Forget Supplements! These Delicious Recipes Will Give You Your Required Dose Of Vitamin D3 and B12

With monsoon and entertainment forcing children to play indoors and hardly any child choosing to play in the sun, simply means a severe Vitamin D deficiency. This essential vitamin helps keeps bones strong and healthy.

D- The Sunshine Vitamin

Vitamin D is a fat soluble prohormone, its precursors being Vitamin D3 (Cholecalciferol) and Vitamin D2 (Egrocalciferol). Vitamin D2 is obtained from plant sources whereas D3 is endogenous and is  formed in the skin when exposed to sunlight hence is more beneficial for humans.Vitamin D3 is necessary for varied purposes most important being bone and teeth development. It is also required for cell growth, immunity and development of strong teeth. Deficiency of Vitamin D3 is becoming common among people due to lack of exposure to sunlight and poor dietary habits. Inadequate amounts of Vit D3 leads to delayed growth and tooth eruption, poorly formed enamel and increases  the risk of infections in infants. Loss of bone density,  restlessness, swelling, pain in knee and joints is seen  in adults with an increased risk of osteoporosis in the later stage.

Without Vitamin D only 15% of dietary calcium is absorbed by the body. Therefore for adequate absorption of calcium and for growth and development of bones and muscles Vit D3 should be given along with calcium. According to RDA, supplementation of 400IU (10μg) per day is necessary for healthy bone and muscle development.

Sources of Vitamin D3

Vitamin D3 has the highest potential of toxicity among all the vitamins. Intake of more than 100 μg per day may causes calcification of tissues.

Vitamin B12

Vitamin B12 is a water soluble vitamin also known as Cobalamine. Human body contains very minute amounts of B12 i.e 2-5mg, 50-90% of which is stored in the liver. Vitamin B12 is necessary to maintain a healthy nervous system, formation of red blood cells, fat and amino acid metabolism, promotes growth in children and helps in the synthesis of DNA. Inadequate intake of B12 leads to anemia, weakness, fatigue, breathlesness, decreased ability to concentrate, poor muscular coordination, irritability, poor resistance to infections, numbness and tingling sensation in hands and feet and menstrual problems in women.

Deficiency of B12 mainly occurs due to its malabsorbption from the lining of the intestine rather than then a dietary deficiency.  Presence of calcium and glycoprotein is necessary for B12 to get absorbed correctly by small intestines . Glycoprotein being endogenous ,  calcium levels should be checked and maintained for proper absorption for Vitamin B12.

Supplementation of 1.0 μg/day for men and women, 0.2-1 μg/day for children , 1.2 μg/day for pregnant  and  1.5 μg/day for lactating women is recommended by RDA .

You may also like: Food substitutes for greens this monsoon

Dietary sources of VitaminB12

*RDA values are according to the Indian Council of Medical Research 2010.

Recipes Rich in Vitamin D3

1.Stuffed Button Mushrooms

Image source: dailyhomemade.wordpress.com

Ingredients:

• 8 large Button mushrooms, wiped over and stems removed
• 4 mushrooms, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• ½ cup sun-dried tomatoes, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 cup cottage cheese, grated
• 3 tbsp fresh basil, chopped
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 tsp fresh parmesan cheese, shavings
• 1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

Method:

1. Heat the olive oil in a non-stick frying pan add the chopped mushrooms, onion, sun-dried tomatoes and garlic and cook over low heat until vegetables are soft, but not browned. Remove from the heat and let cool.
2. When cool, add the cottage cheese, basil, salt and pepper. Mix well. Brush the mushrooms lightly with the olive oil and fill each cavity with a spoonful of the vegetable filling. Bake in a preheated oven, 180C /350F, for 20-25 minutes, or until the mushroom are tender and the filling is heated through.
3. Top with parmesan shaving and parsley and serve at once.

2. Mushroom and Bean Salad with Yoghurt

Image source: weheartfood.com

Ingredients

• 1 cup kidney beans, cooked
• 1 ½ cup red cabbage, finely chopped
• 1 ½ cup mushroom, sliced
• ½ cup baby corn, sliced into thin rounds
• 1 red capsicum, chopped
• 1 small spring onion, chopped
• 2 tbsp celery, chopped

For The Dressing:

• ½ cup curd
• 2 tsp tomato ketchup
• 1 tsp mustard powder/paste
• ½ tsp pepper
• 2 cloves garlic, grated
• Salt to taste

Method:

1. Beat the curd and combine the ingredients to make curd dressing.
2. Mix all the salad ingredients along with celery
3. Add the curd dressing to the salad and serve chilled.

