Vitamins

1. Vitamins Facts about vitamins Vitamins are made up of • Carbon, Hydrogen, oxygen • Many vitamins cannot be stored or made by the body so they need to be taken every day. If you eat a wide variety of foods you should get all the vitamins you need. We need vitamins • To prevent illness and maintain good health • Aid building and repair • Control the release of energy needed by the body • Vitamins A and D are fat soluble. Vitamins B and c are water soluble.

2. Vitamin A Found in • Liver, egg yolk, dark leafy vegetables, red fruit/veg, like carrots and mangos Needed for • Healthy eyes and bone growth Lack of it causes • Problems with eye sight, dry skin, slow growth in children. Too much causes • An orange tint to the skin.

3. Vitamin D Found in • Margarine, breakfast cereals, produced by sunlight on skin. Needed for • Strong bones and teeth Lack of it causes • Rickets, osteoporosis, poor development of the unborn child Too much causes • Can be poisonous

4. Vitamin B complex Found in • Wholegrain cereals, yeast, meat Needed for • Releases energy from food Lack of it causes • Beri beri Too much causes • Not stored in the body-so cannot have too much

5. Folic acid Found in • Leafy green vegetables, pulses, bananas Needed for • Makes red blood cells Lack of it causes • Defects in babies eg. Spina bifida Too much causes • Not stored in the body-so cannot have too much

6. Vitamin C Found in • Citrus fruits, green vegetables, blackcurrants Needed for • Helps iron absorption Lack of it causes • Scurvy, slow healing of wounds Too much causes • Water soluble, so lost in urine

7. Minerals • An adequate supply of minerals is essential for good health. Minerals are used in building the body and controlling how it works.

8. Calcium Found in • Dairy products, green vegetables, bones in canned fish Needed for • Strong bones and teeth, blood clotting Lack of it causes • Rickets, weak teeth, muscle and nerve problems Too much causes • Not possible

9. Phosphorus linked with calcium Found in • All plant and animal cells Needed for • Strong bones and teeth, energy release from food Lack of it causes • Not likely to happen Too much causes • Tetany, poor muscle tone

10. Sodium Found in • Most fish, most manufactured foods, monosodium glutamate Needed for • Water balance, nerve and muscle activity Lack of it causes • Muscular cramps Too much causes • Raised blood pressure heart disease stroke

11. Fluoride Found in • Seafood, fluoridated water, some toothpaste Needed for • Protects teeth Lack of it causes • Tooth decay Too much causes • Brown spots on teeth

12. Iron Found in • Meat, cocoa, dried fruit, green leafy vegetables Needed for • Transports oxygen in the body Lack of it causes • Anaemia Too much causes • Liver damage

13. Water Water is essential for life. It is used to • Control body temperature by perspiration • Lubricate joints • Maintain healthy skin • Prevent constipation • Adults require 2-3 litres per day. Without water the body dehydrates which can lead to death. Excess water is normally excreted as urine but in some cases drinking too much may be fatal.