What vitamins to drink in winter for immunity. What vitamins must be taken in winter

What vitamins will help us not get sick in winter?

Winter is the time of the year when the human body needs vitamins in a particularly acute way. This is due to the fact that in winter period the intake of these elements from natural and fresh products is reduced. And the fact that a person now receives less sunlight and is constantly under the influence of gloomy weather also does not go unnoticed. Surely, you have already noticed how with the advent of winter, it becomes harder to wake up in the morning, and fall asleep in the evening. During the day, you are haunted by lethargy and nervous tension. All these are symptoms of vitamin deficiency in winter. The most important components, due to the lack of which, we experience the so-called vitamin hunger in winter: vitamin A, E, C, P and B vitamins.

Where to find vitamins in winter?

Vegetables from the garden and freshly picked fruit from the tree are not to be found at this time of the year. Fruits saturated with vitamins of interest to us, as well as some vegetables that are on store shelves brought from all over the world and processed by everyone possible means, to preserve the presentation, as a rule, do not contain the amount of vitamins necessary for our body. In winter, finding vitamins is not an easy task, but there are still reliable sources of vitamins in winter.

According to statistics, in winter, Russians most often do not have enough vitamin C- ascorbic acid. We can say that this is the most important vitamin. A powerful antioxidant, it plays an important role in metabolism, enhances immunity, and forms “happiness hormones”. To make up for the lack of healing ascorbic acid, lean on kiwi, oranges, chokeberry, tomatoes, bell peppers. Don't forget about sauerkraut- after all, there is much more vitamin C in it than in citrus fruits!

In addition to ascorbic acid, in winter we receive less B vitamins. As a result, lips dry and crack, jams appear in the corners of the mouth, hair and nails become brittle, and eyes water. And yet - a person becomes irritable, for no apparent reason breaks down on loved ones, suffers from insomnia. Replenish the body with missing vitamins will help buckwheat, rice, peas, eggs, dairy products, kidneys, liver, heart, nuts, beets.

Did you see worse? You are lacking vitamin A- retinol, which is responsible for visual acuity, and also strengthens the immune system, is involved in maintaining the health of hair and nails. His sources are milk, eggs, fish, carrots, parsley, dill, sorrel, apricots.

Everything falls out of hand, and at work it's all hands on deck, can't concentrate on anything? It's time for you to stock up vitamin E- tocopherol. Vitamin E is the most powerful natural antioxidant. It supports the immune system, protects cells from damage, slows down the formation of free radicals, improves the supply of oxygen to cells, helps to cope with high mental stress, protects the body from nervous breakdowns and stress. Tocopherol is found in spinach, cabbage, lettuce, beef liver, lean meat, eggs, vegetable oil.

Vitamin D(calciferols), in addition to sunlight, is found in egg yolk, fish oil, caviar, butter, cheese and other dairy products.

Some useful tips to improve health in winter:

eat right - give up fast food, reduce to a minimum the consumption of sausages, smoked meats, animal fats, refined white flour products;

take vitamin and mineral complexes;

Movement is life! Walk more in the fresh air, play sports;

go to bed no later than 22 hours, having previously ventilated the room;

stop smoking, give up alcohol;

keep a good mood.

Vitamins are especially needed for a growing organism, and not only in summer, but also in winter. Previously, in winter, the choice of fruits for a child was small - apples, oranges, pomegranates, bananas. Now those fruits that grow on the other end the globe are fully available to us. Let's say such a curiosity as a pomelo fruit. Pomelo contains a huge amount of vitamins A and C, which strengthen and increase immunity. But even here you need to be careful: from tangerine oranges to large quantities allergies can start, and apples keep their beneficial features not for long, and by spring they become almost useless. In addition, one should not rely on foreign strawberries or raspberries in winter time- this is hardly the necessary and safe source of vitamins for children. Each fruit and berry has its own season. Rose hips, black currants, eleutherococcus tincture and honey (who are not allergic to it) can be added to the list of usefulness.

