Essential Nutrition

and

Supplements

By now most people know that essential vitamins and minerals are needed in order to promote good health. Let’s start with what are vitamins.

 The Merriam-Webster Collegiate Dictionary defines "vitamin" as:

vi.ta.min: any of various organic substances that are essential in minute quantities to the nutrition of most animals and some plants, act especially as coenzymes and precursors of coenzymes in the regulation of metabolic processes but do not provide energy or serve as building units, and are present in natural foodstuffs or sometimes produced within the body.

Firstly there are two types of vitamins: fat-soluble and water soluble.

Let’s take a look at the fat soluble first. The fat soluble vitamins consisting of: A, D, E, and K are found in fatty foods such as animal fats, vegetable oils, dairy foods, liver and oily fish. Fat soluble vitamins can be dissipated by heat or exposure to air. They can lose most of their nutrients when cooked. Fat-soluble vitamins are absorbed, together with fat from the intestine, into the circulation. Any disease or disorder that affects the absorption of fat, such as Coeliac disease, could lead to a deficiency of these vitamins. Once absorbed into the circulatory system these vitamins are carried to the liver where they are stored.

The water soluble vitamins are found in fruit, vegetables, and grains. Water soluble vitamins include: B6, B12, C, biotin, folic acid, niacin, riboflavin, thiamin and antithetic acid. If foods that contain water-soluble vitamins are cooked in water, the vitamins begin to dissolve out of the foods and into the cooking water. Many fruits and vegetables contain water-soluble vitamins. To ensure that most of the vitamins remain in your foods, fruits and vegetables should be eaten raw or should be steamed or cooked for only a short time. Water-soluble vitamins are stored in the body for only a brief period of time and are then excreted by the kidneys. The one exception to this is vitamin B12, which is stored in the liver. Water-soluble vitamins need to be taken daily.

The human body needs 13 different vitamins:

·             Vitamin A (fat soluble, retinol) comes from beta-carotene in plants; when you eat beta-carotene, an enzyme in the stomach turns it into Vitamin A.

·             Vitamin B (water soluble, several specific vitamins in the complex)

·                 Vitamin B1: Thiamine

·                 Vitamin B2: Riboflavin

·                 Vitamin B3: Niacin

·                 Vitamin B6: Pyridoxine

·                 Vitamin B12: Cyanocobalamin

·                 Folic Acid

·             Vitamin C (water soluble, ascorbic acid)

·             Vitamin D (fat soluble, calciferol)

·             Vitamin E (fat soluble, tocopherol)

·             Vitamin K (fat soluble, menaquinone)

·             Pantothenic acid (water soluble)

·             Biotin (water soluble)

In most cases, the lack of a vitamin causes severe problems. The following list shows diseases associated with the lack of different vitamins:

·             Lack of Vitamin A: Night blindness, xerophthalmia

·             Lack of Vitamin B1: Beriberi

·             Lack of Vitamin B2: Problems with lips, tongue, skin,

·             Lack of Vitamin B3: Pellagra

·             Lack of Vitamin B12: Pernicious anemia

·             Lack of Vitamin C: Scurvy

·             Lack of Vitamin D: Rickets

·             Lack of Vitamin E: Malabsorption of fats, anemia

·             Lack of Vitamin K: Poor blood clotting, internal bleeding

Essential minerals, on the other hand, help the body perform many important bodily functions. Calcium and magnesium both help build strong bones and teeth. Iron is needed to produce red blood cells that carry oxygen throughout the body. Other minerals are needed to assist with the production of hormones, proteins and amino acids. The hair, fingernails, nerves, skin, muscles and all the major organs count on these essential minerals to help them do their jobs. We do need other minerals, but they are supplied in the molecule that uses them. For example, sulfur comes in via the amino acid methionine, and cobalt comes in as part of vitamin B12.

Food provides these minerals. If they are lacking in the diet, then various problems and diseases arise.

Unlike vitamins, in which many are water soluble, are easily and regularly eliminated from the body via the urine or sweat. Minerals are generally stored in the body until use. Those individuals who regularly consume a diet that is full of fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, lean meats, good fats, and low-fat dairy products usually get the most of the recommended daily allowances of most vitamins and minerals and may not need supplements because they have a good storehouse. However, eating fast food, no food, restaurant food, and high-fat snack food is the norm rather than the exception for most individuals. These foods are mostly devoid of their vitamins and minerals. Vegetarians who eat mainly plant-based diets may also need to rely on supplements for their needs. By restricting meat and sometimes dairy from their diets, their bodies may be severely lacking in essential nutrition.

In these cases, it may make sense to take a mineral supplement. Before doing so, take time to speak with your physician. Talk about your typical diet, any known medical conditions and any prescriptions you're currently taking. After that, you'll both be able to make a more informed decision about nutritional supplements.

Select your mineral and vitamin supplements with care. Go with a name brand you trust or that you're familiar with. Price shouldn't be the main consideration. It's okay to purchase online, but research your source first. Look for a supplement that contains vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. Be sure to take the mineral only as required. Taking more than indicated will not double or triple your benefits. In fact, the opposite may happen. Excessive amounts of some minerals can have toxic effects. Most importantly, do not rely on vitamin or mineral supplements to provide your body with the nutrients it needs. Make time to get nutritional foods into your diet.

Snack on fruits rather than chips. Consume red meat and dairy in moderation. Add a vegetable to each meal. Something as simple as a side salad will make a huge difference. Remember that vitamin and mineral supplements are simply that; supplements.

Original article by Michelle Tucker

Edited by Paul Reese