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Vital nutrients for the human body
Are vitamins important for the human body? Introduction and conclusion
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Recommended: Vital nutrients for the human body
Vitamins There are lots of different vitamins that the body needs to maintain healthy, however they are only needed in small amounts. The body cannot make these vitamins so therefore they must be in a person’s daily diet. Vitamins are categorized into two groups these are fat-soluble vitamins and water soluble vitamins. Vitamin A, D, E and K are all fat-soluble vitamins, this means that they can dissolve in the presence of fat. • Vitamin A has different important jobs. It helps the immune system work properly to fight against infections; it keeps the skin healthy and also helps vision in dim light. Cheese, eggs and oily fish are all good sources of vitamin A along with liver which is particularly rich with this vitamin. Adult women should …show more content…
The main source of vitamin D is sunlight; however foods like oily fish and eggs are both good sources of this vitamin. Most people will get more than enough of what they need of vitamin D a day; however there are certain population groups that will be a risk of not getting enough. • Vitamin E has different jobs. It helps maintain healthy eyes and skin, keeps the immune system healthy and strong and protects cell membranes. Adult men need at least 4mg per day, and women need at least 3mg a day. Plant oils like soya and corn are the richest foods for vitamin E but nuts and seeds and cereal products are good sources. • Vitamin K is important in someone’s diet as it is needed for blood clotting and helps wounds heal properly. Green vegetables like broccoli and spinach are good sources of vitamin K along with vegetable oils and cereal grains. The amount of vitamin K adults need depends on their weight. It is around 0.001mg for each kilogram of their body weight daily. So for someone who weight 58kg they would need 0.0058mg per day. Any excess vitamin K that is not used is stored in the liver where it can be used later on. Vitamin B and C are water-soluble vitamins which mean that they can be dissolved in the presence of …show more content…
Vitamin B1 is called thiamin which keeps the nervous system healthy and working correctly and works with other forms of B vitamins to break down foods and turn them into energy to be released. B1 can be found in vegetables, fresh and dried fruit, eggs and may other foods. Women need 0.8mg a day whereas men need just a little more which is 1mg a day. Vitamin B2 is called riboflavin. This helps out bodies release energy from the foods we eat but also makes sure that the skin, eyes and nervous system are kept healthy. B2 cannot be stored by the body so it is important that it is in a person’s diet and that they get it daily. Women should be getting be getting 1.3mg of riboflavin and men should be getting 1.1mg per day. Milk and milk products are good sources of this vitamin. Vitamin B6 helps form haemoglobin, which transports oxygen in the blood but also lets the body store the energy it gains from protein foods. B6 is also known as pyridoxine and can be found in a wide variety of foods this includes meat, fish, eggs and potatoes. Daily the recommendations say that women should be getting 1.2mg and men should be getting
Vitamin B12 is commonly obtained in the diet through consumption of meat, nuts, eggs, milk, shellfish, and green leafy vegetables (j). B12 has a large complex structure based around a corrin ring, which resembles porphyrin with a cobalt ion at the center (l). For this reason compounds with vitamin B12 activity are called cobalamin (k). Cyanocobalamin is the form typically found in fortified foods, which is converted in the body to the active forms methylcobalamin and 5-deoxyadenosylcobalamin (k).
Vitamin B12 deficiency limits selenium methylation and excretion resulting in higher tissue selenium levels and subsequent toxicity. It occurs in people whose digestive systems do not adequately absorb the vitamin from the foods they eat. Vegetarians who eat eggs and milk products are the most at risk because, on average, they consume less than half the adult vitamin B12 Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) while strict vegans (who don't eat any animal products, including meat, eggs, or milk) are at an even greater risk. Vitamin B12 is important since it works with the vitamin folate to make the body’s genetic material and help keep levels of the amino acid homocysteine in check which helps to decrease heart disease risk. It is also essential in the production of red blood cells which carry oxygen through the blood to the body’s tissues. Life Extension gives offers some of selenium supplements. Babies who are born of parents with low selenium and vitamin B12 rich foods are at risk of anaemia.
Vitamin B-12 is essential for energy production as well as influencing the way your body uses carbohydrates.
Vitamin B12 is a powerhouse, it helps make DNA, nerve and blood cells and is crucial for a healthy brain and immune system. It is estimated that up to 15% of people don't get enough of this essential nutrient.
Vitamin C is a necessary vitamin for the body to carry out its functions properly. It is also known as ascorbic acid. It is a water-soluble nutrient that is found in some foods. It acts as an antioxidant in the body which helps to protect cells from the damage caused by free radicals, which are formed when our bodies convert the food we eat into energy. The body needs vitamin C to make collagen which is the protein required in wounds, healing. Moreover, vitamin C promotes the absorption of iron from fruits and vegetables and helps in promoting the immune system. Vitamin C is also important to protect our body from cardiovascular disease, prenatal health problems, eye disease, and skin wrinkling. We can obtain vitamin C from food and other sources.
