Essential Vitamins and Minerals for Health

1. Water, Vitamins & Minerals

3. Vitamins • Certain vitamins and minerals are needed for the body to function. • 13 vitamins • 22 minerals • Two types of vitamins • Water-soluble • Fat-soluble

4. Fat-Soluble vitamins • Vitamin A, D, E and K • Excess is stored in the liver and in body fat • It is possible to build up to a toxic level

5. Vitamin A (Retinol) • Beta-carotene is converted into vitamin A • Vitamin A: • Promotes good vision • Promotes healthy skin • Helps with growth and maintenance of bones, teeth, and cell structure • RDA: 900 micrograms for males; 700 micrograms for females

6. Too much vitamin A • May turn your skin orange • May cause fatigue, weakness, severe headache, blurred vision, hair loss and joint pain. • Toxicity: • May cause severe liver or brain damage • Birth defects

7. Too little vitamin A • May cause night blindness • Lowered immune system

8. Foods rich in vitamin A • Foods • Only animal products • Liver • Eggs • Milk, butter and cheese • Carotenoids • Orange/Yellow fruits and vegetables • Cantaloupes, carrots, sweet potatoes, winter squash • Leafy green vegetables • Spinach, broccoli

9. Vitamin D – “The Sunshine Vitamin” • Essential for building and maintaining bones and teeth • Responsible for absorption and utilization of calcium • Other health benefits: • May boost immune system • May also help decrease certain cancers • RDA: 5 micrograms until age 50 • 10 micrograms / day until 70; 15 mcg 70+

10. Too little vitamin D • Vitamin D deficiency has been in the news a lot lately. • Deficiency may occur from: • Inadequate diet • Vegetarianism, lactose intolerance, milk allergy • Body unable to absorb needed vitamin D • Limited exposure to sunlight

11. Vitamin D Deficiency • May lead to osteomalacia and/or osteoporosis

12. Getting vitamin D • Sun exposure for 10 minutes a day • Foods: • Fortified milk • Tuna • Salmon • May need a supplement • Check with doctor first though

13. Vitamin E • Important to red blood cells, muscles and other tissues • Deficiency is rare • Toxicity is rare • But Vitamin E acts as a blood thinner • Foods: • Vegetable oils, salad dressings, whole grain cereals, green leafy vegetables, nuts, seeds, peanut butter and wheat germ.

14. Vitamin K • Important for blood clotting • Also has a role for bone health • Mostly made in the intestines • Foods: • Turnip greens, cauliflower, spinach, liver, broccoli, kale and cabbage

15. Water-Soluble Vitamins • Vitamins Bs and C • Eight B vitamins: • Thiamin (B-1) • Riboflavin (B-2) • Niacin (B-3) • Pyridoxine (B-4) • Cobalamin (B-12) • Folic acid • Pantothenic acid • Biotin

16. Thiamin or B-1 • Helps to convert carbohydrates to energy • Deficiency: • Fatigue, nausea, depression, nerve damage • Foods: • Pork, beef, liver, peas, seeds, legumes, whole-grain products, and oatmeal

17. Riboflavin or B-2 • Key to metabolism and red blood cells • Deficiency: • Dry, scaly skin • Foods: • Milk, yogurt, cheese, whole-grain breads, green leafy vegetables, meat, and eggs

18. Niacin or B-3 • Also involved with energy production • Also helps with skin, nerves and digestive system • Deficiency: • Rare but causes: diarrhea, dermatitis, dementia and death • Foods: • Meat, poultry, liver, eggs, brown rice, baked potatoes, fish, milk, and whole-grain foods

19. Pyridoxine or B-6 • Involved in chemical reactions of proteins and amino acids • Deficiency: • Skin changes, dementia, nervous system disorders and anemia • Foods: • Lean meats, fish, legumes, green leafy vegetables, raisins, corn, bananas, mangos

20. Cobalamin or B-12 • Helps with nervous system, red blood cells and DNA synthesis • Deficiency: • Nervous system disorders and pernicious anemia • Foods: • Only found in animal products • Meat, fish, poultry, eggs, milk products and clams

