Chapter 2 Part 5 Vitamins and Minerals

Micronutrient Characteristics

• Do not provide energy (calories) but often participate in energy-yielding reactions

• Required in very small amounts (µg to mg) for normal growth, function, and
maintenance of the body
• Most cannot be synthesized by the body
• Absence over time leads to deficiency
• Over-supplementation can lead to toxicity

The only disease a vitamin/mineral can cure is the one caused by a deficiency of
that vitamin/mineral
 Sources and absorption
Sources
• Diet
• Synthesized by the body (vitamin D)
• Synthesized by bacteria in the intestine (vitamin K)

Efficiency of absorption depends on:

• Food in which it occurs (e.g. iron is better absorbed from animal foods)
• Body need for it (e.g. absorption is higher in pregnant women)
• Presence/absence in the intestine of factors which favor/inhibit
absorption (e.g.: vitamin C favors iron absorption, high doses of fibers
reduce it)
Vitamins
Vitamin
Classification
• Classified as:

• Fat-soluble vitamins
• Dissolve in fat, ether/
benzene
• A, D, E, K

• Water-soluble vitamins
• Dissolve in water
• Vitamin C and B vitamins
 Fat vs. Water-Soluble

Fat soluble vitamins Water soluble vitamins

Stored with other lipids in fatty tissues. Not stored in tissues
Except vit.K

Can build up to toxic concentrations Excesses are excreted in urine, extremely

high doses needed for toxicity

Deficiency symptoms slow to develop Deficiency symptoms often develop

rapidly

Fairly stable in cooking May be destroyed by overcooking

 B-Vitamins : Functions

Co-enzymes: aid in the function of various enzymes:

• Involved in Energy (ATP) production reactions : Thiamin

(B1), Riboflavin (B2), Niacin (B3), Pantothenic acid (B5)
• Involved in carbohydrate, lipid and protein metabolism:
Pyridoxine (B6) and Biotin (B7)
• Involved in nucleic acid synthesis: like folate (B9) and
Cobalamin (B12)
B-Vitamins: Deficiency
B-Vitamins: Deficiency
 B-Vitamins: Sources

Common food sources: Meat (especially liver) and poultry,

yeast, bran and germ of cereal grains, eggs

Cobalamin (B12):only in animal foods => strict

vegetarians need SUPPLEMENTS

Folic acid (B9): Dark green leafy vegetables, fortified

breakfast cereals, grains, etc.
 Vitamin C
• Involved in collagen synthesis (protein in bones, cartilage,
skin) => important for fracture/wound healing
Functions • Promotes the immune response to infections
• Stimulates iron absorption
• Antioxidant activity (free-radical scavenger like vitamin E)

• Fresh fruits & vegetables (esp. if acidic) like: Oranges,

Sources Tomatoes, Kiwis, Red pepper, Grapefruit, Broccoli,
Strawberries, Kale, Green pepper

• Scurvy: swollen and inflamed gums, loose teeth, dryness of

Deficiency eyes and mouth, dry itchy skin, loss of hair, ruptures of small
blood vessels, defect in wound healing, frequent infections
 Preserving Vitamins
• Fat should not be added to vegetables while cooking if the liquid will be discarded
later on: ADD fats to vegetables after they are fully cooked and drained.

• Enzymes in food begin to degrade VITAMINS once the fruit or vegetable is picked.
BUT CHILLING REDUCES THIS PROCESS KEEP FRUITS AND VEGETABLES COOL

• Oxygen breaks down vitamins faster when more surface is exposed.  TRIM, PEEL
AND CUT JUST BEFORE CONSUMING

• Prolonged reheating reduces vitamins content MINIMIZE REHEATING FOOD

• Alkalinity destroys many vitamins DO NOT ADD BAKING SODA TO VEGETABLES

TO ENHANCE THE GREEN COLOR

Processed and cooked foods are usually poor sources of water-soluble Vitamins
Minerals
 Minerals
• 22 minerals essential for optimal health and development
• 4-5% of body weight (of which 50% calcium, 25% phosphorus)
 Iron
• Most of body iron is found in hemoglobin
• Body iron mostly recycled

Functions
• Transport of O2: as part of heme in hemoglobin, Fe is involved in the transport of
O2 to the tissues
• Normal brain functioning at all ages

Deficiency
• Most common nutritional deficiency
• Can be due to poor intake, poor absorption (e.g. vegetarian diets) or excessive
bleeding
• Most common manifestation of iron deficiency is anemia
• Other symptoms include fatigue, decreased performance...
 Iron Sources

Heme Iron (Efficiently absorbed)

• Animal Origin: Liver, red meat, eggs, poultry, shrimps, clams

Non-heme Iron:
• Plant origin: lentils, kidney beans, chickpeas, spinach, fortified
breakfast cereals etc.
• Much less efficiently absorbed, esp. if complexed with some plant
compounds such as phytates (found in fiber rich food)
• Absorption favored by vitamin C
Supplements
 Vitamin and mineral intakes

How to get your

vitamins and
minerals?
Supplement labels
 Supplements
Supplements can be
sold without proof that
- Nutrient deficiencies they are safe and
- Newborn infants (K) effective. Unless FDA
- Pregnancy & lactation - Frequent diets (food and drug
(folate, iron) administration) has
EVIDENCE that a
Cases where
supplement is
vitamins &
inherently dangerous or
minerals
marketed with an illegal
supplements are
claim, it will not
needed
regulate such products
- Elderly closely.
- Recovery from surgery,
- AIDS & other wasting injury or illness
illnesses
- Strict vegetarians (B12)
- Drug/alcohol abuse
 Supplements
- Conditions that increase
vitamin toxicity (kidney or - To get energy when
liver disorders) feeling tired
- Taken only to feel secure - To cope with stress
about getting one’s needs

Cases where
vitamins &
minerals
supplements are
risky/useless

- To prevent /cure self-

- To build muscles faster
diagnosed conditions