When one hears the three words: vitamins, nutrients, and minerals, they think of one thing-being healthy and noticing what your intake is daily. Nutrition is all about vitamins and nutrients. Firstly, vitamins are an organic compound required by the body in small amounts of metabolism, to protect health, and for proper growth of children. Vitamins also assist in the formation of hormones, blood cells, nervous systems chemicals, and genetic material. There are 13 well-identified vitamins. Some examples of the 13 well-identified vitamins are: A, D, E, and K-fat contained foods, B, C-consumed immediately. A well known and commonly used in commercials for orange juice vitamin is vitamin C. Vitamin C or ascorbic acid is important in the synthesis and maintenance of connective tissues. The lack of vitamin C will result in a sickness called scurvy. Scurvy harms the gums, mucous membranes, and the skin. Another well-known vitamin and is also used to commercial to give more information about this beverage is the vitamin in milk. The vitamin in milk is vitamin D. If you do not drink milk and obtain this vitamin, your bones and teeth will become soft and weak. Lacking one or more of the 13 well-identified vitamins will cause sickness and weakness to your body. Secondly, nutrients are how the body assimilates certain compounds. Nutrients are classified in 5 major groups: proteins, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, and minerals. One of the five nutrients is carbohydrate. The carbohydrate group principally consists of sugar, starch, dextrin, cellulose, and glycogen. In more basic terms, carbohydrates are sugars needed by human and other living organisms. Some types of foods that contain carbohydrates would be candies, ice cream, fruit juice, soda, chocolate bars etc. Lastly, vitamins are connected to minerals. Minerals are also a very important part of a healthy person. There are 11 major groups of minerals. They are: calcium, chromium, copper, iodine, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorous, potassium, selenium, and zinc. All these terms look very familiar if one has taken chemistry. These are the elements of our world. One of the more common minerals that most people have heard of is calcium. Calcium also helps with the structure and strength of teeth and bones. Vitamins and minerals work together to help humans maintain a healthy body. For example, vitamin D works with calcium to help for and maintain the strength of teeth and bones.
The 13 well-identified vitamins are classified according to their ability to be absorbed in fat or water. The fat-soluble vitamins-A, D, E, and K-are generally consumed along with fat-containing foods, and because they can be stored in the body's fat, they do not have to be consumed every day. The water-soluble vitamins-the eight B vitamins and vitamin C-cannot be stored and must be consumed frequently, preferably every day (with the exception of some B vitamins, as noted below).
Vitamin D (Calciferol) is a fat soluble steroid prohormone that was first identified as a vitamin in the 20th century (Holicks, et al, 2011 ). It has two major forms- D2(ergocalciferol) and D3 (cholecalciferol) (Holicks et al, 2011, BMJ). The sources of vitamin D in human include sunlight (80-90%) and dietary source (10-20%) (Mithal et al, 2009). Dietary sources of vitamin D includes – salmon, canned fishes (sardines, tuna, mackerel) , cod liver oil, shitake mushroom, egg yolk, fortified mils and orange juice, infant formulas, fortified yoghurt and butter, fortified cereal as well as supplemental oral vitamin D.
Vitamin B12 is an essential nutrient that plays an important role in DNA synthesis and nerve function. It is contained in high amounts in animal derived foods such as milk, eggs, and meat. The vitamin is stored in the liver long-term. Individuals with vegetarian, vegan, or other forms of restricted diet may develop the condition after approximately 6 months as liver stores of vitamin B12 become depleted. Some individuals develop the condition due to autoimmune destruction of cells in the stomach that produce intrinsic factor. Intrinsic factor is necessary for proper absorption of vitamin B12 in the small intestine.
My average intake is 66 mg. it is lower than the required Vitamin C intake. Deficiency in Vitamin C can develop scurvy, if vitamin C is missing on our diet. Oranges, lemon and other citrus fruits, bell pepper, kiwi broccoli, berries, tomatoes and papayas are rich in Vitamin C . Lack of Vitamin D on diet can develop rickets to small children. The required intake for this vitamins is 15microgram and my report is zero. Vitamin D can be achieved from exposure of skin to ultra violet rays of the sun. Vitamin E is responsible for transmission of nerve impulses, body weakness and eye problem that can cause blindness. My nutrient intake for Vitamin 10 mg AT and the require intake is 15 mg AT, which is 5 mg lower than the require amount. Food related to Vitamin E are green leafy vegies such as spinach, kale are rich in Vitamin E, in addition, broccoli, hazel nuts, squash and pumpkin are also rich in Vitamin E. My vitamin K intake is 3 microgram, way too low compared to the requirement which is 90 microgram. Vitamin K deficiency can cause hemorrhagic disease of new born. Food that gives Vitamin K are green leafy vegetables such as kale and spinach, canola oils, olive oils, and
Vitamin A is a fat-soluble vitamin that is greatly needed by the retina of the human eyes. It’s very vital for the enhancement of color and low-light vision. It’s also a generic term for related compounds such as retinal and retinol. The vitamin also has alternative names such as Retinol, Retinoic acid, Cartenoids and Retinal.
Vitamin C also known as ascorbic acid is needed for growth and maintenance of healthy tissues, especially skin, blood vessels, bones, gums, teeth. Vitamin C aids in resistance against infection and healing of wounds. It also helps the body absorb iron from food. Vitamin C can be found in green vegetables, potatoes, tomatoes and citrus fruits such as oranges and lemon. A lack of vitamin C can cause scurvy, iron deficiency and poor wound healing. A healthy diet should include a high amount of vitamin C because the human body cannot produce its own vitamin C.
Vitamins are essential aids in many body processes, converting food the energy, building and maintaining cells, and other functions.
Vitamin E is the general classification for a group of eight fat-soluble compounds of tocopherols and tocotrienols. Vitamin E functions primarily as an antioxidant, but also has other roles in the body [1].
The nutrients we get from eating fruits and vegetables are also very important in our daily diet. When we eat anything we get nutrients from it, but the question is are we eating too much? Too much of a good thing can be bad! The different vitamins have many different purposes, vitamin A keeps the eyes and skin healthy and helps protect against infections. Vitamin C helps heal cuts and wounds and keeps your teeth and gums healthy.