The body experiences an acute shortage of nutrients in winter. At this time of the year, the sun does not shine as brightly as in summer. Frost and cold force a person to quickly get home and wrap himself in a blanket. Vegetables and fruits by this time contain little nutrients, and for this reason the body cannot get enough of them. Therefore, a person, without realizing it, begins to consume much more food in order to get at least a small dose of vitamins and minerals. It all ends with the appearance of excess weight, which also only spoils the mood in inclement weather.

Where do you get vitamins in winter and which ones are especially needed by the body during this cold season?

What vitamins are needed for our health in winter?

If hair and nails have become lifeless, dull and brittle, it is worth taking ascorbic acid, B vitamins, as well as iron and magnesium.

In the case when the skin is not in the best condition: dryness, peeling, acne, redness, blackheads, etc., it is necessary to take more B vitamins, as well as E, C and A.

The appearance of dark circles under the eyes, vision problems signal a lack of vitamins A and E.

A particular threat is the lack of calcium in the winter. If the body experiences a mineral deficiency for a long time, the bones become brittle, the risk of fractures when falling increases. Most of all, people of retirement age should be careful.

A person needs calciferol at this time, but winter will not allow the body to synthesize vitamin D on its own - there is little sunlight, often the sky is covered with clouds.

The best vitamins in winter, summer and in general at any time of the year are those that a person receives from food. With a proper and balanced diet, you will not need to use a complex of vitamins additionally in the form of tablets in most cases.

It is also worth always remembering that self-medication and self-diagnosis without an attending physician is not worth it, so as not to harm the body.

What vitamins should be taken in winter?

In the cold season, the body needs serious support - a person needs to take a lot of vitamins.

• Retinol (vitamin A). It is very important that the body receives the necessary norm of the element daily. Retinol primarily protects vision, keeps it sharp. Also, this vitamin has anti-inflammatory properties, therefore it protects the body well from colds. Vitamin A is able to protect the liver and give a radiant and healthy look to the skin. In order not to lack retinol, it is worth eating orange vegetables and fruits more often in winter (carrots, pumpkin, apricots), tomatoes, buckwheat, dairy products, eggs and meat.

The first signals of the "organism" with a lack of vitamin A: disturbed sleep, insomnia, the appearance of convulsions, muscle spasms, dilated pupils.

• Vitamin C (ascorbic acid). The main function of the substance is to strengthen the immune system. Very often, it is precisely because of the lack of ascorbic acid that a person often catches a cold and does not get enough sleep. Also, this element is a strong antioxidant.

Signs of vitamin C deficiency: joint pain, bleeding gums, fatigue, lethargy, lack of energy.

You can find the element in berries (strawberries, black currants, rosehips), citrus fruits, yellow bell peppers.

• Vitamin D. Calcium and phosphorus cannot fully function and be absorbed by the body without this element. In winter, the lack of this vitamin is strongly experienced by children - there is little sunlight, in which the vitamin would be independently synthesized by the skin. An element is needed to strengthen teeth, bones, growth and development of the skeleton, as well as to strengthen the immune system (it has been proven that when using the daily intake of vitamin D, people suffer less from colds).

Doctors notice that children who lack vitamin D develop more slowly, both physically and mentally. To prevent this from happening, eggs, oils (both butter and vegetable), sour-milk products, seafood, fish (fatty sea varieties) must be present in the weekly menu.

