Vitamins and Minerals

1. Vitamins and Minerals Nutrition Class Mrs. Couzens

2. Vitamins • Organic substances necessary in tiny amounts to promote specific and essential biomedical reactions. • Vitamin and mineral deficiencies are rare in the US, yet many people take additional supplements. Extra vitamins simply pass thru the body. Mega doses of vitamins should only be used with doctors advice.

3. Guidelines for the general population as to how much of each nutrient we should consume daily. They tend to be set higher so everyone is covered. Used for food production, national food programs, and food labeling. RDA – Recommended Daily Allowance

4. If human beings are made of raw meat, why don’t we spoil like meat left out on the counter?

5. Antioxidants!!!!!! • Oxidant – a substance that burns up food and breaks down cells. (Oxygen is the fundamental oxidant.) • Free radicals – by-products of oxidation. These particles attack body cells, damaging them and leaving them susceptible to further damage and/or disease.

6. Antioxidants!!! • Antioxidants – a substance that counteracts the harmful free radicals generated by oxidation. They stop our body from breaking down. • Redox agent – Substances that act as an oxidant in some cases, and a antioxidant in others. • Example: Vitamin C is violently pro-oxidant by pulling iron from tissues, but is an antioxidant by preventing damage from disease.

8. Fat soluble Vitamins absorbed by fat and then stored in fat cells. Body does not need daily replacement Examples: Vitamins A, D, E, and K Water soluble Viamins which do not need fat to be absorbed. Not needed every day – but over a two week period should balance out. Examples- Vitamin C and the eight Vitamin B’s Categories of Vitamins

9. IS IT HEALTHIER TO GET YOUR VITAMINS THRU DIET OR SUPPLIMENTS?

10. DIET!!!!!!!

11. FAT SOLUBLE VITAMINS

12. Vitamin A

13. Maintain normal vision, especially night vision. Reproduction May help prevent epithelial-cell cancer Helps treat acne, sun damage, and wrinkling of skin What Vitamin A Does:

14. Vitamin A • Can withstand normal cooking and freezing. • Do not let food wilt or go rancid.

15. Vitamin A • Vit. A deficiency is rare in U.S. • Common in less-developed countries, resulting in major cause of blindness. Hard to build up toxic levels. Difficult to get too much from diet.

17. Vitamin D • Made from a form of cholesterol when exposed to sunlight. • 10 – 15 minutes of mid-day sun exposure two or three times a week provides enough Vit. D

18. What Vitamin D does: • Helps body absorb and metabolize calcium and phosphorus. • A deficiency (rare in US) can lead to rickets.

19. *Fat-soluble *Polyunsaturated fats contain all the Vit. E we need *Dietary deficiency has never been seen in U.S. diet Vitamin E

20. Vitamin K • Fat-soluble • Used for proper blood-clotting and bone metabolism • About ½ of needed Vit. K is made by bacteria in the small intestine • Good food sources: dark, leafy veggies, cabbage, potatoes, cereal, and liver.

22. Vitamin CAlso called Ascorbic acid • Produces collagen, which is the connective tissue which holds cells together. • Maintains capilaries, cartilage, bones and teeth • Helps body absorb iron • Helps keep fatty acids from oxidizing

23. Vit. C is very fragile – destroyed by cutting, overcooking, air, and water. Ave. American gets 120% of the RDA per day Vitamin C Sources:

24. Vitamin C • Scurvy – quite rare now. Found only in hard-core alcoholics. • Symptoms – bleeding gums, easy bruising, joint pain, slow healing, and muscle wasting

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

26. Vitamin B Complex • In 1912 Polish chemist Casimir Funk Found a substance in rice that prevent beriberi – called it a vitamin. • Later others found out it was a family of vitamins so called it a complex.

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

28. There are 8 B Vitamins: • Thiamine (B1) • Riboflavin (B2) • Niacin (B3) • Vitamin B6 • Vitamin B12 • Folic acid • Pantothenic acid • Biotin

29. Thiamine • Thiamine B1 – converts carbohydrates into energy and fat, and also proper functioning of the nervous system. • Found in whole-grain foods, pork, liver, and soybeans. • Prevents beriberi!!!!

31. Riboflavin (B2) • Used for: antioxidants, energy production, maintains skin, mucous membranes, cornea of eye, and nerve sheaths. • Deficiencies make eyes oversensitive to light. Overabundance causes urine to get very yellow. • Good Sources: whole-grain, liver, milk, meat,eggs, and green leafy veggies.

33. Niacin (B3) • Prevents Pellagra (diarrhea, dermatitis, dementia, death) • Good sources: high protein foods such as meats, poultry, legumes, milk, eggs, peanuts, as well as enriched grain products

34. Vitamin B6 • Used for proper protein, carbohydrate and fat metabolism. Make red blood cells. Does not cure PMS. • Good sources: liver, herring, salmon, nuts, brown rice, wheat germ, most veggies, meat, fish, and butter.

35. Vitamin B 12 and Folic acid • Makes all blood cells, nerve sheaths, and DNA. Deficiency produces anemia. • Vit. B 12 only comes from animal sources, nothing that grows out of the ground. Folic acid comes from most food – but damaged by cooking. • Pregnant women should have folic acid supplements to prevent spina bifida.

37. Minerals • DEFINITION: Tiny, inorganic substances necessary for various bodily functions which originate in soil and water. • Minerals make up about 4% of our total body weight (mostly in bones).