Vitamins and MineralsVitamins and Minerals

Nutrition ClassNutrition Class

Mrs. CouzensMrs. Couzens

VitaminsVitamins

Organic substances necessary in tiny Organic substances necessary in tiny amounts to promote specific and essential amounts to promote specific and essential biomedical reactions.biomedical reactions.

Vitamin and mineral deficiencies are rare Vitamin and mineral deficiencies are rare in the US, yet many people take additional in the US, yet many people take additional supplements. Extra vitamins simply pass supplements. Extra vitamins simply pass thru the body. Mega doses of vitamins thru the body. Mega doses of vitamins should only be used with doctors advice.should only be used with doctors advice.

RDA – Recommended Daily RDA – Recommended Daily AllowanceAllowance

Guidelines for the general Guidelines for the general population as to how population as to how much of each nutrient we much of each nutrient we should consume daily.should consume daily.

They tend to be set They tend to be set higher so everyone is higher so everyone is covered.covered.

Used for food production, Used for food production, national food programs, national food programs, and food labeling.and food labeling.

If human beings are made of If human beings are made of raw meat, why don’t we spoil raw meat, why don’t we spoil

like meat left out on the like meat left out on the counter?counter?

Antioxidants!!!!!!Antioxidants!!!!!!

Oxidant Oxidant – a substance that burns up food – a substance that burns up food and breaks down cells. (Oxygen is the and breaks down cells. (Oxygen is the fundamental oxidant.)fundamental oxidant.)

Free radicalsFree radicals – by-products of oxidation. – by-products of oxidation. These particles attack body cells, These particles attack body cells, damaging them and leaving them damaging them and leaving them susceptible to further damage and/or susceptible to further damage and/or disease.disease.

Antioxidants!!!Antioxidants!!!

AntioxidantsAntioxidants – a substance that – a substance that counteracts the harmful free radicals counteracts the harmful free radicals generated by oxidation. They stop our generated by oxidation. They stop our body from breaking down. body from breaking down. Redox Redox agent – Substances that act as an agent – Substances that act as an oxidant in some cases, and a antioxidant oxidant in some cases, and a antioxidant in others. in others. – Example: Vitamin C is violently pro-oxidant by Example: Vitamin C is violently pro-oxidant by

pulling iron from tissues, but is an antioxidant pulling iron from tissues, but is an antioxidant by preventing damage from disease.by preventing damage from disease.

Categories of VitaminsCategories of Vitamins

Fat solubleFat solubleVitamins absorbed by Vitamins absorbed by fat and then stored in fat and then stored in fat cells.fat cells.– Body does not need Body does not need

daily replacementdaily replacement– Examples: Vitamins A, Examples: Vitamins A,

D, E, and KD, E, and K

Water solubleWater solubleViamins which do not Viamins which do not need fat to be absorbed.need fat to be absorbed.

Not needed every day – Not needed every day – but over a two week but over a two week period should balance period should balance out.out.

Examples- Vitamin C and Examples- Vitamin C and the eight the eight

Vitamin B’sVitamin B’s

IS IT HEALTHIER TO GET IS IT HEALTHIER TO GET YOUR VITAMINS THRU DIET YOUR VITAMINS THRU DIET

OR SUPPLIMENTS?OR SUPPLIMENTS?

DIET!!!!!!!DIET!!!!!!!

FAT SOLUBLE FAT SOLUBLE VITAMINSVITAMINS

Vitamin AVitamin A

What Vitamin A Does:What Vitamin A Does:

Maintain normal vision, Maintain normal vision, especially night vision.especially night vision.

ReproductionReproduction

May help prevent May help prevent epithelial-cell cancerepithelial-cell cancer

Helps treat acne, sun Helps treat acne, sun damage, and wrinkling of damage, and wrinkling of skinskin

Vitamin AVitamin A

Can withstand normal cooking and Can withstand normal cooking and freezing.freezing.