• Vitamin E (tocopherol). The substance is responsible for the beauty, youth, elasticity of the skin, is an antioxidant. It also effectively fights stress, and due to the saturation of brain cells with oxygen, it has a beneficial effect on the nervous system and brain function. Vitamin E in in large numbers found in seeds, nuts and vegetable oil.
• B group vitamins.
• Vitamin B 1. Responsible for providing cells with energy, normalizes carbohydrate metabolism.
• Vitamin B6. Normalizes work nervous system, enhances the body's resistance to nervous overload.
• Vitamin B9. It is necessary for pregnant women (especially in the first trimester). Maintains the tone of the male body, improves the absorption of iron.
• Vitamin B12. Improves the functioning of the nervous system, protects it from damage. Drowsiness, loss of strength, mood swings, the appearance of peeling, cracks on the skin and lips signal a deficiency of a substance in the body. To prevent such symptoms, you should eat more meat, liver, beets, legumes, nuts and buckwheat.
• Vitamin R. Strong antioxidant. Keeps vessels strong and elastic. A lot of vitamin P in greens, cabbage, grapes, apricots, capsicums, etc.

We make blanks

Most people are not sure whether it is worth buying fruits in stores in winter, because often there are much more chemicals in them than useful substances. Therefore, it is better to make preparations in the summer, in which a maximum of vitamins will be preserved.

At the same time, jams, compotes and jams, which our grandmothers and mothers love to roll into jars so much, lose almost all their useful properties after heat treatment. It is much better to just freeze fruits and vegetables.

What foods are suitable for freezing?

Preserving vitamins for the winter

Almost all vegetables and fruits are suitable for freezing. Certainly. After defrosting, their taste will change, but vegetables can be added to salads, main dishes and soups. Fruits can be used in the manufacture of compote, smoothies, cocktails, etc.

Some products can be dried:

• beets (although it is well stored without drying);
• carrot;
• mushrooms;
• rose hip;
• currant;
• mountain ash.

Also, homemade sauerkraut contains many useful substances. It is rich in vitamins B6, B9, K and especially ascorbic acid.

It is important to properly defrost and freeze food. For example, blackcurrant can save vitamins for the winter only if each berry is well dried before being placed in the freezer. Raspberry also retains vitamins for the winter when it is not washed before harvesting, but is gently wiped (or visible dirt is simply removed). Water takes away some of the nutrients when washing the berries.

What vitamins to drink in winter?

Vitamin complexes

What vitamins to drink in winter for immunity is simply necessary if nutrition for some reason cannot be complete or the body lacks useful substances?

The most popular are the following drugs.

• "Ascorbic acid". The remedy is aimed at eliminating vitamin C deficiency.
• "Aevit". Contains vitamins E and A. Strengthens the immune system and nervous system, improves skin condition.
• "Alphabet". According to the manufacturers, all vitamins and minerals are contained in each tablet in ideal proportions. Every day you need to take three different-colored tablets with a different composition. Therefore, all vitamins and minerals are absorbed well, without interfering with each other.
• "Complivit". A perfectly balanced composition is suitable for any person, especially with problems with the gastrointestinal tract (thanks to cyanocobalamin in the composition).
• Vitrum. The drug is aimed at eliminating vitamin deficiency. Specialists often prescribe it to patients who have undergone surgery and diseases that have led to a decrease in the body's defenses.
• "Doppel Hertz". This drug is produced in many variations in order to be as effective as possible for a person. "Doppel Hertz" is available separately for women, men, the elderly, as well as for patients with certain diseases.

vitamins- like regulators on the way of assimilation of useful substances. They speed up and direct metabolic processes. For example, if you ate a piece of chocolate, glucose entered the body. If it contains enough vitamin B1, then its combustion will occur, energy will be released. As a result, you will feel cheerfulness, a surge of strength. But if this vitamin is not enough for the body, then glucose will turn into fat. The situation is similar in the absence of other vitamins. Therefore, it is so important to have them in the diet all year round. And if in the summer they themselves ask for your mouth in the form of juicy apples, delicious watermelons, fragrant peaches and other fruits, then in winter it is more difficult to get useful substances. It is their deficiency in most cases that explains weakness, fatigue, and a tendency to disease. So that the symptoms of beriberi do not affect you, rebuild your diet, adjusted for the winter.

