Vitamins and minerals

Which vitamins are fat soluble?

A, D, E, K

What are the main sources of vitamin A?

dairy, egg yolk, liver, kidney, oily fish, spinach, kale, peas, orange/yellow/red vegetables and fruits.

What are the (5) functions of vitamin A in the body?

1. Keeps the skin healthy
2. Enables us to see in dim light
3. Helps children to grow
4. Produces mucus for mucus membranes
5. Antioxidant

What are the (3) effects of vitamin A deficiency?

1. children do not grow properly
2. Skin and mucus membranes become dry and infected
3. Night - blindness and could lead to total blindness and permanent eye damage

What are the (2) effects of an excess of vitamin A?

1. Can be toxic
2. May damage the developement of an unborn baby

What are the main sources of vitamin D?

Mostly from sunlight, but also oily fish, meat, eggs, butter and liver

What are the (2) functions of vitamin D?

1. Enables calcium to be absorbed during digestion
2. Helps calcium to be deposited in bones and teeth

What are the (2) effects of vitamin D deficiency?

1. Children's bones and teeth will not strengthen and legs will bend under the weight of the body (rickets)
2. Adults' bones may break easily (osteomalacia)

What is the effect of an excess of vitamin D?

Excess calcium may be absorbed, leading to damage to kidneys and other organs, especially in babies and young children

What are the main sources of vitamin E? (tocopherol)

plant foods especially soya, corn oil, olive oil, nuts, seeds, wheatgerm, vegetable fat spreads

What is the function of vitamin E?

It is an antioxidant

What is the effect of a deficiency or excess of vitamin E?

Both are too rare for the textbook to be bothered to write anything about it :(

What are the main sources of vitamin K? (phylloquinone)

Plant and animal foods especially leafy green vegetables, liver, cheese and green tea.

What is the function of vitamin K in the body?

Helps blood to clot

What is the effect of a deficiency of vitamin K?

Rare in UK, but sometimes happens in newborns so they are given a dose of vitamin K at birth.
babies sometimes lose blood internally during birth.

Which vitamins are water soluble?

B (1, 2, 3, 9, 12), C

What are the main sources of vitamin B1?

Meat (especially pork), dairy, eggs, fruit and vegetables, dried fruit, wholemeal bread, added to all flours by law (besides wholemeal)

What is the function of vitamin B1?

Enables energy to be released from carbohydrates

What is the effect of a deficiency of vitamin B1?

Beri-beri: nerves and muscles affected; problems with memory, concentration and heart rate,
because stuff doesn't work without energy

What are the main sources of vitamin B2?

found in many foods, especially dairy, eggs, rice and mushrooms

What are the (2) functions of vitamin B2?

- Enables energy to be released from carbohydrate, fat and protein
(a bit like a better version of B1)
- helps to keep skin healthy

What is the effect of a deficiency of vitamin B2?

May cause sores at the corners of the mouth because it is needed to keep skin healthy

What are the main sources of vitamin B3?

Beef, pork, wheat or maize flour, eggs, milk

What is the function of vitamin B3?

allows energy to be released from food
(supercharged B2)

What is the effect of a deficiency of vitamin B3?

Pellagra:
diarrhoea - you should know what this is ;)
dermatitis - sore, dry, cracked skin
dementia - loss of memory, confusion, cannot speak properly

What are the main sources of vitamin B9?

green leafy vegetables, yeast extract, peas, chickpeas, wholegrain rice, some fruits

What are the (2) functions of vitamin B9?

1. Works with B12 for healthy red blood cells
2. helps reduce the risk of CNS defects in unborn babies

What are the (2) effects of B9 deficiency?

1. megoblastic anaemia - red blood cells become enlarged
2. spinal chord defects in unborn babies

What are the main sources of vitamin B12? (cobalamin)

liver, meat, fish, cheese, yeast, fortified cereals

What are the (2) functions of B12 in the body?

1. Works with B9 to make healthy blood cells
2. Keeps nerve cells healthy

What is the effect of a deficiency of B12?

pernicious anaemia

What are the main sources of vitamin C? (ascorbic acid)

fruits and vegetables, especially citrus.

What are the (3) functions of vitamin C in the body?

1. To help the body absorb iron
2. Maintains the connective tissue which binds the body together
3. Antioxidant

What are the (4) effects of vitamin C deficiency?

1. Iron deficiency anaemia
2. Red spots under the skin and loose skin from bleeding blood vessels
3. Wounds take a long time to heal; scar tissue may break open
4. Scurvy (can cause death)

How should food be stored to protect water soluble vitamins?

Away from heat and light for as little time as possible

How should fruit and vegetables be prepared to protect water soluble vitamins?

