Plant Kingdom as Source of Vitamins

Abstract

A vitamin is an organic substance necessary, in small quantities, for the correct functioning of the metabolism of a living organism. It is an essential nutrient because this substance cannot be synthesized in sufficient quantity by this organism and thus must be provided through the food intake. Each organism has specific needs: a molecule can be a vitamin for one species and not be it for another. It is the case for example of Vitamin C. Some vitamins are water-soluble compounds, including all vitamin Bs (B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B7, B9, B12) and vitamin C. Others are fat-soluble compounds and encompass vitamins A, D, E, and K. In this chapter, we have chosen to provide an overview of recent literature data only about vitamins provided exclusively or significantly by plant food, in particular vitamins A (as provitaminic carotenoids), B1, B9, C, E, and K1. Vitamins provided by animal food, such as vitamin D or vitamin B12, will be not discussed in this chapter.