3. Mini Baked Omellete Bites

Image source: superhealthykids.com

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 3 small potatoes, peeled and chopped
• 1/2 cup peas
• 1/2 cup corn
• 4 eggs
• 2 tbsp milk (optional)
• salt and pepper
• Feta cheese

Method:

1. Place olive oil in a skillet and add potatoes. Stir for a few minutes until the potatoes begin to soften.
2. Add peas and corn to potatoes, and stir with the potatoes for about 2 minutes.
3. Pour the potatoes, corn and peas into a greased bread pan.
4. Crack eggs into a bowl and add milk, salt and pepper.  Pour egg mixture over vegetables. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake entire loaf in oven at 350 for about 45-50 minutes.
5. Remove from oven when eggs are cooked through and knife comes out clean.
6. Turn loaf onto a cutting board, and cut slices from the baked omelet.
7. Cut in half again so that you have mini squares and serve.

You may also like: Quick snacks to deliver the nutritious punch for kids

Recipes Rich in Vitamin B12

1.Buttermilk Smoothie

Image source: ticklingpalates.com

Ingredients:

• ½ cup thick curd
• 200ml water
• 2 tbsp cooked oats
• Salt as per taste
• ½ tsp jeera powder

Method:

1. Add curd, oats, salt and jeera powder to the water and churn.
2. Pour in a glass and serve.

2. Paneer Cabbage Rolls

Image source: awesomecuisine.com

Ingredients:

• 5-6 cabbage leaves
• 1 cup mixed boiled vegetables (carrots, French beans, cauliflower, peas), finely chopped
• ½ onion, finely chopped
• 1 green chilli, chopped
• ½ cup tomato gravy
• 1 cup paneer, small cubes
• 2 tsp oil
• Salt and pepper to taste

Method:

• Cook the cabbage leaves in salted water for 1min. Drain thoroughly
• Heat the oil. Fry onion for a few seconds
• Add the green chilies, fry again for a few seconds.
• Add the vegetables, paneer, salt and pepper
• Place a little veg mixture on each cabbage leaf, spread a little tomato gravy on top
• Roll up each leaf and arrange on a greased baking tray
• Boil the balance tomato gravy and pour over the rolls.
• Bake in a hot oven at 225 c for 10 mins and serve hot.

3. Paneer Stuffed Millet Cups

Image source: kiipfit.com

Ingredients:

• 1 cup pearl millet flour
• ¼ tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp olive oil
• ¼ + 1/8 cups warm water
• 1 cup paneer, crumbled
• 1 cup kidney beans, cooked
• ¼ cup cabbage, shredded
• ¾ tsp salt
• ¼ tsp chilli powder
• ¼ tsp chaat masala
• ¼ tsp garam masala
• 1 tbsp. white sesame seeds (for garnishing)

Method:

Preheat oven at 350 degree Fahrenheit and prepare a cookie sheet with a liner and slightly grease it.

• In a mixing bowl combine the millet flour, salt, soda, oil and water and form into dough. Let it stand for 2 minutes.
• In the meantime combine kidney beans and paneer in the food processer and mix well. Add rest of the spices and mix well .
• Divide the dough into 6 equal portions and divide the beans and paneer mix into 6 equal portions. Roll out one portion of the dough in a small round shape (size of your palm).
• Flatten the beans and paneer mix between palms and put it on the rolled dough.
• Then gently take both into your palm and for a bowl shape so that the beans and paneer mix is covered with the millet flour dough expect for the top portion.
• Place the snacks on the cookie sheet and bake in the middle rack for 30 minutes or until properly cooked.
• Take it out of the oven and let it cool for few minutes.
• Garnish with white sesame seeds and serve warm.

4. Granola Yoghurt Parfait

Image source: youtube.com

Ingredients:

• ¾ cup almonds, sliced
• 2 tbsp walnuts, chopped
• 1 tbsp flax seeds
• 1 tbsp watermelon seeds
• ¼ cup dates OR figs, deseeded and chopped
• 1 tbsp raisins, pitted and chopped
• 1 ½ cup rolled oats
• 50 ml honey
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Other Ingredients

• ½ cup thick curd
• 1 tsp honey or maple syrup
• 1 small banana, chopped
• ¾ cup granola mix

Method:

For Granola:

1. In a large pan, combine the seeds and the almonds and toast over medium flame, until the flax seeds stop popping. Remove and set aside to cool.
2. Pour the oats into the pan and toast them over medium heat until light brown
3. Add the nuts, seeds, dates, raisins, to the oats. Mix to combine thoroughly and evenly.
4. Drizzle honey and add the vanilla. Mix until all the dry ingredients incorporate the honey evenly.
5. Allow to cool and store in airtight containers.

How To Proceed:

1. Layer a broad glass with granola mix followed by yogurt.
2. Top with banana. Drizzle honey or maple syrup and serve.

Image source: canadastays.com