Vitamins & Minerals Page is Done!!!

25-02-2009

This website is still under construction, please visit us later!

Vitamins and Minerals

Vitamins:
A child once defined a vitamin as "what, if you don't eat, you get sick." Although the grammar left something to be desired, the definition was accurate. Less imaginatively, a vitamin is defined as an essential, noncaloric, organic nutrient needed in tiny amounts in the diet. The role of many vitamins is to help make possible the processes by which other nutrients are digested, absorbed, and metabolized or built into body structures. Although small in size and quantity, the vitamins accomplish mighty tasks.

Minerals:
"Ashes to ashes and dust to dust" -- It is true that when the life force leaves the body, what is left behind becomes nothing but a small pile of ashes. Carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, and water are present at first, but they soon disappear. The carbon atoms in all the carbohydrates, fats, proteins, and vitamins combine with oxygen to produce carbon dioxide(CO₂), which vanishes into the air; the hydrogens and oxygens of those compounds unite to form water; and this water, along with the water that was a large part of the body weight, evaporates. the ashes left behind are the minerals, a small pile that weighs only about 5 pounds. The pile is not impressive in size, but those minerals are critical to the functioning of living tissue.

Vitamins

Minerals

The vitamins fall naturally into two classes: fat soluble and water soluble. Solubility confers on vitamins many of their characteristics. It determines how they are absorbed into and transported around by the bloodstream, whether they can be stored in the body, and how easily they are lost in the body. The fat-soluble vitamins are absorbed into the lymph, and they travel in the blood in association with protein carriers. The water-soluble vitamins are absorbed directly into the bloodstream, where they travel freely.

Fat-Soluble Vitamins:

Water-Soluble Vitamins:

Vitamin C
B Vitamins
- Thiamin (B₁)
- Riboflavin (B₂)
- Niacin (B₃)
- Folate
- Vitamin B₁₂
- Vitamin B₆
- Biotin
- Pantothenic acid

The minerals fall into two classes: major minerals and trace minerals. Major minerals are the essential mineral nutrients found in the human body in amounts larger that 5 grams, and trace minerals are essential mineral nutrients found in the human body in amounts less than 5 grams. The distinction between major and trace minerals doesn't mean that one group is more important in the body than the other. The major minerals are present in larger total quantities, however, and so they influence the body fluids, which in turn affect the whole body.

Major Minerals:

Calcium
Phosphorus
Potassium
Sulfur
Sodium
Chloride
Magnesium

Trace Minerals: (not all)

Iron
Zinc
Copper
Iodine

Vitamins Overview

Type

Benefits

Sources

Quantity

Vitamin A

Vitamin A prevents eye problems, promotes a healthy immune system, is essential for the growth and development of cells, and keeps skin healthy.

Good sources of vitamin A are milk, eggs, liver, fortified cereals, darkly colored orange or green vegetables (such as carrots, sweet potatoes, pumpkin, and kale), and orange fruits such as cantaloupe, apricots, peaches, papayas, and mangos.

Teen guys need 900 micrograms of vitamin A each day.
Teen girls need 700 micrograms each day. It is possible to get too much vitamin A, so be careful with supplements. Don't take vitamin A supplements If you're taking isotretinoin (such as Accutane) for acne or other skin problems.
Oral acne medicines are vitamin A supplements, and a continued excess of vitamin A can build up in the body, causing headaches, skin changes, or even liver damage.

Vitamin C

(also called ascorbic acid)

Vitamin C is needed to form collagen, a tissue that helps to hold cells together. It's essential for healthy bones, teeth, gums, and blood vessels. It helps the body absorb iron and calcium, aids in wound healing, and contributes to brain function.

You'll find high levels of vitamin C in red berries, kiwi, red and green bell peppers, tomatoes, broccoli, spinach, and juices made from guava, grapefruit, and orange.

Teen guys need 75 mg (milligrams; 1 milligram equals 1,000 micrograms) and girls need 65 mg of vitamin C a day.

Vitamin D

Vitamin D strengthens bones because it helps the body absorb bone-building calcium.

This vitamin is unique — your body manufactures it when you get sunlight on your skin! You can also get vitamin D from egg yolks, fish oils, and fortified foods like milk.

Teens need 10 micrograms (400 IU) of vitamin D from food or supplements every day. Ask your doctor if supplements are right for you.

Vitamin E

Vitamin E is an antioxidant and helps protect cells from damage. It is also important for the health of red blood cells.

Vitamin E is found in many foods, such as vegetable oils, nuts, and green leafy vegetables. Avocados, wheat germ, and whole grains are also good sources.

