SIX ESSENTIAL NUTRIENTS

Nutrients
➢ chemical compounds in food that are used by the body to
function properly and maintain health.
➢ divided in two categories: Macronutrient and Micronutrient
➢ two classes: Essential Nutrients and Non-essential Nutrients
 Essential Nutrients VS Non-essential Nutrients

ESSENTIAL NUTRIENTS NON-ESSENTIAL NUTRIENTS

The nutrients required for normal body The nutrients that can be made by the
functioning that cannot be synthesized body and may be absorbed from food
by the body
Cannot be synthesized by the body Can be synthesized by the body or they
and hence, they must be included in may be included in the diet
the diet
Types: some of the building blocks of Types: biotin, vitamin K, cholesterol,
carbohydrates, proteins, and lipids, dietary fiber, certain amino acids and
certain vitamins and minerals and fatty acids
water
Play a vital role in metabolic processes Have a significant effect on health
and the functioning of tissues and
organs
CARBOHYDRATES
➢ are organic compounds composed of carbon, hydrogen and
oxygen.
➢ they provide the major source of energy for the body as much as
80 to 100% calories.
➢ dietary carbohydrates: sugars, starch, and fibers
➢ Classification of Carbohydrates:
 Monosaccharides
 Disaccharides
 Polysaccharides
MONOSACCHARIDES
➢ also known as the single sugar. They are the simplest form of
carbohydrates.
➢ they require no digestion and absorbed directly into the
bloodstream from the small intestine.
➢ three monosaccharides: glucose, fructose, and galactose
➢ classified according to the number of carbon atoms they have:
triose (three), tetroses (four), pentoses (five), hexoses (six), and
heptoses (seven).
Glucose
➢ most cells depended on glucose for their fuel at some extent, and
the cells of the brain and the rest of the nervous system depend
almost exclusively on glucose for their energy.
➢ the principal form in which carbohydrates is used by the body.
➢ the only monosaccharides that provide energy for the brain, other
nerve cells and developing red blood cells.
➢ Glyconeogenesis – the process in which protein is converted to
glucose.
➢ Ketosis – a state that disturbs the body’s normal acid-base
balance.
Fructose
➢ the sweetest of simple sugars. It occurs naturally in fruits, in honey, and as a part
of table sugar. However, most fructose is consumed in sweet beverages such as
soft drinks, n ready-to-eat cereals and in other products sweetened with high-
fructose corn syrup or other added sugar.
❖ Glucose and Fructose are the most common monosaccharides in nature.
Galactose
➢ the third single sugar, it occurs mostly as part of lactose, a disaccharide also
known as milk sugar. During digestion, galactose is freed as a single sugar.
DISACCHARIDES
➢ formed when two monosaccharides are joined. Pairs of single
sugars are linked together.
➢ three disaccharides are important in nutrition: maltose, sucrose,
and lactose.

 Maltose – is a plant sugar that consist of two glucose.

- it is produced by hydrolysis of starch and is converted into
glucose in digestion.
❖ Maltose occurs in malt products and germinating cereals.
 Sucrose – the most familiar of the three disaccharides, compose of
glucose and fructose.
- usually obtained by refining the juice from sugar beets or
sugar cane to provide the brown, white, and powdered sugars.
❖ It is found in fruits, vegetables, syrups, and sweet food production
and isconverted into glucose and galactose upon digestion.

 Lactose – the principal carbohydrate of milk and it is converted

into glucose and galactose in digestion and is less soluble and
is less sweet than sucrose.
❖ It is found in milk and milk products except cheese.
POLYSACCHARIDES
➢ commonly known as complex sugars
➢ composed almost entirely of glucose
➢ three types: glycogen, starch, dietary fibers

