Vitamins and Minerals

The vitamins, minerals and trace elements in our diet provide us with vital raw materials with which to continue the growth, repair and proper functioning of our bodies. This page offers a layperson's summary of what is already known about the vitamins and minerals below.

• Vitamin A and beta-carotene – vitamin A is also known as retinol and is used by the body to maintain healthy skin and supports eye health, notably colour vision and low light vision and is required by the immune system and the body’s repair systems. Retinol comes from animal sources such as bony fish, liver, egg yolks and dairy products. Beta-carotene, a carotenoid which is converted by the body into Vitamin A, is plentiful in red and orange coloured fruit and vegetables such as tomatoes and carrots (hence, good for your eyesight...).

• The B-complex vitamins – are a group of eight separate compounds which work most effectively when combined together. Some are fat soluble and can be stored by the body. Others are water soluble and need to be included in the daily diet. Many of these are added in fortified breakfast cereals:

• B1 thiamin – required for the conversion of carbohydrates into energy as well as heart and cardiovascular function, the nervous system, mucous membranes and brain function including memory. Available from wholegrain foods, pork, peas and other legumes,
• B2 riboflavin – also required for the metabolism of carbohydrates as well as fats and proteins. Used in maintenance of healthy hair follicles, nails and skin and in regulating stress levels in the body. Source from live yoghurts and other dairy products, eggs, liver and leafy green vegetables like cabbage, spinach and water cress.
• B3 niacin – also converts carbohydrates into energy for the body. Other uses include generation of hormones, regulating digestion system, effective nervous system function. Include beef, pork, chicken, wholegrain flour, eggs and milk in your diet.
• B5 pantothenic acid – used in metabolism of fats and carbohydrates as well as upkeep of the nervous and immune systems. Available from a large variety of common foods such as meat and vegetables, some fruits and just about all wholegrain foods.
• B6 pyridoxine – is important in the digestion and metabolising of the proteins and carbohydrates in our diet. Can be found in a wide variety of foods including meat, poultry, fish, dairy products, vegetables, peanuts and wholegrains.
• B12 cobalamine – works with folic acid in the bone marrow to help make red blood cells, it also keeps the nervous system healthy(and is believed to aid concentration) and in metabolising foods. It can be included in your diet through most meat and dairy products. Vegans may get B12 from yeast extracts, algae products and supplements.
• Folic acid – widely recommended to pregnant women to minimise the risk of neural tube defects (such as spina difida) but also involved in red blood cell production, metabolism of carbohydrates, manufacture of protein and DNA and in cell division. Broccolli, spinach, peas, asparagus, humus, brown rice, egg yolks and avocado all contain folic acid, or folate in its natural state.
• Biotin – is another B-complex substance which helps the process of breaking down the fats and proteins in our food. We don’t need very much of it and it can be obtained from brown rice, liver and kidney, eggs and dried fruit.

• Vitamin C – has a long list of uses in the body including boosting the immune system, promoting heart and cardiovascular health, formation of some hormones including adrenaline and sex hormones, connective tissues, gums and teeth, blood vessels, the absorption of iron, wound healing and so on. It’s easy to include in your diet by eating lots of fruits, especially oranges and other citrus fruit as well as red berries, and vegetables such as broccoli, cabbage and peppers.

• Vitamin D – the sunshine vitamin, is an exception to the general rule about consuming vitamins and minerals. We make most of our vitamin D requirement in our skin when exposed to the ultra violet light from the Sun. Just bare arms and face is enough. We can then store that in our bodies for times, such as the winter period, when the sun is not strong enough or we are not exposing our skin to it.

• We can also get some vitamin D through our food; some oily fish, egg yolks, milk and fortified foods such as breakfast cereals. This is useful for those who do not get skin exposure, for cultural or other reasons, to enough UV during the year.

• Vitamin E - is a powerful antioxidant which promotes healthy and supple skin, healing of tissues, improved immune systems and stronger cardiovascular function. It also helps vitamin A to function effectively. It can be found in nuts, seeds and vegetable oils, oily fish, avocado and whole grain foods including oats and brown rice.

• Vitamin K – is important in forming and repairing bones, blood clotting and regulating menstrual bleeding. It is made by bacteria in the gut and is not commonly deficient in normal adults. The best food sources are dairy products, egg yolks, oily fish and green leafy vegetables.

 

Minerals

• Calcium is famously used in the construction of our bones and teeth but it also is needed for ligaments and nails, and required for cardiovascular health, the nervous system and muscles. As well as in milk and other dairy products, calcium can be found in nuts, particularly almonds, green leafy vegetables and bony fish.

• Iron is vital for making red blood cells which transport oxygen around the body ensuring brain and other organs are able to function. Red meat is the best source of iron but it can also be taken from whole grain products and cereals, green leafy vegetables like watercress and kale, pulses, nuts and dried apricots. Including a source of vitamin C in the same meal will increase the body’s absorption of iron.

• Magnesium aids the absorption of calcium into bones through supporting the function of the parathyroid glands. It is also involved in metabolising food effectively. The best sources are leafy green vegetables like spinach. It is also found in nuts, some fruits, onions and garlic and mushrooms. Meat, fish and milk.

• Phosphorous is important for strong bones and teeth. It comes from red meats, poultry, fish, legumes, dairy foods, rice and oats.

• Sodium and potassium are vital in regulating the balance of fluids within cells. They also play an important role in the nervous system ensuring that signals and impulses are passed along. Potassium can be found in nearly all foods including the most common fruits (apples, oranges and bananas) and vegetables (like broccoli, carrots and peas). Sodium is naturally present in small amounts in some foods but deficiency of sodium in the Western diet is very uncommon. More people are suffering from excessive sodium which has been added to their foods.

• Sulphur is employed in construction of tissues such as cartilage. It also plays a part in pain control and in alleviating inflammation. It is included in many compounds found in our diets, both as part of the raw foods and as additives which are common in many processed foods.

Trace minerals or trace elements

• Chromium is used in the production of insulin and has an important role in how the body regulates blood sugar levels and fat storage. It also helps protect they cardiovascular system and is used in control of cholesterol levels in the liver. It can be found in egg yolks, liver and kidneys. Also all wholegrain foods and in nuts and seeds.

• Manganese helps in the making and use of some enzymes in the body. It is important in bone health and maintaining skin and tissues. It can be found in a variety of nuts and grains as well as some green vegetables. Regular tea drinkers will get their quota of manganese from that alone.

• Selenium is very important for the immune system and is even reported to be a vital part of the fight against cancer cells. As an antioxidant it neutralises damaging free radical cells which occurs naturally in the body. It also contributes to regulating our metabolisms and our reproductive systems. Brazil nuts offer one of the richest sources. Other good sources include a variety of seeds, cereals, peanuts, pulses such as lentils, chickpeas and beans, onions, shellfish, oily and bony fish, liver and kidney, meat and eggs.

• Zinc is a component part is a large number of body systems including insulin production, fertility, DNA repair, healing, hormone balance and many functions within the immune system. Zinc is plentiful in shellfish and crustaceans, eggs, lamb meat, chicken and turkey, wheat germ from cereals, pumpkin seeds and brown rice.

Other trace elements include boron, cobalt, copper, fluoride, iodine, molybdenum and silicon. All are necessary and play small but important roles in the healthy body. All can come from a balanced diet which includes a broad selection of the foods mentioned above.