Vitamins

1. Vitamins Our body depends on them!

2. 1. Can our bodies produce vitamins? • NO! We have to get them through eating food that contains them! • Nerve functions, muscles and skin require vitamins to function properly

3. What are the two types of vitamins? • Fat soluble • Water soluble

4. What does it mean when a vitamin is fat soluble? • Vitamins are absorbed through the intestinal tract with the help of lipids (fats) • Build up and remain for a longer time in the body • Stored in the liver and fatty tissues of the body

5. What are four fat soluble vitamins? • A • D • E • K

6. What does it mean when a vitamin is water soluble? • Easily dissolved in body • Excreted in the urine • Must be replaced each day • Includes Vitamin C and all B Vitamins

7. Vitamin A • Uses • Good for your hair, skin, and vision • Prevents night blindness • Boosts immune system • Sources • Red vegetables (tomatoes, red bell peppers) • Orange vegetables (carrots, sweet potatoes, squash) • Dark green vegetables (kale, spinach, collards)

8. B Vitamins • Help to get the energy from your food (turn carbohydrates into energy) • Promotes healthy nervous system (form red blood cells) • There are eight B vitamins • B1 (thiamine) • B2 (riboflavin) • B3 (niacin) • B5 (pantothenic acid) • B6 • B7 (biotin) • B9 (folic acid) • B12

9. Thiamin (B1) • Uses • Promotes cell function, therefore organ function, particularly in the nervous system • Prevents beriberi, which affects either the nervous system, the cardiovascular system, or infants in developing countries. The name means, “weak, weak” or, “I cannot, I cannot.” • Sources • Whole grains (bread, rice, pasta) • Seeds (sesame, sunflower) • Nuts (pine, macadamia, pecan)

10. Riboflavin (B2) • Uses • Also promotes cell processes • Required for proper energy metabolism • Sources • Whole grains (bread, rice, pasta) • Milk products (cheese) • Almonds and sesame seeds • Fortified cereals and energy bars

11. Niacin (B3) • Uses • Required for processing fat in the body • Prevents pellagra, which gives you skin lesions • Sources • Whole grains (bread, rice, pasta) • Meat (anchovies, tuna, veal ,chicken, bacon) • Peanuts

12. Folic Acid (B9) • Uses • Important in making new DNA and cells • Prevents neural tube defects like spina bifida in newborns: need enough folic acid before you become pregnant • Sources • Supplement • Sunflower seeds, peanuts • Spinach, collards, asparagus • Beans (soybeans, pinto, garbanzo)

13. Vitamin C • Uses • Forms collagen, which is the strong stuff found in many cells including cartilage, ligaments, tendons, bones, and skin. • Also aids healing in developing scar tissue and lowering stress • Prevents Scurvy, which is caused by a lack of collagen for your skin, bones, particularly teeth

14. Vitamin C • Sources • Citrus fruits (oranges and clementines) • Other fruits (kiwi, papaya, and strawberries) • Vegetables (Broccoli, tomato, kale, brussel sprouts) • Peppers (red and green chili, all color bell peppers)

15. Vitamin D • Uses • Required for calcium absorption, which is needed for healthy bones and teeth • Sources • The sun! • Fortified milk and cereal • Fish, oysters, caviar

16. Vitamin E • Uses • An antioxidant, may help prevent or delay chronic diseases (still being researched) • Helps with immune function, particularly protecting the membranes of white and red blood cells • Sources • Sunflower seeds • Nuts (almonds, pine nuts, peanuts) • Spinach and green olives

17. Vitamin k • Uses • Helps blood to clot, without causing blood clots • Contributes to bone health • Sources • Herbs (basil, sage, thyme, and parsley) • Dark leafy greens (kale, spinach, collards, lettuce) • Vegetables (green onions, brussel sprouts, broccoli, asparagus, cabbage, and pickles) • Prunes