Partially useful substances deposited by the body in reserve. For example, fat-soluble vitamins - A, D, E. He himself can synthesize some of them in small quantities. Liver cells produce vitamin B-12, some of the vitamins are synthesized in the intestines. But the majority enters the body only with food. First of all, it is vitamin C. In winter, it is especially lacking. Therefore, actively lean on citrus fruits, red pepper. A lot of this element in . By the way, it also contains substances that are beneficial for the intestinal microflora. In winter, there is also a deficiency of B vitamins. Especially in those who abuse sweets or refined foods. The amount of vitamin D, which is synthesized by the skin in summer under the influence of sunlight, decreases. You can replenish the reserves of these vitamins from animal products - meat, liver, eggs.

The body is sensitive to the lack of nutrients and immediately sends an SOS signal. For example, without vitamin E, the skin becomes dry, with a lack of B-2, cracks appear in the corners of the lips, a lack of vitamin A leads to coarsening of the skin, a deficiency of vitamin C leads to weakness, bleeding gums. just diversify the menu. Introduce beets (both boiled and raw), carrots, cauliflower, broccoli, greens, olive and vegetable oil, nuts into the diet. Regularly consume dairy products, seafood, different kind porridge. Treat yourself to nutritious vegetable fresh juices. Reduce the amount bakery products, pasta, sweets. And do not get carried away with diets - they further reduce the amount of vitamins in the diet. For several months, take a complex of vitamins and minerals. Choose the one that contains the daily norm of the substances necessary for the body. This is definitely worth doing if you are fasting. In this case, also make sure that plant foods are varied.

winter period fraught not only with a lack of vitamins, but also with extra pounds. Weight gain is due to a change in metabolism. Previously, there were no heating devices, and in order to keep warm, the body learned to release more energy in winter. When you sit near the battery and wrap yourself in warm clothes, calories are not consumed, but stored as fat. Spices will help to activate their burning. For example, chili peppers increase metabolism by 50 percent. Also regularly replenish water in the body, although in winter you want to drink less than in summer. Water helps to remove toxins. The daily rate of liquid is 1.5-2 liters. No matter how much you want to hibernate, remember about physical activity. Exercise regularly and walk outdoors.

Winter is a time when there is practically no sun outside, and the sky is mostly gray and heavy clouds. And everyone's mood is appropriate: I want to wrap myself in a blanket and sleep. Since it is quite difficult to find fresh vegetables and fruits at this time, there is a lack of vitamins. And this can lead to health problems. So, for example, a lack of vitamins in the winter season causes a person to start overeating. After all, the body tries even from “empty” food to gain the substances it needs. From here, depression develops, and longing intensifies even more. Although the matter is solved quite simply: just add the necessary elements to your diet. The main thing is to know which ones. AiF.ru found out what exactly our body lacks in winter.

What causes a lack of vitamins?

The lack of vitamins has a very significant effect on the appearance and health of a person. So, if there is a significant deficiency of them, the hair loses its luster and becomes lifeless, the nails break and exfoliate, the skin becomes dry, redness and acne appear on it. In addition, in this case, the skin acquires an earthy hue, becomes flabby and saggy. And against the background of winter vitamin deficiency, visual impairment develops, dark circles under the eyes and redness appear. If there is a lack of calcium in the body, then over time the bones will also begin to suffer: they will become excessively brittle.

What should be taken in winter?

In winter, it is difficult to do without vitamin A, it is vital in cold weather. In addition to supporting vision, it also has anti-inflammatory properties, due to which it increases the body's resistance to viruses and bacteria. A sufficient amount of vitamin A provides an increase in immunity, normalizes the general condition of a person and gives him the opportunity to remain active. If you eat tomatoes, apricots, buckwheat, meat, dairy products and eggs in winter, it will be possible to note that the skin condition has improved. This simple method will also protect the liver.

Signs of vitamin A deficiency include disturbed sleep, seizures, muscle cramps, and enlarged pupils.