 Glycogen – made of chains of glucose that are more highly

branched than those of starch molecules.
- formed from glucose and stored in liver and muscle tissue.
❖ It is found in meats only only to a limited extent, for this reason
glycogen is not a significant source of cabohydrates but it does
play an important role in the body. They converted into glucose
upon digestion.
 Starch – the most significant polysaccharide in human nutrition, are
a branched chain of hundreds or thousands of glucose units
linked together
- more complex than sugars and requires a longer time to
digest.
❖ Packed side by side in grains such as rice or wheat, root crops
and tubers such as yams and potatoes, and in legumes such as
peas and beans. It is converted entirely into glucose upon
digestion.
 Dietary Fibers – the structural parts of plants and thus are found in
all plant derived foods such as vegetables, fruits, whole grains
and legumes.
- most of them are polysaccharides, but in fibers the sugar units
are held together by bonds that human digestive enzymes
cannot break.
o Cellulose – the main constituent of plant cell walls.
Hemicellulose – main constituent of cereal fibers.
Pectins – they are abundant in vegetables and fruits, especially
citrus fruits and apples.
- are non-digestible, colloidal polysaccharides and also used to
treat diarrhea as they absorb toxins and bacteria in the intestine.
❖ Fibers are divided into two groups by their chemical and physical
properties:
SOLUBLE FIBERS – the fibers are dissolve in water, thus they are more
readily digested by bacteria in the human large intestine.
- found in fruits and legumes, barleys, and oats which delay
gastrointestinal transit and glucose absorption, and lower blood
cholesterol.
INSOLUBLE FIBERS – fibers that does not dissolved in water, and less
readily fermented.
- found in wheat brans, corn brans, whole grain breads, cereals
and vegetables which accelerate gastrointestinal transit,
increase fecal weight, slow down starch hydrolysis, and delay
glucose absorption.
FUNCTIONS OF CARBOHYDRATES:
 Energy Source: Carbohydrates are the most economical and
efficient source of energy. They furnish 4 kcal/g of energy.
 Protein-Sparing Action: Carbohydrates prevent protein from being
used as energy.
 Metabolic Function: Glucose being the primary source of energy of
the cells, regulates the many metabolic functions. They are needed
for the proper utilization of fat. They also encourage the growth of
beneficial bacteria involved in the production of certain vitamins
and in the absorption of calcium and phosphorus.
 Fiber and Health: Insoluble fiber has a laxative effect. Soluble fibers
are important factors in preventing diseases such as heart disease,
colon cancer, and diabetes mellitus. They form soft gels by
absorbing water, which slows carbohydrate absorption and binds
cholesterol and bile acids.
 Blood Glucose: Glucose is the form of sugar found in the blood,
and its control at normal blood levels is important to health.
FOOD SOURCES:
A day’s meals based on the USDA Food Patterns not only meet
carbohydrate recommendations but also provide abundant fiber, too.
Grains, vegetables, fruits, and legumes deliver dietary fiber and are
noted for their valuable energy-yielding starches and dilute sugar.
❖ Grains Whole-grain products provide 1 to 2 g of fiber or more per
serving
 1 slice whole wheat or rye bread (1g)
 1 slice pumpernickel bread (2g)
 ½ c ready-to-eat 100% bran cereal (10g)
 ½ c cooked barley, bulgur, grits, oatmeal (2 to3g)
❖ Vegetables Most vegetables contain 2 to 3 g of fiber per serving:
 1 raw bean sprouts ½ c cooked broccoli, Brussels sprouts,
cabbage, carrots, cauli flowers, collards, corn, eggplant, green
beans, green peas, kale, mushroom, okra, parsnips, potatoes,
pumpkin, spinach, sweet potatoes, swiss chard, winter squash
 ½ c chopped raw carrots, peppers
❖ Fruits fresh, frozen, and dried fruits have about 2 g of fiber per
serving:
 1 medium apple, banana, kiwi, nectarine, orange, pear
 ½ c apple sauce, blackberries, raspberries, strawberries
 Fruit juices contain very little fiber
❖ Legumes and Nuts. Many legumes provide about 8 g of fiber per
serving:
 ½ c cooked baked beans, black beans, black-eyed peas, kidney
beans, navy beans, pinto beans some legumes provide about 5 g
of fiber per serving
 ½ c cooked garbanzo beans, great northern beans, lentils, lima
beans, split peas
 Most nuts and seeds provide 1 to 3 g of fiber per serving
 1 oz almonds, cashews, hazelnuts, peanuts, pecans, pumpkin
seeds, sunflower seeds
HEALTH IMPLICATIONS:
 Obesity: Sugar is often named as being the cause of obesity
 Cardiovascular Disease: Sugar consumption and the risk of obesity
may be related to the occurrence of cardiovascular disease
 Diabetes: The chance of becoming diabetic more than doubles
for every 20% of excess weight, and sugar consumption is a risk
factor of obesity.
 Dental Carries: Carbohydrates, especially sugar, play a role in
tooth decay.
 Cancer:
 Fiber: Low fiber diets are believe to play a major role in the the
onset of diverticulosis.
PROTEINS
➢ chemical compounds that contain the same atom as
carbohydrates and lipids – Carbon, Hydrogen, and Oxygen – but
proteins are different in that they also contain Nitrogen atoms.
➢ they provide the foundation for every cell in the body.
❖ Proteins are broken down into amino acids
➢ Classification of Amino Acids: Essential and Non-Essential
➢ Categorized: Complete and Incomplete
Complete – contain all essential amino acids in adequate amounts to
promote growth
Incomplete – low biological value, they may not supply all the
essential amino acids or may supply some of them in limited
amounts.
Essential Amino Acids Vs Non-Essential Amino Acids
ESSENTIAL AMINO ACIDS NON-ESSENTIAL AMINO ACIDS

Essential amino acids cannot be Non-essential amino acids can be

synthesize by the human body synthesize by the human body
Must be obtained from the daily diet Can be synthesized by the human body

Known as indispensable amino acid Known as dispensable amino acids

Adults cannot synthesize 9 amino acids Adults can synthesize 11 amino acids

Examples include histidine, isoleucine, Examples include alanine, asparagine,

leucine, lysine, methionine, aspartic acid, cysteine, glutamic acid,
phenylalanine, threonine, tryptophan, glutamine, glycine, proline, serine, and
valine tyrosine
❖ Limiting Amino Acid is the essential amino acids that provides the least
adequate kind of protein in meeting human body. In the complete protein, the
limiting amino acid poses no problem. In an incomplete protein, the limiting
amino acid is responsible for the poor utilization of its fellow essential amino acids.
❖ Animal proteins (except gelatin) is complete proteins: vegetables proteins (dried
beans and peas) are incomplete proteins.

