Theresa Hagerty, age 10, of Sioux City, Ia., for her question:

Which are the vitamin rich foods?

In times past, says Andy, young people turned up their noses at what was good for them. But times have changed. The up‑to‑date young person is interested in what is ~.‑~oor for him or her. As to whether he likes it, he is willing to give it a try ‑ which, says Andy, is a very sensible approach.

The study of vitamins is still very young. Some 40 of these complex chemicals have been discovered, about ten of which are vital to our bodily health. These include vitamins A, C$ D and the several vitamins included in the vitamin B Complex.

Most vitamins a re made by plants. We get them either by eating plants directly or from meat and dairy products which came from animals who got the vitamins by eating plants. No one food can supply all our daily vitamin needs. Some foods yield traces of several vitamins and some are rich in one vitamin only.

Whole milk contains vitamins A and B Complex. It is a good all round vitamin food, especially when it is enriched with vitamin D, However, it yields no vitamin C. Certain breakfast cereals, especially the kind you cook, are specially enriched with extra vitamins and minerals of all sorts. You can learn a lot about this by reading the list of special ingredients on the box labels.

The foods that yield most vitamin A are fish liver oils, liver of any kind, carrots, pumpkin, green vegetables, butter, peaches, cantaloupe and sweet potatoes. Notice that many of these foods are yellow. Plants manufacture certain chemicals which our bodies turn into vitamin A and one of these chemicals is carotene, the stuff which gives the carrot its color. Animals store surplus vitamin A in the liver, hence all kinds of liver are on the vitamin A list. This is the vitamin that keeps your eyes bright and clear. The best source of vitamin C is citrus fruit ‑ oranges, lemons and grapefruit. It is also plentiful in peppers, brussel's sprouts, broccoli, green and yellow vegetables. This is the vitamin that keeps your skin in good condition.

Vitamin D is present in fish liver oils, in egg yolk and in butter. It seems that the body can also get this vitamin directly from sunshine. A few days in the sun each year provides the body with a store of vitamin D, It is the vitamin we need to build strong bones and teeth.

The amount of vitamins we need each day is no bigger than a grain or two of wheat. The richest vitamin foods provide no more than a trace of these vital chemicals. So, to male sure we get our daily quota we should eat a large assortment of different foods. A balanced diet should. include milk, orange or grapefrizit juice, cereals, whole wheat bread, meat or fish, salad, green and yellow vegetables.