Another important winter element is vitamin C, a traditional immune stimulant. If it is not enough in the body, a person develops drowsiness and there is a decline in strength and immunity. Against the background of a lack of vitamin C, there is a constant feeling of fatigue, lethargy, depression, joint pain and even bleeding gums.

You can compensate for the lack of this vitamin by eating blackcurrant, cabbage, rosehip and lemon.

missing in winter human body and vitamin D. But without it, the absorption of calcium and phosphorus by the intestines is disrupted. In addition, it is responsible for the strength of bones and teeth. At the same time, in the cold season, people are especially in dire need of it, because there are noticeably fewer sunny days than in summer.

To correct the situation, it is worth supplementing your diet with fatty fish, eggs, butter and vegetable oils, seafood, sour-milk products.

The beauty vitamin, scientifically called vitamin E, is needed by the body to fight stress. It helps oxygenate the brain and provides a clear mind and nerves of steel. At the same time, it is found in fairly large quantities in broccoli, eggs, carrots, spinach, and liver.

You can not ignore the winter and vitamins of group B. They allow you to normalize carbohydrate metabolism, help to bring the nervous system in order and help to avoid depression. Very importance group B has for the nervous system, preventing disturbances in its work and protecting the body from premature aging.

You can recognize the lack of these vitamins by the worsened condition of the skin, the appearance of tearing of the eyes, and cracks in the lips. To correct the situation, you should eat buckwheat, peas, nuts, beets, liver.

In winter, the supply of such an antioxidant as vitamin P should also be replenished. It helps strengthen the walls of blood vessels, which improves blood circulation and protects the heart. The source of such a substance will be cabbage, wild rose, grapes, etc.

Doctors also advise using industrial vitamin complexes, which will provide the necessary level of useful trace elements in the blood and fill the body with the energy it needs.

The cold season is stressful for the human body. Some animals hibernate during this period, but we cannot afford such a luxury. In order to overcome cold and frost without problems, you need to know which vitamins are best taken in winter.

If you eat a balanced diet and drink vitamin-mineral complexes from a pharmacy, then winter will not make itself felt in the form of a cold, brittle hair and nails, pigmentation and dry skin, and other unpleasant phenomena. All this can be avoided. How exactly, read on.

Avitaminosis in winter is a common occurrence for our latitudes. The body cannot store beneficial substances, which are very numerous in summer.

The surest signs of a deficiency of important components are:

• drowsiness;
• apathy;
• constant fatigue;
• depression and bad mood;
• unhealthy skin and hair color;
• fragility of nails;
• peeling and dry skin.

These are not all negative symptoms. If you notice something similar in yourself, know it's time to make adjustments to your diet.

Changing the situation for the better

First thought: what vitamins to drink in winter?". Is it even worth running to the pharmacy and buying synthetic substances of dubious production? Try changing your menu first. It's not hard at all if you know where to start.

According to statistics, men and women lack vitamin C (ascorbic acid) most of all in winter. This powerful antioxidant perfectly fights colds, gives the skin a healthy look and color, removes toxins from the body. During epidemics, doctors strongly recommend drinking ascorbic acid.

A word of advice: as soon as the cold comes, include in the diet more products rich in vitamin C (onions, citrus fruits, sauerkraut). If there are blanks from summer and autumn, add chokeberry and currant. Take care of your health in advance, and you will easily survive the season of epidemics.

The second substance that is lacking in cold weather is vitamin D. In summer, it is synthesized in the skin under the influence of sunlight, while in winter you will not wait for the rays. And even if the sun appears, the body is still covered with piles of clothes. The way out of the situation is the intake of dairy products, tuna, salmon, salmon, eggs, cheese and margarine.

In autumn and winter, the body's defenses take on a heavy burden, fighting off pathogenic microorganisms. In order for cells not to be damaged, they need antioxidants. The best of its kind are vitamins C, E and beta-carotene. If everything is already clear with the first, then with the rest it is not very clear.