Do not let food wilt or go rancid.Do not let food wilt or go rancid.

Vitamin AVitamin A

Vit. A deficiency is rare in U.S.Vit. A deficiency is rare in U.S.

Common in less-developed countries, Common in less-developed countries, resulting in resulting in major cause major cause of blindness.of blindness.

Hard to build up toxic Hard to build up toxic levels. Difficult to get too levels. Difficult to get too much from diet.much from diet.

Vitamin DVitamin D

Made from a form of Made from a form of cholesterol when cholesterol when exposed to sunlight.exposed to sunlight.

10 – 15 minutes of 10 – 15 minutes of mid-day sun exposure mid-day sun exposure two or three times a two or three times a week provides week provides enough Vit. Denough Vit. D

What Vitamin D does:What Vitamin D does:

Helps body absorb and metabolize Helps body absorb and metabolize calcium and phosphorus.calcium and phosphorus.

A deficiency (rare in US) can lead to A deficiency (rare in US) can lead to rickets.rickets.

Vitamin EVitamin E

*Fat-soluble*Fat-soluble

*Polyunsaturated fats *Polyunsaturated fats contain all the Vit. E contain all the Vit. E we needwe need

*Dietary deficiency has *Dietary deficiency has never been seen in never been seen in U.S. dietU.S. diet

Vitamin KVitamin K

Fat-solubleFat-soluble

Used for proper blood-clotting and bone Used for proper blood-clotting and bone metabolismmetabolism

About ½ of needed Vit. K is made by About ½ of needed Vit. K is made by bacteria in the small intestinebacteria in the small intestine

Good food sources: dark, leafy veggies, Good food sources: dark, leafy veggies, cabbage, potatoes, cereal, and liver.cabbage, potatoes, cereal, and liver.

Vitamin CVitamin CAlso called Ascorbic acidAlso called Ascorbic acid

Produces collagen, which is the Produces collagen, which is the connective tissue which holds cells connective tissue which holds cells together.together.

Maintains capilaries, cartilage, bones and Maintains capilaries, cartilage, bones and teethteeth

Helps body absorb ironHelps body absorb iron

Helps keep fatty acids from oxidizingHelps keep fatty acids from oxidizing

Vitamin C Sources:Vitamin C Sources:

Vit. C is very fragile – Vit. C is very fragile – destroyed by cutting, destroyed by cutting, overcooking, air, and overcooking, air, and water.water.

Ave. American gets Ave. American gets 120% of the RDA per 120% of the RDA per dayday

Vitamin CVitamin C

Scurvy – quite rare Scurvy – quite rare now. Found only in now. Found only in hard-core alcoholics.hard-core alcoholics.

Symptoms – bleeding Symptoms – bleeding gums, easy bruising, gums, easy bruising, joint pain, slow joint pain, slow healing, and muscle healing, and muscle wastingwasting

Vitamin C SupplementsVitamin C Supplements

In 1970, the claim was made that Vit.C In 1970, the claim was made that Vit.C prevents and cures the common cold. prevents and cures the common cold. Many studies since then refute this.Many studies since then refute this.Vit. C acts as an antihistamine so people Vit. C acts as an antihistamine so people may feel better.may feel better.Pills may also produce a placebo effect.Pills may also produce a placebo effect.Megadoses can cause diarrhea, nutritional Megadoses can cause diarrhea, nutritional imbalances, kidney stones, abnormal imbalances, kidney stones, abnormal heart rhythmsheart rhythms

Vitamin B ComplexVitamin B Complex

In 1912 Polish In 1912 Polish chemist Casimir Funk chemist Casimir Funk Found a substance in Found a substance in rice that prevent rice that prevent beriberi – called it a beriberi – called it a vitamin.vitamin.

Later others found out Later others found out it was a family of it was a family of vitamins so called it a vitamins so called it a complex.complex.

