2.3 Micronutrients: vitamins and minerals

Micronutrients are essential for our health, but we only need them in small amounts. Vitamins and minerals play crucial roles in various bodily functions, from maintaining strong bones to supporting our immune system.

Understanding the different types of vitamins and minerals helps us make informed food choices. We'll explore how these nutrients work in our bodies, their sources, and why getting the right balance is key to staying healthy.

Vitamins

Types of Vitamins

Top images from around the web for Types of Vitamins

• 

  Thunderbolt Kids View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  Frontiers | Nutrition in children with exocrine pancreatic insufficiency View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  Frontiers | Effectiveness of Some Vitamins in the Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease: A ... View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  Thunderbolt Kids View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  Frontiers | Nutrition in children with exocrine pancreatic insufficiency View original

  Is this image relevant?

1 of 3

Top images from around the web for Types of Vitamins

• 

  Thunderbolt Kids View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  Frontiers | Nutrition in children with exocrine pancreatic insufficiency View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  Frontiers | Effectiveness of Some Vitamins in the Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease: A ... View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  Thunderbolt Kids View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  Frontiers | Nutrition in children with exocrine pancreatic insufficiency View original

  Is this image relevant?

1 of 3

• Fat-soluble vitamins dissolve in fat and are stored in the body's fatty tissue
  • Include vitamins A, D, E, and K
  • Excessive intake can lead to toxicity since they are stored in the body
• Water-soluble vitamins dissolve in water and are not stored in the body
  • Include vitamin C and B-complex vitamins (thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, biotin, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, and folate)
  • Excess amounts are excreted in the urine, making toxicity less likely

Vitamin Deficiency and Antioxidants

• Vitamin deficiency occurs when the body lacks sufficient amounts of a specific vitamin
  • Can lead to various health problems (scurvy from vitamin C deficiency, rickets from vitamin D deficiency)
  • Caused by inadequate dietary intake, malabsorption, or increased vitamin requirements
• Antioxidants are substances that protect cells from damage caused by free radicals
  • Include certain vitamins (vitamins C and E) and other compounds (carotenoids, polyphenols)
  • Help prevent chronic diseases (cardiovascular disease, cancer) by neutralizing free radicals

Minerals

Macrominerals and Trace Minerals

• Macrominerals are required in larger amounts (>100 mg/day) by the body
  • Include calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, sodium, potassium, chloride, and sulfur
  • Play essential roles in bone health, fluid balance, muscle and nerve function, and other physiological processes
• Trace minerals are required in smaller amounts (<100 mg/day) by the body
  • Include iron, zinc, copper, manganese, iodine, fluoride, selenium, and chromium
  • Serve as cofactors for enzymes, support immune function, and contribute to various metabolic processes

Mineral Bioavailability

• Mineral bioavailability refers to the proportion of a mineral that is absorbed and utilized by the body
  • Influenced by factors such as the mineral's chemical form, the presence of enhancers or inhibitors, and an individual's nutritional status
  • Enhancers (vitamin C for iron absorption) can increase mineral bioavailability while inhibitors (phytates, oxalates) can decrease it
• Strategies to improve mineral bioavailability include consuming enhancers with meals (citrus fruits with iron-rich foods), reducing inhibitors (soaking or sprouting grains and legumes to reduce phytates), and choosing more bioavailable forms of minerals (heme iron from animal sources)

Micronutrient Recommendations and Fortification

Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA)

• Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) is the average daily intake level sufficient to meet the nutrient requirements of nearly all (97-98%) healthy individuals in a specific age and gender group
  • Established by the Food and Nutrition Board of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine
  • Used as a goal for individual intake and as a reference for food labeling and fortification
• RDAs are based on scientific evidence from human studies and are updated periodically to reflect new research findings
  • Vary by age, gender, and life stage (pregnancy, lactation) to account for different nutrient needs

Fortification

• Fortification is the process of adding micronutrients to food products to increase their nutritional value
  • Commonly fortified foods include cereals, milk, salt, and flour
  • Helps prevent micronutrient deficiencies in populations at risk (iodized salt to prevent iodine deficiency disorders)
• Fortification can be mandatory (required by law) or voluntary (initiated by food manufacturers)
  • Mandatory fortification is often implemented to address public health concerns (folic acid fortification of enriched grains to prevent neural tube defects)
  • Voluntary fortification allows food manufacturers to enhance the nutritional profile of their products (calcium-fortified orange juice)