Vitamin E is found in sunflower seeds, salmon, bananas, nuts, almonds and peanuts. In order for the body to fully absorb tocopherol, it is necessary to drink it with fats. Beta-carotene, or a precursor to vitamin A, is found in carrots, green onions, lettuce, red peppers, black currants, broccoli, and other foods. Again, the substance will practically not linger in the internal environment if it is taken without fat.

Other valuable vitamins during cold weather

Vitamin F is very important for men. It helps the immune system by reducing inflammation and producing some antibodies. The substance has a number of other useful functions: it restores damaged tissues, eliminates peeling, dandruff, various rashes, strengthens hair and nails, and prevents baldness.

To make up for the lack of this vitamin, men need to consume 1-2 tablespoons per day. vegetable oils(sunflower, camelina, peanut and others), various nuts, fatty fish, avocados, oysters, mussels and rapana.

For a weakened immune system, the following vitamins are also important:

1. Riboflavin (B2).
   Deficiency of the component is fraught with the appearance of barley, herpes, boils. The substance is found in leeks, dairy products, beef, apples.
2. Pantothenic acid (B5).
   With a lack of a substance, excessive oiliness or dryness of the skin is noted, and damage to the epithelium heals for too long. Acid is found in nuts, eggs, yeast, potatoes, hazelnuts, caviar.
3. Pyridoxine (B6).
   If it is not enough, the skin becomes covered with small pimples, sometimes dermatitis occurs. Compensate for the deficiency allows beef, lamb, yeast, cabbage, milk, potatoes, soybeans, bran and beans.
4. Folic acid (B9).
   Bags under the eyes, pale skin, weakness in the body and dizziness indicate a lack of this vitamin. You can fix the problem by eating buckwheat porridge(and best of all raw buckwheat, infused with kefir), potatoes in uniforms, beef, dates, oysters.
5. Biotin (N).
   Vitamin deficiency is evidenced by skin problems - dermatitis, rash, unhealthy color, sometimes eczema appears. To prevent these phenomena, it is necessary to lean on the liver, yeast, bananas, egg yolk, milk and cauliflower.

As you can see, almost all products from the list are available in winter. Nutrition must be balanced so that 2/3 of the vitamins come from food, and 1/3 from pharmacy complexes. In cold weather, you still have to drink them in order to fully ensure the daily rate.

Oh, this treacherous winter...

In the cold season, relations with products are not so simple. There is a tendency that the more food is stored, the less vitamins it contains. Therefore, there are much fewer useful substances in glossy apples, potatoes, cabbage and other products that are sold in supermarkets in winter. This must be taken into account when compiling the menu.

The method of preparation also affects the concentration of vitamins. The most gentle type of heat treatment is steaming. You can also bake food in the oven. But anyway the best way to saturate the body with useful substances is the intake of raw foods.

In winter, this is somewhat problematic, and that is why it is better for you to drink preventive vitamin and mineral complexes.

It is desirable that it be dry-frozen. Make a drying of apples and apricots, they will be stored all winter. You also need to stock up on linden color, various herbs like thyme, and rose hips. In winter, they can be brewed as tea and drunk on cold evenings.

Make a vitamin "bomb" of honey, lemon, dried apricots, prunes, walnuts and other products (optional). Only 1-2 tablespoons of this mass per day, and some of the vitamins will already be in the body.

Here are a few more rules to help you stay on track:

• sleep at least 8 hours a day;
• go for a walk, don't let the sunny days pass you by;
• ventilate the house;
• exclude junk food (fast food, smoked meats, semi-finished products, flour products);
• do not forget to drink clean unboiled water and green tea;
• give up alcohol and cigarettes;
• remember about the regular intake of vitamins with high-quality food and pharmacy complexes.

By following these instructions, you will involve yourself in the minimum cost. When choosing synthetic vitamins, consult your doctor. The specialist will analyze the existing problems and prescribe preventive complexes that are right for you.