulating the fat breakdown process of fat cells;
- Inhibiting glucose metabolism, while secreting leptin – a hormone that controls appetite – on isolated fat cells;
- Improving hyperglycemia and inflammatory reactions.
Vitamin C is abundant in foods such as oranges, papaya, guava, strawberries, cauliflower, broccoli, carrots, tomatoes.
Vitamin C is abundant in oranges.
Vitamin E
Vitamin E may not get much attention when it comes to weight loss. As a fat-soluble vitamin, in addition to its essential role in the immune system and maintaining the body’s cell function, vitamin E also helps prevent fat accumulation, especially in the abdominal area, by inhibiting enzymes that promote fat storage.
In addition, the powerful antioxidant properties of vitamin E will be beneficial in helping the body fight oxidative stress, thereby regulating metabolism, making fat burning more effective.
Foods rich in vitamin E include: Broccoli, avocado, pumpkin, papaya, almonds, sunflower seeds, olive oil.
Vitamin E may not get much attention when it comes to weight loss.
Above are 4 types of vitamins that help you lose weight effectively and safely that we share with you. Combine them in your diet in a reasonable way and coordinate with regular exercise for the best results.