Top 5 Vitamins Found in Seafood

Seafood contains valuable vitamins needed to maintain a healthy mind and body. Vitamins A, D, E, K and B12 are found in several shellfish and haul fish in high concentrations. The following lists these top 5 vitamins found in seafood.

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Vitamin A – Vitamin A is important for a healthy immune system, skin, hair, teeth, all soft tissues, eyes and bones. Bluefin tuna is an excellent source. In 100 grams there are 2,520IU of Vitamin A.

Vitamin D – Vitamin D is important for a healthy nervous system, thyroid, heart, kidneys, skin, teeth and bones. Swordfish and salmon provide the daily recommended allowance of vitamin D in just one serving.

Vitamin E – Vitamin E is important for a healthy nervous system, circulatory system, respiratory system, skin and pituitary gland. Blue crab, rockfish and caviar provide a good source of vitamin E.

Vitamin K – Vitamin K is important for a healthy metabolism, liver, circulatory system and bones. The best source of vitamin K is found in canned tuna (in oil and drained.) In one serving you can get nearly all the vitamin K you need for the day. The second best seafood source of vitamin K is shellfish in general. Shellfish provides approximately double of vitamin K found in haul fish.

Vitamin B12 – Vitamin B12 is important for digestion, the liver, the formation of new red blood cells and the nervous system. Vitamin B12 is the most structurally complex of all vitamins and attaches itself readily to cobalt, a mineral found in shellfish. A varied healthy diet of shellfish and fish ensures you get enough vitamin B12 and cobalt in your diet, especially from oysters, lobster and crab.

The first 4 vitamins (A,D,E,K ) represent all of the major fat-soluble vitamins. One nice thing about fat-soluble vitamins is that their value does not degrade when cooking. So, feel confident you are getting a true good high source of these vitamins even if you like to cook your seafood thoroughly.

Conversely, vitamin B12 is water soluble and may be destroyed when exposed to high temperatures. The debate is still out there for this one. No one knows for sure. However, keeping in mind that vitamin B12 is actually a living microbe, you may want to consider enjoying some sashimi, sushi, cervichi or freshly shucked oysters on the half-shell. I do all the time. All are delicious in my opinion. If you are uncomfortable with this, you may want to consider at least not overcooking your seafood at extreme high temperatures or for too long.

Please keep in mind that this list provides the top 5 vitamins found in seafood. Most seafood contains several other vitamins, especially that of the B’s, in lower concentrations. For information on the top five minerals found in seafood, read Seafood Minerals that Rock.