❖ Proteins in the form of amino acids are the building blocks of the body.
 SIMPLE PROTEINS – those which yield only amino acids upon
hydrolysis:
1. Albumins are soluble in water and coagulated by heat.
2. Globulins are insoluble in water, soluble in dilute salt solution, and
coagulated by heat.
3. Glutelins are insoluble in neutral solvents but soluble in weak acids
and alkalis; they are coagulated by heat.
4. Prolamins are soluble in 70% to 80% alcohol but insoluble in
absolute alcohol, water, and salt solutions.
5. Albuminoids are insoluble in all neutral solvents and in dilute acids
and alkalis.
6. Histones and protamines, which are basic polypeptides, are
soluble in water but not coagulated by heat; they are found in the
nuclei of cells.
 COMPOUND PROTEINS, CONJUGATED PROTEINS OR PROTEIDS – are
combinations of simple proteins and some other non-protein
substance called a prosthetic group attached to a molecule. They
perform functions that a constituent could not perform by itself:
1. Nucleoproteins are combination of simple proteins and nucleic
acid. Deoxyribonucleic nucleoproteins are necessary for the
synthesis of proteins in the cytoplasm.
2. Mucoproteins and glycoproteins are combination of a protein and
large quantities of complex polysaccharides such as mucin found
in secretion from gastric mucous membrane.
3. Lipoproteins are compounds of a protein and a triglyceride or
other lipids such as phospholipids or cholesterol found in cell and
organelle membranes.
4. Phosphoproteins are compounds of phosphoric acid joined in ester
linkage to protein found in casein of milk.
5. Chromoproteins are compounds of proteins and non-protein
pigments found in flavoproteins, hemoglobin, and cytochromes.
6. Metalloproteins are compounds or metals attached to proteins
found in ferritin, hemosiderin, and transferrin.

 DERIVED PROTEINS – are products formed in the various stages of

hydrolysis of a protein molecule.
Measures of Protein Quality:
a. Biologic Value (BV) – it measures the effectiveness of protein
quality in supporting the body’s needs.
b. Net Protein Utilization (NPU) – it also measures how capably a
protein is used by the body. The difference is that NPU measures
retention of food nitrogen consumed while BV measures food
nitrogen absorbed.
c. Protein Efficiency Ratio (PER) – it measures the increase in weight of
a growing animal and compares it with the intake.
Functions of Proteins:
 Structural Components: Proteins form integral parts of most body
tissues and confer shape and strength on bones, skin, tendons, and
other tissues. Structural proteins of muscles allow movement.
 Enzymes: Proteins facilitate chemical reactions
 Transporters: Proteins transport substances such as lipids, vitamins,
minerals, and oxygen around the body.
 Fluid and Electrolyte Balance: Proteins help to maintain the
distribution and composition of various body fluids.
 Acid-Base Balance: Proteins help maintain the acid-base balance
of body fluids by acting as buffers.
 Antibodies: Proteins inactivate disease-causing agents, thus
protecting the body.
 Hormones: Proteins regulate body processes. Some, but not all,
hormone are proteins.
 Energy and Glucose: Proteins provide fuel, and glucose if needed,
for the body’s energy needs
 Other: The protein fibrin creates blood clots; the protein collagen
form scars; the protein opsin participates in vision

