Nutrition Module 5: Vitamins and Antioxidants

what is a vitamin?

organic compound made by animals and plants

what is a mineral?

inorganic chemical elements

does vitamins provide calories?

no

which vitamin is NOT supplied by the diet and why?

vitamin D, it comes from sunlight

what two thins are vitamins easily destroyed by?

heat and light

which vitamins are fat-soluble?

A,D,E,K

what does it mean when something is fat-soluble?

stored in fat

less frequent intake

toxicity risk

What does it mean when something is water-soluble?

not stored

must be consumed often

excess lost in urine

heat sensitive

what are antioxidants?

chemicals that protect cells from damage cause by free radicals

what are free radicals?

atoms that have unpaired valence electrons

how do antioxidants work?

they donate electrons to free radicals, stabilize them to prevent cell damage

which vitamins act as antioxidants?

A,C,E

what are 3 examples of non-vitamin antioxidants?

selenium, copper, zinc

what is function of selenium?

thyroid, DNA synthesis

what is function of copper?

enzyme function, iron metabolism

what is function of zinc?

enzymes, growth, development

what does vitamin E do?

antioxidants

protects the cell membrane

supports muscles, nerves, blood cells

what are some food sources of vitamin E?

nuts

seeds

leafy veggies

veggie oils

what are some symptoms of vitamin E deficiency?

poor coordination

vision/speech problems

anemia

what are the risks of too much vitamin E?

nausea

diarrhea

interferes with blood thinners

what does vitamin C do?

collagen production

antioxidant in blood

helps absorb iron

regenrates vitamin E

what are some sources of vitamin C?

citrus and colorful plants

what are the symptoms of vitamin C deficiency?

bleeding gums

poor wound healing

weakness

what are the risks of toxicity of vitamin C?

only in megadoses of 2,000

diarrhea

cramps

excess iron absorption

what does vitamin A do?

vision

skin & organ health

bone growth

antioxidant

what are the three active forms of vitamin A?

retinol

retinal

retinoic acid

what are some food sources of vitamin A?

liver

eggs

dairy

carrots

leafy greens

sweet potatoes

how does heat affect vitamin A?

improves digestibility and absorption

what is beta-carotene?

plant pigment

converted to vitamin A as needed

what are symptoms of vitamin A deficiency?

night blindness

hyperkeratosis

increased infections

what are the risks of too much vitamin A?

birth defects

liver damage

headache

vomiting

hair loss

peeling skin

what are cartenoids?

pigments that give orange plants their color

Vitamin _ is stored so it is danderous in excess

A

what 5 things produceWhat free radicals?

normal metabolism

pollution

uv light

smoking

toxic chemicals

what affects the RDA for vitamin c?

smoking