Cut, grate or squeeze as close to eating as possible (exposes vitamin C to the air and enzymes, which destroy it)
avoid buying bruised or damaged fruit or vegtables

How should vegetables to cooked to protect water soluble vitamins?

Use as little water as possible, cook for as short time as possible.
Save the water and use for soup or gravy
serve straightaway
steaming reduces loss of vitamins

What can cause vitamins to be lost from food?

Light, heat,air, dissolving in cooking water, enzymes.

What is an antioxidant?

Some chemicals that we are exposed to pick up oxygen and become 'free radicals' which can damage cells, causing inflammation, heart disease, or cancer.
Antioxidants prevent these chemicals from picking up oxygen

What is niacin?

B3

What is riboflavin?

B2

What is thiamine?

B1

What is folate?

B9

what is cobalamin?

B12

what is ascorbic acid?

vitamin C

What is retinol/beta carotene?

vitamin A

What is cholecalciferol?

Vitamin D

what is tocopherol?

Vitamin E

What is phylloquinone?

vitamin K

Examples of antioxidants

Vitamins A, C and E (ACE)

Free radicals

Substances that attack healthy cells and increase the risk of heart disease and certain types of cancer

Function of antioxidants

Protect healthy cells from the damage caused by free radicals

Sources of antioxidants

Fruits, vegetables, nuts, whole grains

How are water-soluble vitamins destroyed?

By contact with sunlight, air and heat, and being affected by enzymes

Avoid buying bruised or damaged fruits and vegetables

Broken plant cells release enzymes that destroy vitamins

Choose just-ripened fruit and vegetables

Unripe or overripe has a lower vitamin content

Store fruit and vegetables in a refrigerator

Cool temperatures slow down enzyme activity

Avoid storing fruits and vegetables in sunlight

UV light destroys vitamins

Eat fruits and vegetables within a few days

Ripening continues during storage

Rip or tear fruits and vegetables

Reduces cell wall damage and stops enzymes from being released that will destroy vitamins

Don't chop fruit and vegetables into very small pieces

More cell wall damage releases more enzymes

Use a sharp knife to chop fruit and vegetables

A blunt knife will damage more cell walls

Blanching

Immerse prepared fruit and vegetables in boiling water for a few minutes then cool rapidly

What does blanching do?

Stops enzyme activity and retains vitamins

Do not soak fruits and vegetables before cooking

Water-soluble vitamins will leach out of fruit and vegetables when placed in water

Avoid peeling fruits and vegetables

Vitamins are found just under the skin

Use a small amount of water when cooking vegetables

Prevent water-soluble vitamins from dissolving

Choose cooking methods that use small amounts of water

e.g. microwaving, steaming

Reduce cooking time by placing vegetables into boiling water and using a lid

Heat destroys vitamins

Use cooking water to make gravies, soups and sauces

Ensure the vitamins are eaten

Serve vegetables straight away

Keeping food warm reduces the vitamins

Avoid reheating and eat raw fruit and vegetables where possible

Avoid vitamin loss

minerals definiton

chemicals substances found in a range of food

calcium functions

strong bones and teeth

helps blood clot

needed in adolescence

calcium sources

dairy products

soya

green leafy veg

calcium excess

deposited into organs, stopping them from working

calcium defiency

bones and teeth weaken

rickets in children

muscles and nerves will not work properly

osteoporosis

bones become porous and weaken are are likely to break.

Iron functions

To form haemoglobin in red blood cells,

red blood cells carry oxygen

Vit C and Iron

vitamin c is needed for the absorption of iron

iron sources

meat poultry eggs nuts dried fruits green leafy veg

iron deficiency

anaemia symptoms.

Tiredness, Lack of energy, weakness, pale skin

unborn babies and iron

unborn babies have a store of iron in the last three months before birth so it is important pregnant woman in the diet.

Sodium function

controls the amount of water in the body

helps control the nerves and the muscles

sodium defiency

muscle cramps

muscles will not work properly

sodium excess

high blood pressure

heart strain

body will retain too much water

fluride functions

to strengthen bones and enamel

flouride sources

fish water toothpaste

flouride defiency

weakened enamel

tooth decay

flouride excess

discoloured teeth

iodine function

to produce thryoxine for the thyroid gland

thryoid gland

Controls the metabolic rate of which chemical reactions happen

sources of iodine

seaweed

dairy products

eggs chicken

shellfish

iodine defiency

goitre- swelling of the neck

if pregnant causes permanent brain damage

Phosphorus function

mineralises bones and teeth to make them strong

essential for energy release

Makes phospholids- special fat molecules

phosphorus sources

dairy products

red meat

poultry

seafood

legumes

Vitamin C

Helps to form collagen and aids in healing

Vitamin A

Enhances eyes, hair, and skin

Vitamin K

Helps the blood to clot

Vitamin B

Helps turn carbohydrates into energy and to have a healthy nervous system