❖ When amino acids are broken down, the nitrogen-containing part

is split off from the carbon chan. Most of the nitrogen is converted
to urea in the liver and excreted via the kidneys.
❖ To be absorbed, proteins must be broken down to individual
amino acids or small peptides (by-products of protein digestion
composed of 2 to 10 amino acids).
Food Sources:
 Proteins can be from both animal and plant sources
 Animal sources:
Milk and milk products each of the following provides about 8 g protein:
✓ 1 c milk, buttermilk, or yogurt (choose low fat or fat free)
✓ 1 oz regular cheese (for example, cheddar or swiss; choose low fat)
✓ ¼ cottage cheese (choose low fat or fat free)
Protein foods each of the following provides 7 g of protein:
✓ 1 oz meat, poultry or fish (choose lean meats to limit saturated fat
intake)
✓ ½ c legumes (navy beans, pinto beans, black beans, lentils, soybeans,
and other dried beans and peas)
✓ 1 egg
✓ ½ c tofu (soybean curd)
✓ 2 tbs peanut butter
✓ 1 to 2 oz nuts or seeds
 Plant sources:
Grains each of the following provides about 3 g of protein:
✓ 1 slice of bread
✓ ½ c cooked rice, pasta, cereals, or other grain foods
Vegetables each of the following provides about 2 g of
proteins:
✓ ½ c cooked vegetables
✓ 1 c raw vegetables
Health Implications:
Heart Disease: Foods rich in animal protein tend to be rich in
saturated fats
Cancer: Studies suggest a relationship between high intake of animal
protein and some types of cancer like cancer of the prostate gland,
pancreas, kidneys, breast and colon
Osteoporosis: Calcium excretion rises as protein intake increases
Weight Control: Protein rich foods are also rich in fat which can lead
to obesity with associated health risk
Kidney Disease: Excretion of end products of protein metabolism
depends on a sufficient fluid intake and healthy kidneys. A high
protein diet increases the work of the kidneys.
Symptoms:
Protein Deficiency:
- Loss of muscle tone
- Confusion
- Slow wound healing
- Irritability
- Fluid retention
- Flood cravings
- Too acid and alkaline
- Low libido
- Fatigue, muscle weakness
- Thin hair, weak nails
- Weight loss
Protein Excess:
- Acidosis and dehydration
- Constipation
- Putrefaction in the gut if
stomach acid is low
- Loss of bone (if vitamin D and
calcium are low)
- Musculoskeletal issues
- Kidney dysfunction
- Ammonia/nitrogen in the
blood
Protein Energy Malnutrition (PEM)
➢ is a condition resulting from insufficiency of protein or energy or
both in the diet.
➢ Acute PEM – occurs in children who are thin for their height.
➢ Chronic PEM – occurs in children who are short for their age

Two Forms of PEM:

Marasmus – severe deprivation of food over a long period of time
characterized by insufficiency of protein and energy intake.
Kwashiorkor – this condition reflects an abrupt and recent deprivation
of food which develops rapidly as a consequence of protein
deficiency or an illness like measles.
FATS OR LIPIDS
➢ organic compounds composed of carbon, hydrogen, and
oxygen.
➢ the fat stored in fat cells supplies 60% of the body’s ongoing
energy and needs during rest.
➢ Triglycerides or fats and oils are fatty acid esters of glycerol that
belong to class of fats and fat related compounds called lipids.
➢ Triglyceride – predominate both the diet and the body.
❖ Some fat deposits are not used and are considered structural fat.
Classification of Fats:
A. Simple Lipids – they are called as neutral fats.
- Chemical name: TRIGLYCERIDES – this name indicates their
chemical structure, a glycerol.
* Glycerol – derived from a water-soluble form of carbohydrate.

B. Compound Lipids – are various combinations of fats with other

components.
1. Phospholipids are compounds of fatty acids, phosphoric acids,
and nitrogenous bases.
a. Lecithins are the most widely distributed of the phospholipids.
Traces are placed in liver and egg yolk and in raw vegetable oils
such as corn oil.
 b. Cephalins are needed to form thromboplastin for the blood
clotting process.
c. Sphingomyelins are found in the brain and other nerve tissues as
components of myelin sheath.
• Three substances act as an insulator around the nerve fibers.
2. Glycolipids are compounds of fatty acids combined with
carbohydrates and nitrogenous bases.
a. Cerebrosides are components of nerve tissue and certain cell
membranes where they play a vital role in fat transport. Their
carbohydrate component is galactose.
b. Gangliosides are made up of certain glucose, galactose, and a
complex compound containing an amino sugar.
3. Lipoproteins are lipids combined with proteins. They are formed
primarily in the liver and are found in cell and organelle membrane,
mitochondria, and lysosomes. They are insoluble in water and are
combined in protein complex for their transport and activity in
aqueous medium. They contain cholesterol, neutral fat and fatty
acids.
C. Derived Lipids – are simple derivatives from fat digestion or other
more complex products. They are fat substances produce from fats
and fat compounds during digestive breakdown.
1. Fatty acids are the key refined fuel forms of fat that the cell burns
for energy. They are the basic structural units of fat and may be
saturated or unsaturated in nature.
• May differ from one another in two ways – in chain length and in
degree of saturation.
Chain Length – refers to the number of carbons in fatty acid
Saturation – refers to its chemical structure – specifically, to the
number of hydrogen atoms the carbons in the fatty acid are
holding

SOURCES OF FATTY ACIDS:

• Saturated Fatty Acids – those wherein every available carbon is
filled to capacity with hydrogen atoms and has only single bonds
between the carbons.
• Unsaturated Fatty Acids – has at least one double bond between
its carbons
* In some fatty acids, including most of those in plants and fish,
hydrogen atoms are missing from the fatty acid chains and it is called
points of unsaturation.
• Unsaturated Fatty Acids can also be classified as trans or cis ( both
geometric isomers).
CIS Fatty Acids – have hydrogen bonds on the same side of two
carbons which are double bonded together.
- beneficial and can promote good cholesterol
TRANS Fatty Acids – are molecules with the same atoms and double
bond as the Cis molecules, but the hydrogens are found on
opposite sides of the carbon atoms.
- considered harmful to cardiovascular health, especially those
trans fat which come from unnatural sources (ex. Hydrogenated
oils in processed foods)
• A triglyceride can contain any combination of fatty acids – long
chain or short chain and saturated, monounsaturated, or
polyunsaturated.

