Vitamin C is plentifully and easily available in a vegetarian diet full of fresh fruit such as blackcurrants and strawberries, orange and other fruit juices, peppers, salad vegetables, leafy greens and potatoes. Vitamin C is necessary for healthy connective tissues. Deficiency can result in bleeding, slow wound healing and scurvy, a skin disease. Vitamin D Vitamin D is needed for the absorption of calcium from the intestine and to deposit the calcium in the bone - mineralisation. Vitamin D is not found in plant foods but humans can make their own supplies in the skin when it is exposed to sunlight.
Vitamin D is added to margarines and is present in milk, cheese and butter.
Deficiencies can occur in those confined indoors and to women whose religion requires their skin to be fully covered. Vitamin E Vitamin E's main use in the body is as an antioxidant. It is widely available in cold pressed oils, wholegrain cereals and eggs. Vitamin K Vitamin K is necessary for the normal clotting of blood. Supplements are often given to babies at birth.