BeriberiBeriberiSymptoms of dry beriberi include:Symptoms of dry beriberi include:

Difficulty walking Difficulty walking Loss of feeling (sensation) in hands Loss of feeling (sensation) in hands and feet and feet Loss of muscle function or paralysis of Loss of muscle function or paralysis of the lower legs the lower legs Mental confusion/speech difficulties Mental confusion/speech difficulties Pain Pain Strange eye movements (nystagmus) Strange eye movements (nystagmus) Tingling Tingling VomitingVomitingSymptoms of wet beriberi include:Symptoms of wet beriberi include:Awakening at night short of breath Awakening at night short of breath Increased heart rate Increased heart rate Shortness of breath with activity Shortness of breath with activity Swelling of the lower legsSwelling of the lower legs

There are 8 B Vitamins:There are 8 B Vitamins:

Thiamine (B1)Thiamine (B1)Riboflavin (B2)Riboflavin (B2)Niacin (B3)Niacin (B3)Vitamin B6Vitamin B6Vitamin B12Vitamin B12Folic acidFolic acidPantothenic acidPantothenic acidBiotinBiotin

ThiamineThiamine

Thiamine B1 – converts carbohydrates Thiamine B1 – converts carbohydrates into energy and fat, and also proper into energy and fat, and also proper functioning of the nervous system.functioning of the nervous system.

Found in whole-grain foods, pork, liver, Found in whole-grain foods, pork, liver, and soybeans.and soybeans.

Prevents beriberi!!!!Prevents beriberi!!!!

Riboflavin (B2)Riboflavin (B2)

Used for: antioxidants, energy production, Used for: antioxidants, energy production, maintains skin, mucous membranes, maintains skin, mucous membranes, cornea of eye, and nerve sheaths.cornea of eye, and nerve sheaths.

Deficiencies make eyes oversensitive to Deficiencies make eyes oversensitive to light. Overabundance causes urine to get light. Overabundance causes urine to get very yellow.very yellow.

Good Sources: whole-grain, liver, milk, Good Sources: whole-grain, liver, milk, meat,eggs, and green leafy veggies.meat,eggs, and green leafy veggies.

Niacin (B3)Niacin (B3)

Prevents PellagraPrevents Pellagra(diarrhea, dermatitis,(diarrhea, dermatitis,dementia, death)dementia, death)

Good sources:Good sources:high protein foodshigh protein foodssuch as meats, such as meats, poultry, legumes, poultry, legumes, milk, eggs, peanuts,milk, eggs, peanuts,as well as enriched as well as enriched grain productsgrain products

Vitamin B6Vitamin B6

Used for proper protein, carbohydrate and Used for proper protein, carbohydrate and fat metabolism. Make red blood cells. fat metabolism. Make red blood cells. Does not cure PMS.Does not cure PMS.

Good sources: liver, herring, salmon, nuts, Good sources: liver, herring, salmon, nuts, brown rice, wheat germ, most veggies, brown rice, wheat germ, most veggies, meat, fish, and butter.meat, fish, and butter.

Vitamin B 12 and Folic acidVitamin B 12 and Folic acid

Makes all blood cells, nerve sheaths, and Makes all blood cells, nerve sheaths, and DNA. Deficiency produces anemia.DNA. Deficiency produces anemia.

Vit. B 12 only comes from animal sources, Vit. B 12 only comes from animal sources, nothing that grows out of the ground. Folic nothing that grows out of the ground. Folic acid comes from most food – but damaged acid comes from most food – but damaged by cooking.by cooking.

Pregnant women should have folic acid Pregnant women should have folic acid supplements to prevent spina bifida.supplements to prevent spina bifida.

MineralsMinerals

DEFINITION: Tiny, inorganic substances DEFINITION: Tiny, inorganic substances necessary for various bodily functions necessary for various bodily functions which originate in soil and water.which originate in soil and water.

Minerals make up about 4% of our total Minerals make up about 4% of our total body weight (mostly in bones).body weight (mostly in bones).