Essential Fatty Acids using carbohydrate, fat, or protein, the human

body can synthesize all the fatty acids it needs except for two –
linoleic and linolenic acid (both polyunsaturated fatty acids).
• Linoleic Acid: an omega-6 fatty acid found in the seeds of plants
and in the oils produced from the seeds.
• Linolenic Acid: an omega-3 fatty acid found in oils like flaxseed,
canola, walnuts, and soybean kernels; and vegetable like
soybeans.
FUNCTIONS OF FATS:
• A source of essential fatty acids
• The most concentrated source of energy (9 kcals/g)
• A reserve energy supply in the body
• A carrier for the fat-soluble vitamins ( A, D, E,K)
• A cushion and an insulation for the body
• A satiety factor ( satisfaction from a fatty meal)
FOOD SOURCES:
Foo Categories Portion Saturated Fat Content Calories
(gram)
Cheese
Regular Cheddar 1oz 6.0 114
Low-fat Cheddar 1oz 1.2 49
Ground Beef
Regular (25% fat) 3oz(cooked) 6.1 236
Extra-lean (5% fat) 3oz(cooked) 2.6 148
Milk
Whole milk(3.25%) 1c 4.6 146
Low-fat milk(1%) 1c 1.5 102
Breads
Croissant(med) 1medium 6.6 231
Bagel, oat bran(4’’) 1medium 0.2 227
Frozen Desserts
Regular Ice cream ½c 4.9 145
Frozen yogurt, low fat ½ c 2.0 110
Table Spreads
Butter 1 tsp 2.4 34
Soft margarine with 1 tsp 0.7 25
Zero trans fat
Chicken
Fried chicken(leg with skin) 3oz(cooked) 3.3 212
Roasted chicken( breast) 3oz(cooked) 0.9 140
Fish
Fried fish 3oz 2.8 195
Baked fish 3oz 1.5 129
HEALTH IMPLICATIONS:
• Diets rich in saturated fat and/or cholesterol can lead to elevated
blood cholesterol levels. Polyunsaturated and monounsaturated
fats appear to lower blood cholesterol level.
Cholesterol: a fatlike substance (lipid) that is the key component of
cell membranes and a precursor of bile acids and steroid hormones.
Cholesterol travels in the circulation in spherical particles containing
both lipids and proteins called lipoproteins.
A lipoprotein is made up of fats (cholesterol, triglycerides, fatty acids),
protein, and a small amount of other substances.

Three major classes:

• VLDL (Very-low-density-lipoproteins
- Largely composed of triglycerides, contain 10%-15% of total serum
cholesterol
• LDL (Low-density-lipoprotein)
- Major culprits in cardiovascular diseases (CVD) and typically
contain 60%-70% of total serum cholesterol
• HDL (High-density-lipoprotein)
- Usually contains 20%-30% of the total cholesterol, and correlated
with risk for coronary heart disease (CHD)
HEALTH EFFECTS OF LIPIDS:
• Heart Disease
• Risk from Saturated Fats
• Benefits from Monounsaturated Fats
• Benefits from Omega-3 Polyunsaturated Fats
• Cancer
• Obesity
VITAMINS
➢ are essential organic substances needed daily in very small
amounts to perform a specific function in the body.
➢ cannot be manufactured by the human body; they must be
obtained from the diet.
➢ essential for specific metabolic reaction within the cell and
necessary for growth and maintenance of health. They are also
crucial in the growth, repair, and healthy functioning of body
tissues.
Terms Associated with Vitamins:

Precursors or Provitamins – these are compounds that can be

changed to active vitamins.
Example: Carotenes and Cryptoxanthin are precursors of Vitamin
A. Ergosterol when radiated becomes Vitamin D.

Preformed Vitamins – these are naturally occurring vitamins that are

inactive form and ready for biological use.
Avitaminosis – this refers to a condition resulting from lack of a vitamin.
In the later stage of this condition when more defined signs and
symptoms occur, a nutritional deficiency disease is recognizable.
Example: Avitaminosis A leads to night blindness and
xerophthalmia. Avitaminosis C leads to scurvy and a
deficiency of vitamin B leads to beriberi

Hypervitaminosis – this is sometimes referred to as “vitamin toxicity”, a

result of excessive accumulation of a vitamin in the body.