21. Folic acid (Folacin, Folate) • Key role in red blood cell formation and cell division • Deficiency: • Anemia, digestive disorders • Foods: • Leafy, dark green vegetables • Also found in liver, beans, peas, asparagus, oranges, avocados

22. Pantothenic Acid and Biotin • Help with metabolism and formation of some hormones • Deficiencies are rare • Foods: • Almost any food, plant-based or animal-based

23. Vitamin C • Important to bone health, blood vessel health, cell structure and absorption of iron • Deficiency: • Rare • Too much vitamin C • Foods: • Melons, berries, tomatoes, potatoes, broccoli, fortified juices, kiwi, mangos, yellow peppers and citrus fruits

24. Minerals • 22 minerals are needed by the body • Two categories: • Major • Include calcium, chloride, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, sodium, and sulfur • Trace • Include iron, zinc, iodine, selenium, copper, manganese, fluoride, chromium, molybdenum, arsenic, nickel, silicon, boron and cobalt

25. CALCIUM • Aids in blood clotting • Carries messages from the nervous system to enzymes within the cells. Sources: Milk , eggs, yogurt, sardine(bones),canned tuna, spinach, cereal grains . Deficiency : Impaired absorption, loss of teeth and bone mass, osteoperosis.

26. Calcium & Foods • Dairy products, fortified juices, sardines

27. MAGNESIUM • Necessary for bone and soft tissue maintenance • Sources : Unrefined foods Vegetables Deficiency : Spasms, personality changes, large doses can cause central nervous system depression.

28. SULPHUR • Assists in the breaking down of proteins and carbohydrates . Sources: Poultry, fish , eggs, brocoli, cauliflower. Excess urine is excreted in the urinr

29. POTASSIUM • Plays an important role in nerve and muscle function as well as heart function . • It regulates water balance Sources: Fruits and vegetables • Deficiency: loss of this minneral can occur due to excessive vomitting /diarrhoea • Overdose can lead to cardia arrest .

30. Sodium • What does sodium do for you? • Helps maintain fluid balance • Helps transmit nerve impulses • Influences contraction and relaxation of muscles

31. Sodium & Health • Too much sodium • Causes high blood pressure • May lead to fluid retention

32. Where are you getting sodium? www.mayoclinic.com

33. Sodium & Food • On food labels: • Monosodium glutamate (MSG) • Baking soda • Baking powder • Disodium phosphate • Sodium alginate • Sodium nitrate or nitrite

34. Reducing sodium in your diet • Eat more fresh foods • Eat less processed foods • Look for low-sodium products • Limit the salt you add to foods • Experiment with other seasonings • Use salt substitutes with caution

35. Iron • Iron deficiency is the most widespread vitamin or mineral deficiency in the world. • 70% of your body’s iron is in your hemoglobin • Too little iron = too little oxygen

36. Iron & Foods • Heme iron: • Found in animal products • Red meats, liver, poultry and eggs • Non-heme iron: • Found in plant products • Beans, nuts, seeds, dried fruits, fortified breads and cereals

37. PHOSPHOROUS • Necessary component for bone and teeth formation Sources : Milk ,cheese, ice cream, whole grain cereal ,legumes.

38. IODINE • Produces the thyroid hormone that regulates energy metabolism . Sources : Seafood , iodized salt . Deficiency : goitre

39. FLOURIDE • Natural element found in nearly all drinking water . • Promotes healthy teeth and strong bones Sources : Toothpaste , water

40. ZINC • Assists in genetic expression • Formation of bone enzyme Sources: Dried beans ,shellfish, liver .

41. Water • Essential for life • It is possible to live without food than without water. • Water makes up about 45-75% of your body weight

42. Why is water important? • Aids with transport • Mechanical functions • Helps to break substances down • Helps to maintain body temperature/pH

43. How much water do you need? • Adequate intake: • For men: 125 oz / day • For women: 91 oz / day • Ideally 80% of water should coming from drinking fluids. • 20% of water intake should come from food