Teen guys and girls need 15 mg of vitamin E every day.

Vitamin B12

Vitamin B12 helps to make red blood cells, and is important for nerve cell function.

Vitamin B12 is found naturally in fish, red meat, poultry, milk, cheese, and eggs. It's also added to some breakfast cereals.

Teens should get 2.4 micrograms of vitamin B12 daily.

Vitamin B6

Vitamin B6 is important for normal brain and nerve function. It also helps the body break down proteins and make red blood cells.

A wide variety of foods contain vitamin B6, including potatoes, bananas, beans, seeds, nuts, red meat, poultry, fish, eggs, spinach, and fortified cereals.

Teen guys need 1.3 mg of vitamin B6 daily and teen girls need 1.2 mg.

Thiamin

(also called vitamin B1)

Thiamin helps the body convert carbohydrates into energy and is necessary for the heart, muscles, and nervous system to function properly.

People get thiamin from many different foods, including fortified breads, cereals, and pasta; meat and fish; dried beans, soy foods, and peas; and whole grains like wheat germ.

Teen guys need 1.2 mg of thiamin each day; teen girls need 1 mg.

Niacin

(also called vitamin B3)

Niacin helps the body turn food into energy. It helps maintain healthy skin and is important for nerve function.

You'll find niacin in red meat, poultry, fish, fortified hot and cold cereals, and peanuts.

Teen guys need 16 mg of niacin daily. Teen girls need 14 mg a day.

Riboflavin

(also called vitamin B2)

Riboflavin is essential for turning carbohydrates into energy and producing red blood cells. It is also important for vision.

Some of the best sources of riboflavin are meat, eggs, legumes (like peas and lentils), nuts, dairy products, green leafy vegetables, broccoli, asparagus, and fortified cereals.

Teen guys need 1.3 mg of riboflavin per day and teen girls need 1 mg.

Folate

(also known as vitamin B9, folic acid, or folacin)

Folate helps the body make red blood cells. It is also needed to make DNA.

Liver, dried beans and other legumes, green leafy vegetables, asparagus, and orange juice are good sources of this vitamin. So are fortified bread, rice, and cereals.

Teen girls and guys need 400 micrograms of folate daily.

Minerals Overview

Type	Benefits	Sources	Quantity
Calcium	Calcium is vital for building strong bones and teeth. The time to build strong bones is during childhood and the teen years, so it's very important to get enough calcium now to fight against bone loss later in life. Weak bones are susceptible to a condition called osteoporosis, which causes bones to break easily.	Milk and other dairy products — such as yogurt, cheese, and cottage cheese — are good sources of calcium. You'll also find this mineral in broccoli and dark green, leafy vegetables. Soy foods and foods fortified with calcium, including some kinds of orange juice and soy milk, are also good sources.	Teen guys and girls need 1,300 mg (milligrams) of calcium each day.
Iron	Iron helps red blood cells carry oxygen to all parts of the body. Symptoms of iron-deficiency anemia include weakness and fatigue, lightheadedness, and shortness of breath.	Iron-rich foods include red meat, pork, fish and shellfish, poultry, lentils, beans and soy foods, green leafy vegetables, and raisins. Some flours, cereals, and grain products are also fortified with iron.	Teen guys need 11 mg of iron a day and teen girls need 15 mg. Girls need higher amounts because they lose iron through blood during menstruation.
Magnesium	Magnesium helps muscles and nerves function, steadies the heart rhythm, and keeps bones strong. It also helps the body create energy and make proteins.	You get magnesium from whole grains and whole-grain breads, nuts and seeds, green leafy vegetables, potatoes, beans, avocados, bananas, milk, and chocolate (yes, chocolate!).	Teen guys need 410 mg of magnesium each day and girls need 360 mg.
Phosphorus	Phosphorus helps form healthy bones and teeth. It also helps the body make energy. It is part of every cell membrane, and every cell in the body needs phosphorus to function normally.	Phosphorus is found in most foods, but the best sources are dairy foods, meat, and fish.	Teen girls and guys should aim for 1,250 mg of phosphorus each day.
Potassium	Potassium helps with muscle and nervous system function. It also helps the body maintain the balance of water in the blood and body tissues.	potatoes	Teen girls and guys should aim for 4,700 mg of potassium each day.
Zinc	Zinc is important for normal growth, strong immunity, and wound healing.	You'll find zinc in red meat, poultry, oysters and other seafood, nuts, dried beans, soy foods, milk and other dairy products, whole grains, and fortified breakfast cereals.	Teen guys need 11 mg of zinc a day and teen girls need 9 mg.