Vitamin Malnutrition – denotes that too much or too little vitamins is not
good for the health.
Vitamin-like Compounds – some substances have physiological roles
like vitamins but they are present in larger amounts and are partially
synthesized in the body. This substances include inositol, choline,
lipoic acid, and ubiquinone.

Antivitamins or Vitamin Antagonist – these are substances that interfere

with the normal functioning of a vitamin. They need to be similar in
chemical composition as the vitamin they antagonized.
Example: are dicumerol against vitamin K, avidin against biotin,
and thiaminase against thiamine or vitamin B1.
Functions of Vitamin:
• Vitamins interact with other vitamins and/or nutrients to enhance
absorption of digested food.
• Vitamins can function as coenzymes; that is, they can work with
enzymes to speed body chemical reactions. However, they are
used up in the reactions, whereas the enzymes remain unchanged.
• Vitamins help release energy from biological reactions during
metabolism. They do not provide energy.
Classification of Vitamins:
A. Fat Soluble Vitamins
VITAMIN NAME CHIEF FUNCTION DEFICIENCY TOXICITY SIGNIFICANT
SYMPTOMS SYMPTOMS SOURCES
Vitamin A Vision, Infectious Chronic: Retinol: milk and
(Retinol, retinal, maintenance of diseases, night reduced bone milk products;
retinoic acid; cornea, epithelial blindness, mineral density, eggs; liver beta-
cells, mucous blindness liver carotene:
main cursor is
membrane, skin; (xerophthalmia), abnormalities, spinach and
beta carotene) bone and tooth keratinization birth defects, other dark leafy
growth; Acute (single greens; broccoli;
reproduction; large dose or deep orange
regulation of short term): fruits (apricots
gene expression; blurred vision, and cantaloupe)
immunity nausea, and vegetables
vomiting, vertigo; (carrots, winter
increase of squashes, sweet
pressure inside potatoes,
skull, headache pumpkin)
Vitamin D Mineralization of Rickets, Calcium Synthesize in the
(Calciferol, bones (raises osteomalacia imbalance body with the
Cholecalciferol, blood calcium (calcification of help of sunshine;
Dihydroxy and phosphorus soft tissues and fortified milk,
vitamin D; by increasing formation of margarine, butter
precursor is absorption from stones) and cereals;
cholesterol) digestive tract, eggs; liver; fatty
withdrawing fish (salmon,
calcium from sardines)
bones,
stimulating
retention by
kidneys)
Vitamin E (Alpha- Antioxidant Erythrocyte Hemorrhagic Polyunsaturated
tocopherol, (stabilization of hemolysis, nerve effects plants oils
tocopherol) cell membranes, damage (margarine, salad
regulation of dressings,
oxidation shortenings),
reactions, green and leafy
protection of vegetables,
polyunsaturated wheat germ,
fatty acids [PUFA] whole-grain
and vitamin A products, nuts,
seeds
Vitamin K Synthesis of blood Hemorrhage None known Synthesized in the
(Phylloquinone, clotting proteins body by GI
menaquinone) and bone bacteria; green,
proteins) leafy vegetables;
cabbage type
vegetables;
vegetable oils
B. Water-Soluble Vitamins (B and C)
Vitamin Name Chief Functions Deficiency Toxicity Significant
Symptoms Symptoms Sources
Thiamin (Vitamin Part of Beriberi (edema None reported Enriched,
B1) coenzyme used or muscle fortified, or
in energy wasting), whole-grain
metabolism anorexia and products, pork
weight loss,
neurological
disturbances,
muscular
weakness, heart
enlargement,
and failure
Riboflavin Part of Inflammation of None reported Milk products;
(Vitamin B2) coenzymes used the mouth, skin, enriched,
in energy and eyelids; fortified or whole-
metabolism sensitivity to light; grain products,
sore throat liver
Niacin (Nicotinic Part of Pellagra Niacin flush, liver Milk, eggs, meat,
acid, coenzymes used (diarrhea, damage, poultry, fish,
nicotinamide, in energy dermatitis, and impaired glucose wholegrain and
niacinamide, metabolism dementia) tolerance enriched breads
vitamin B3; and cereals, nuts,
precursor is and all protein
dietary containing foods
tryptophan, an
amino acid)
Biotin Part of coenzyme Skin rash, hair loss, None reported Widespread in
used in energy neurological foods; GI bacteria
metabolism disturbances synthesis
Pantothenic Acid Part of coenzyme Digestive and None reported Widespread foods
used in energy neurological
metabolism disturbances
Vitamin B6 Part of Scaly dermatitis, Nerve Meat, fish, poultry,
(Pyridoxine, coenzymes used depression, degeneration, potatoes,
pyridoxal, in amino acid confusion, skin lesions legumes,
pyridoxamine) and fatty acid convulsions, noncitrus fruits,
metabolism anemia fortified cereals,
liver, soy products
Folate (Folic Acid, Activates vitamin Anemia; smooth Masks vitamin B12 Fortified grains,
folacin, B12; helps red tongue; mental deficiency leafy green
pteroylglutamic synthesize DNA for confusion; vegetables,
acid) new cell growth elevated legumes, seeds,
homocysteine liver
Vitamin B12 Activates of folate; Anemia; nerve None reported Animal-derived
(Cobalamin) helps synthesize damage and foods (meat, fish,
DNA for new cell paralysis poultry, shellfish,
growth; protects milk, cheese,
nerve cells eggs), fortified
cereals
Vitamin C Synthesis of Scurvy (bleeding Diarrhea, GI Citrus fruits,
(Ascorbic Acid) collagen, gums, pinpoint distress cabbage type
carnitine, hemorrhages, and dark green
hormones, abnormal bone vegetables,
neurotransmitters, growth and joint cantaloupe,
antioxidant pain) strawberries,
lettuce, tomatoes,
potatoes,
papayas,
mangoes
Vitamin Solubility
• The solubility of vitamins is directly related to their retention in foods
during preparation. Water- soluble vitamins are lost into cooking
water. For greater vitamin retention, the following general guidelines
apply:
o Use only a small quantity of cooking water
o Used leftover cooking water for making gravies, soups, and sauces.
Do not discard it.
o Minimize cutting food into pieces
o Use the shortest cooking time. Cooking with a lid helps to shorten
cooking time.
• Fat soluble vitamins are found in fat. Fat-soluble vitamins are not
affected by cooking and preparation in water, but may be destroyed
by:
o High cooking heat, sun drying, or other form of dehydration.
o Oxidation that accompanies rancidity in fat.

