Vitamins and Minerals
Vitamins and Minerals
What are vitamins?
Vitamins are nutrients that everyone needs in small amounts for the body to work properly. Different vitamins have different functions. For example, some enzymes need particular vitamins to work. Your body can't make most vitamins apart from vitamin D, so you have to get them from the food you eat.
There are two types of vitamins: water-soluble vitamins - these cannot be stored in your body and need to be replaced regularly in your diet fat-soluble vitamin - these can be stored in your body, but should still be part of a healthy diet
Water-soluble vitamins (such as vitamins B6, B12, C and folic acid) are found in fresh fruit and green vegetables. It's best to eat the foods raw, steamed or grilled rather than boiled because these vitamins can easily be destroyed by cooking.
What are minerals and trace elements?
Minerals and trace elements are inorganic elements that are needed in small amounts for your body to function. They are as essential as vitamins and your body needs to get them from the food you eat. For example, you need: calcium to make strong bones sodium for fluid balance and nerve function iron for oxygen transport in the blood and energy metabolism iodine for thyroid hormone function
Minerals and trace elements are mainly found in meat, cereals, fish, milk and dairy foods, vegetables, dried fruit and nuts.
How much do I need?
Nutritional needs vary from person to person, depending on gender, age and activity levels.
The Department of Health gives guidance on the correct levels of nutrients in the diet although these are not exact recommendations. They are called dietary reference values (DRVs) and are usually listed on food and supplement packets. DRVs show the amount of energy or an individual nutrient that a group of people of a certain age range (and sometimes gender) need for good health.
How can I get enough vitamins and minerals?
You should be able to get all the vitamins and
What are vitamins?
Vitamins are nutrients that everyone needs in small amounts for the body to work properly. Different vitamins have different functions. For example, some enzymes need particular vitamins to work. Your body can't make most vitamins apart from vitamin D, so you have to get them from the food you eat.
There are two types of vitamins: water-soluble vitamins - these cannot be stored in your body and need to be replaced regularly in your diet fat-soluble vitamin - these can be stored in your body, but should still be part of a healthy diet
Water-soluble vitamins (such as vitamins B6, B12, C and folic acid) are found in fresh fruit and green vegetables. It's best to eat the foods raw, steamed or grilled rather than boiled because these vitamins can easily be destroyed by cooking.
What are minerals and trace elements?
Minerals and trace elements are inorganic elements that are needed in small amounts for your body to function. They are as essential as vitamins and your body needs to get them from the food you eat. For example, you need: calcium to make strong bones sodium for fluid balance and nerve function iron for oxygen transport in the blood and energy metabolism iodine for thyroid hormone function
Minerals and trace elements are mainly found in meat, cereals, fish, milk and dairy foods, vegetables, dried fruit and nuts.
How much do I need?
Nutritional needs vary from person to person, depending on gender, age and activity levels.
The Department of Health gives guidance on the correct levels of nutrients in the diet although these are not exact recommendations. They are called dietary reference values (DRVs) and are usually listed on food and supplement packets. DRVs show the amount of energy or an individual nutrient that a group of people of a certain age range (and sometimes gender) need for good health.
How can I get enough vitamins and minerals?
You should be able to get all the vitamins and