Vitamins and minerals

 

Why do we need vitamins and minerals?

Vitamins and minerals are important nutrients that your body needs in small amounts. They help your body use other nutrients effectively. You can usually get enough of them from a balanced diet that has a lot of fruit and vegetables.

There are many kinds of vitamins and minerals, and they have different functions. They are found in different foods. Here are some examples:

Vitamins

 

Vitamin	Example	Benefits
Vitamin A	Carrots, spinach, sweet potatoes	Helps to fight infection. Also helps to keep eyes and skin healthy.
Vitamin B1	Bananas, oranges, nuts, bread	Helps to turn food into energy and to keep the nervous system healthy.
Vitamin B2	Milk, eggs, yogurt	Helps to break down proteins, fats, and carbohydrates. Also plays a vital role in maintaining the body's energy supply.
Vitamin B12	Meat, poultry, fish	Helps make red blood cells.
Vitamin C	Citrus fruits (like oranges), strawberries, tomatoes, cabbage	Needed to form blood vessels, cartilage, muscle and collagen in bones.
Vitamin D	Oily fish, liver, egg yolks	Helps keep bones, teeth and muscles healthy.
Vitamin E	Vegetable oil (like sunflower oil and olive oil), nuts and seeds, fortified cereals	Helps to keep skin healthy and helps to strengthen the immune system.
Vitamin K	Leafy green vegetables, vegetable oil, cereals, broccoli	Helps to heal wounds.

 

 

Minerals

 

Mineral	Example	Benefits
Calcium	Milk, leafy green vegetables	Helps to strengthen bones and teeth. Maintains muscle health and helps to prevent blood clots.
Iodine	Fish, yoghurt	Helps to make some hormones.
Iron	Meat, poultry, fish, beans	Helps to make red blood cells.
Zinc	Red meat, beans, chickpeas	Helps to heal wounds.

 

How much do you need?

Vitamins and minerals are essential nutrients that your body needs in small amounts. They help your body use other nutrients effectively. The amount of vitamins and minerals you need depends on your age and sex. For example: A teenage boy needs more calcium than an adult man, 1.0 g versus 0.70 g per day. This is because the boy is still growing but the man is not. A teenage girl needs more iron than a teenage boy, 0.015 g versus 0.011 g per day. This is because girls lose iron when they have their periods (menstruation).

 

 

🍊 Knowledge Check: Vitamins & Minerals

Think you know your micronutrients? Take this quick test to find out!

1. Which vitamin helps the body absorb calcium and is often called the 'sunshine vitamin'?

• Vitamin A
• Vitamin C
• Vitamin D

2. A person suffering from Anaemia is likely lacking which mineral in their diet?

• Iron
• Sodium
• Magnesium

3. Scurvy is a deficiency disease caused by a lack of Vitamin C. Which of these was historically most at risk?

• Miners working underground
• Sailors on long voyages without fresh fruit
• Mountain climbers in high altitudes

4. Vitamin A is essential for which of the following?

• Maintaining healthy vision, especially in dim light
• Building strong muscle tissue
• Providing an immediate source of energy

5. Which of these is NOT considered a micronutrient?

• Calcium
• Vitamin K
• Carbohydrates

Click to Check Your Answers

1. Vitamin D (Produced in the skin when exposed to sunlight).
2. Iron (Used to make haemoglobin in red blood cells).
3. Sailors (Lack of fresh citrus fruits like lemons and limes caused scurvy).
4. Healthy vision (Lacking Vitamin A can lead to night blindness).
5. Carbohydrates (These are macronutrients, needed in large amounts for energy).

Summary:

 

• Vitamins and minerals are essential for the body to make use of other nutrients effectively.
• Some examples of vitamins are vitamin A, which is important for healthy vision, and vitamin K, which helps the blood clot properly.
• Nutritionists are professionals who specialize in food and diet. They can use their expertise to help people eat the right amounts of vitamins and minerals for their health.