Transcript Vitamins and minerals

What are Vitamins
 Vitamins are substances that are naturally
found in plants and animals.
 The body requires thirteen vitamins to
promote growth and development and to
support many functions.
 Vitamins play key roles in the body and are
essential for our bodies to metabolize and
use the energy from fat, carbohydrates and
protein.
Vitamins
 Vitamins are essential in maintaining a
healthy body, the body cannot produce
vitamins on its own, therefore we get a
majority of our vitamins from the food that
we eat.
 There are two types of vitamins:
 Fat-soluble vitamins
 Water-soluble vitamins
Fat-Soluble Vitamins
 Vitamins such as A,D,E and K are fat-soluble
vitamins.
 These vitamins require some fat and bile
acids to be absorbed by the body and are
stored in the body fat until needed.
Water-soluble vitamins
 Vitamin C and B vitamins such as Thiamin,
Riboflavin, Niacin, Pantothenic Acid, Biotin,
Vitamin B6, Vitamin B12 and Folate are all
water-soluble vitamins.
 These vitamins are easily absorbed and are
not stored in your body in large amounts
Water-soluble Vitamins
 Water-soluble vitamins simply go through
your bloodstream and are filtered by your
kidneys into urine.
 Since water-soluble vitamins are not stored,
they need to be replaced by eating a variety
of foods everyday.
Minerals
 Whereas vitamins are organic substances
(made by plants or animals), minerals are
inorganic elements that come from the soil
and water and are absorbed by plants or
eaten by animals.
 Your body needs larger amounts of some
minerals, such as calcium, to grow and stay
healthy.
Minerals
 . Other minerals like chromium, copper,
iodine, iron, selenium, and zinc are called
trace minerals because you only need very
small amounts of them each day
Minerals
 Minerals are found in nearly all the foods
listed on MyPyramid.
 They do not supply energy as carbohydrates,
fats and proteins do, but they are essential
because they regulate the body chemistry
and body functions.
 Minerals cannot be produced by our bodies.
They must be ingested (eaten in our food).
Minerals
 Minerals are sometimes chemical
constituents of vitamins.
 Minerals are also found in enzymes,
hormones, bones and muscles. Minerals can
become part of the body’s structure.
 There are about sixty different minerals that
make up about four percent of the body.
Science is still learning about many of the
functions of minerals.
Minerals
 Minerals are also divided into two groups.
Macrominerals are found in relatively large
amounts and Trace minerals are found in very
small amounts in the body.
Minerals
Macrominerals
Trace Minerals
Calcium
Iron
Phosphorus
Zinc
Sodium
Fluorine
Potassium
Copper
Iodine
What do Vitamins and
Minerals do?
 Vitamins and minerals:
 boost the immune system,
 support normal growth and development,
 and help cells and organs do their jobs.
 For example, carrots are good for your eyes. It's
true! Carrots are full of substances called
carotenoids that your body converts into vitamin
A, which helps prevent eye problems.
What do Vitamins and
Minerals do?
 Another vitamin, vitamin K, helps blood to
clot (so cuts and scrapes stop bleeding
quickly).
 Vitamin K can be found in green leafy
vegetables, broccoli, and soybeans.
 To have strong bones, you need to eat foods
such as milk, yogurt, and green leafy
vegetables, which are rich in the mineral
calcium.
Vitamins and Minerals are
Good for Growth and
Development
 People, especially adolescents experience a
lot of physical changes, eating right during
this time is important because the body
needs a variety of vitamins and mineral s to
grow, develop and stay healthy .
Good for Growth
 Individuals get all the vitamins and mineral as
well as the right amount of carbs, proteins,
fats and calories their body needs by eating a
variety of foods.
 Whole or unprocessed foods such as fruits
and vegetables, whole grains, low-fat dairy
products, lean meats, fish and poultry are the
best choices for providing your body with
nutrients.