VITAMIN STORAGE:
Excess fat-soluble vitamins are stored in the body fat and organs,
especially the liver. This storage ability can delay deficiency for several
months, even if the host does not receive such vitamins in the diet. It also
means that the host needs a dietary supply every other day instead of
daily; but, it does not mean that the host is immune to large doses.
Megadoses are toxic to the body.
 The body does not store excess water-soluble vitamins, but instead
excretes them in the urine. As a result:
o Vitamin deficiency appears only a few weeks after dietary
deprivation
o The vitamins must be consumed daily
o Vitamin supplements do not have extra benefits if a person is
consuming an adequate diet. Any excess is loss in the urine
o Some people assume that excess intake of water soluble vitamins is
harmless. However, there are reports documenting the ill effect of
excess ingestion of these vitamins.
MINERALS
➢ are inorganic elements present in soil and water, which are
absorbed by plants or consumed by animals. A number of minerals
are essential for health: calcium, phosphorus, potassium, sodium,
chloride, magnesium, iron, zinc, iodine, sulfur, cobalt, copper,
fluoride, manganese, and selenium.
Mineral Chief Functions Deficiency Toxicity Significant
Symptoms Symptoms Sources

Calcium Build and Muscle cramps Loss of appetite. Milk, cheese,

maintain strong and spasms, Nausea and yogurt, fromage
bones and teeth. numbness and vomiting. frais, some green
It helps nerves tingling, fatigue, Constipation and leafy vegetables
and muscles to dysrhythmias, abdominal (belly) (such as kale) ,
function normally seizures, pain. The need to calcium-fortified
and helps blood osteopenia and drink more fluids dairy-alternatives,
to clot normally osteoporosis, dry and urinate canned fish
skin, confusion more. Tiredness, (where soft bones
and memory weakness, or are eaten) and
loss, PMS, tooth muscle pain. breads (white,
decay and gum Confusion, brown, and
disease, rickets disorientation, wholegrain)
and difficulty
thinking.
Headaches.
Depression.
Fluoride Form strong teeth Cavities/dental Dental fluorosis – Tap water, tea
and help to carries weak a discoloration of (and toothpaste)
reduce the risk of bones teeth, usually with
tooth decay opaque white
marks, lines, or
mottled enamel
and poor
mineralization.
Skeletal Fluorosis
– the bones may
become
hardened and
less elastic,
increasing the risk
of fractures. If the
bones thicken
and bone tissue
accumulates, this
can contribute to
impaired joint
mobility.
 Hyper
Parathyroidism
leading to
decrease calcium
levels,.
Neurological
problems such as
cognitive
impairment
especially in
children
Iodine Make thyroid, Swelling of thyroid Excessive iodine Milk, yogurt,
and it helps the glands in the consumption can cheese, fish,
brain to function neck lead to similar shellfish, and eggs
normally A visible lump symptoms as (and some
(goiter) on your iodine deficiency, fortified dairy
neck including thyroid alternatives)
Weight gain, dysfunction and
fatigue and goiter.
weakness
Thinning hair
Dry skin Too much iodine
Feeling colder may lead to
than usual thyroiditis and
Slowed heart rate thyroid papillary
Learning and cancer.
memory At very high
difficulties levels, iodine
Heavy or irregular poisoning can
periods cause:
Burning of the
mouth, throat and
stomach fever,
abdominal pain,
nausea, vomiting,
and diarrhea,
weak pulse,
coma
Iron Make red blood Iron Deficiency Iron toxicity can Heme Iron:
cells, which carry Anemia (IDA) cause nausea, Animal products
oxygen around Extreme fatigue stomachache, contain heme
the body. It also Weakness vomiting, and iron which is
helps the Pale Skin diarrhea much better than
immune system Chest pain, fast Increase non-heme iron.
to work and heartbeat or susceptibility to Non-Heme Iron:
helps the brain to shortness of bacterial Most foods and
function breath, infections iron supplements
normally. Headache, contain non-
dizziness or heme iron. It
lightheadedness accounts for
