Essential Vitamins for Energy & Immunity Drinks
These days there are beverages to help you relax, to help you focus, and even to help you digest food better. And for people looking for beverages to provide a little extra energy or a boost to their immune system, the vitamins contained in your beverages of choice might have a significant impact on how well they work. In this post we’ll look at a few vitamins you should look for when choosing the right energy or immune boosting beverage for you. Specifically, we’ll look at B12, one of the best vitamins for energy, we’ll also look at a few immune boosting vitamins such as Zinc and Folate.
Immune Boosting Vitamins – Zinc and Folate
For many nutritionists, zinc is thought of as the most important mineral supplement, as it is so commonly deficient in the average persons diet. Zink is essential to human growth and is a key nutrient in supporting a healthy immune system. Zinc is needed for proper lymphocyte activity, natural killer cell function, and to proper T cell function. Zinc also has an important relationship with the body’s enzyme systems, which contribute to a healthy immune system. The latest research indicates that zinc may even play a role in the production of antibodies, which help defend against unwanted infection.
Getting an adequate amount of zinc from the foods you eat can be difficult, even for people with the healthiest diets. As a nutrient, zinc is just as valuable to the healthy development of growing plants as it is for humans. Like other minerals zinc needs to be abundant in the soil that your food is grown in if the nutrition is going to be passed onto you in the proper amounts. One of the reasons that zinc is so rare has to do with its origins. Fun fact: zinc has never been produced on earth or in even in our solar system; the only known cosmic event powerful enough to produce zinc is a supernova! Next time you’re getting your daily serving of this mineral remember you’re eating the billion year old bits from one of the biggest fireworks shows in the Universe.
Folate, also known as B9 or Folic Acid (as it is called in it’s synthesized form) is a water soluble vitamin found in a variety of foods including: dark leafy greens, citrus fruits, seeds and legumes such as black beans, lentils and edamame (aka: soy beans). Foods that have been fortified with vitamin B9 have been shown to provide positive support for: proper immune response, cognitive health and for nervous system function.
While folate is an important vitamin, our bodies are not able to produce it in any form on our own. Therefor B9 must be replenished on a daily basis through the foods we eat and from healthy supplements. Not feeding the body enough folate can lead to folate deficiency, which can result in the following symptoms: mental confusion, weakness, depressed mood, fatigue and overall tiredness.
The Vitamin for Energy – B12
If you’re like so many Americans who have tried everything to increase your energy levels, but still feel depleted, you may be in need of more B12 in your diet. Vitamin B12 plays an important role in your body’s ability to form normal red blood cells, make DNA for new cells, and to convert the food we eat into useful energy. Current research suggests that B12 levels for 15-40% of Americans are less than adequate for optimal health. Not having the proper amount of B12 in your diet is often over looked by people who are seeking ways to boost their energy levels.
So aside from energy levels, why should you be concerned about getting enough B12? The short-term effects of B12 deficiency can lead to: Mood changes, deep fatigue, and dementia-like qualities, which can get in the way of you feeling energized and performing your best. In the long term, a vitamin B12 deficiency that is left unchecked can lead to irreversible nerve damage, which is why it is important to identify as early as possible.
If you think you might not be getting enough B12 here are a few general tell tale symptoms that can result from a deficiency:
• Overall low energy
• Difficulty with concentration
• Mood changes that are unusual
• Trouble with memory
• Numbness or tingling or in feet or hands
• Red, Inflamed, cracked tongue
While the complications related to B12 deficiency can be very serious, increasing your levels can be easy. B12 is naturally found in high concentrations in a variety of foods including, most meats, cheeses, and eggs. If you’re vegan, I’m sorry to say, there aren’t many fruit or vegetable sources with high concentrations of B12. But alas, there are plenty of vegan supplements that are fortified with the all the B12 you’ll need to stay healthy.
Next time you’re shopping for a perfect beverage to increase energy levels or to support for your immune system, remember that the vitamins in your drink of choice might have a big impact in how well it works. If it’s immune boosting vitamins you’re after, look for zinc and folate (B9 or Folic Acid.) and if it’s energy you’re after, you’ll definitely want to see vitamin B12 on the ingredients list. Hawaiian Hawaiian Ola’s Noni Energy shot contains all of your DRV (daily recommended value) for B12. And Hawaiian Ola’s Noni Immunity Shot is fortified with 5mg of zinc and 100% of your DRV for folate. These vitamin fortifications combined with the many benefits of organic Hawaiian noni make Hawaiian Ola noni shots a perfect option for health conscious drinkers looking for healthy ways to stay energized and support the immune system.