Cold hands and more than 85% of
feet, iron in the
Inflammation or average det.
soreness of your However, less
tongue, Brittle than 20% of non
nails, Unusual heme iron that is
cravings for non consumed is
nutritive absorbed into
substances, such the body.
as:
 Ice, dirt or starch Non-heme iron is
Poor appetite, absorbed better
especially in when it is
infants and consumed with
children with iron animal protein
deficiency and with vitamin
anemia C.
Magnesium Release energy Abnormal eye Lethargy, Facial Nuts and seeds
from food, movements flushing, Diarrhea, (such as Brazil nuts
maintain strong (nystagmus) Nausea, Stomach and sunflower
bones and it helps Convulsions cramps, Vomiting, seeds),
normal muscle Fatigue Depression, wholegrain
and nerve Muscle spasms or Muscle weakness, breakfast cereals,
function. cramps An irregular wholegrain and
Muscle weakness heartbeat, Low seeded breads,
Numbness Blood Pressure, brown rice and
Dysrhythmia Urine retention, quinoa
Signs and Breathing
symptoms of difficulties,
hypocalcemia Cardiac arrest
and hypokalemia
Phosphorus Build strong bones Poor appetite, May show no Red meat, poultry,
and teeth and Anemia, Muscle symptoms fish, milk, cheese,
help to release weakness, Bone Calcium deposits yogurt, eggs,
energy from food. pain, Bone and hardening of bread and
disease soft tissues in the wholegrains (such
(osteomalacia, body as brown rice and
rickets), Confusion whole wheat
Increase pasta).
susceptibility to
infections
Potassium Regulate the Fatigue, Muscle Weakness, Some fruit and
water content in cramps or fatigue, nausea, vegetables (such
the body and weakness, vomiting, as banana,
maintain a normal Constipation shortness of blackcurrants,
blood pressure. It Muscle paralysis breath, chest avocado,
also helps the and irregular pain, heart spinach, parsnip
nerves and heart rate (with palpitations, and beetroot),
muscles to severe irregular heart dried fruits (such
function normally. hypokalemia) rate as apricots,
sultanas, and figs)
 Poultry, red meat,
fish, milk, and
wholegrain
breakfast cereals
Selenium Protecting the Two conditions Early symptoms: Some nuts and
cells in our bodies are associated Metalic taste, bad seeds (such as
against damage, with severe breath, nausea, Brazil nuts,
helps the immune selenium diarrhea, hair loss, cashews and
system to work as deficiency: 1) nail brittleness or sunflower seeds),
it should, and Keshan disease, a discoloration, skin eggs, offal,
helps maintain type of rash or lesions, skin poultry, fish, and
normal skin and cardiomyopathy flushing, fatigue, shellfish
nails, and normal or disease of the irritability, muscle
fertility in males heart muscle, and tenderness
2) Kashin-Beck
disease, a form of
osteoarthritis.
Symptoms:
Nausea, vomiting,
headaches,
altered mental
state, confusion
 Lethargy
Seizures
Coma

Iron Regulate the Hyponatremia: Seizures, coma, or Very small

water content in nausea, vomiting, even death due amounts found
the body headaches, to cerebral naturally in foods.
altered mental edema; difficulty Often added a
state/confusion, of breathing due salt (sodium
lethargy, seizures, to accumulation chloride) during
coma of fluid in the processing,
lungs; nausea, preparation,
vomiting, preservation and
weakness, loss of serving. Currently
appetite, intense intakes of sodium
thirst, confusion, are too high, and
kidney damage most people
need to reduce
their intake
substantially.
Zinc Contribute to Loss of taste or Nausea, vomiting, Meat, poultry,
normal mental smell poor appetite, cheese, some
skills and abilities Poor appetite abdominal pain shellfish (such as
and help to Depressed mood or cramping crab, cokles and
maintain normal Decreased Headaches mussels), nuts and
hair, skin and immunity Diarrhea seeds (such as
nails. It also helps Delayed wound pumpkin seeds
with the normal healing and pine nuts),
healing of wounds Diarrhea wholegrain
and contributes to Hair loss breakfast cereals
normal fertility and wholegrain
and reproduction. and seeded
breads.