Chef at 19:08, 8 February 2013

2013-02-08T19:08:31Z

New page

{{#seo:
|title=Vitamins, minerals and supplements (a Cookipedia Wiki category page)
|titlemode=replace
|keywords=Vitamins, minerals and supplements (a Cookipedia Wiki category page)
|description=Vitamins and minerals are the essential nutrients that your body requires in order to properly function
|og:image=https://www.cookipedia.co.uk/wiki/images/a/a0/Borough-Market-March-2009-7.jpg
|og:type=article
}}



[[Image:Borough-Market-March-2009-7.jpg|thumb|300px|right|Fruit and vegetables are an essential part of a balanced; which in turn is the best way to obtain your vitamins, minerals and trace elements]]
Vitamins and minerals are the essential nutrients that your body requires in order to properly function.
Normally, most people will get all of the nutrients they need from a balanced diet.
v
Taking vitamin or mineral supplements for a prolonged period of time may cause harmful effects. Consult your doctor if taking supplements for a long period of time.
===What types of vitamins are there?===
There are two types of vitamins: fat-soluble vitamins and water-soluble vitamins.
====Fat-soluble vitamins====
Fat-soluble vitamins are generally found in fatty foods like animal [[fats]]. they include [[butter]], [[lard]], [[vegetable oils]], dairy foods, [[liver]] and [[oily fish]].

You need these vitamins for your body to function properly. However, your body stores fat-soluble vitamins in the liver and fatty tissues for future use so you do not need to eat foods that contain them everyday. Because these stores of vitamins and minerals can build up over time, taking too much of them can be harmful.

Fat soluble vitamins are:

* [[Vitamin A]]
* [[Vitamin D]]
* [[Vitamin E]]
* [[Vitamin K]]

====Water-soluble vitamins====
Your body does not store water-soluble vitamins so you need them more regularly.

Any excess of water-soluble vitamins are expelled when you urinate so as a generalisation, these vitamins are not normally harmful. Even so, large amounts of water-soluble vitamins can still be harmful.

Water-soluble vitamins can be found in seeds and grains, [[fruit]] and [[vegetables]]. Because the essential vitamins are easily destroyed by heat they can be lost during the cooking process. Boiling the vegetables is particularly destructive to the water-soluble vitamins. [[Steaming]] or [[grilling]] is the best way to cook vegetables without destroying the water-soluble vitamins.

Water soluble vitamins are:

* [[Vitamin B|The B vitamins]]
* [[Vitamin C]]
* [[Folic acid]]

===What are trace elements?===
Trace elements are similar to essential minerals but they are required in very small amounts - ''see Essential minerals table below''.

===What are essential minerals?===
Your body needs minerals for the following mains reasons:

* Building strong teeth and bones
* Controlling the cells body fluids
* Converting the food you eat into energy

====Recommended daily allowance (RDA) for minerals and trace elements ====
Minerals can be found in [[meat]], [[cereals]], [[dairy produce]], [[fish]] , [[nuts]] and [[vegetables]]. They are an important part of a health diet.

{| class="wikitable" class="sortable wikitable"
|-
! Dietary element
! RDA/AI (mg)
! Category
! High nutrient density dietary sources
|-
| [[Potassium]]
| 04700.0004700 mg
| is a systemic electrolyte and is essential in coregulating ATP with sodium.
| [[Legume]]s, [[potato skin]], [[tomato]]es, [[banana]]s, papayas, lentils, dry beans, whole grains, avocados, yams, soybeans, spinach, chard, sweet potato, turmeric.
|-
| Chlorine
| 02300.0002300 mg
| is needed for production of hydrochloric acid in the stomach and in cellular pump functions.
|[[Table salt]] (sodium chloride) is the main dietary source.
|-
| [[Sodium]]
| 01500.0001500 mg
| is a systemic electrolyte and is essential in coregulating ATP with potassium.
| Table salt (sodium chloride, the main source), sea vegetables, [[milk]], and [[spinach]].
|-
| Calcium
| 01300.0001300 mg
| is needed for muscle, heart and digestive system health, builds bone, supports synthesis and function of blood cells.
| [[Dairy product]]s, eggs, canned [[fish]] with bones ([[salmon]], [[sardines]]), green leafy [[vegetable]]s, [[nuts]], [[seeds]], [[tofu]], [[thyme]], [[oregano]], [[dill]], [[cinnamon]].
|-
| Phosphorus
| 00700.000700 mg
| is a component of bones (see apatite), cells, in energy processing and many other functions.
| Red [[meat]], [[dairy foods]], [[fish]], [[poultry]], [[bread]], [[rice]], [[oats]]. In biological contexts, usually seen as phosphate.
|-
| Magnesium
| 00420.000420 mg
| is required for processing ATP and for bones.
| Raw [[nut]]s, [[soy bean]]s, [[cocoa]] mass, [[spinach]], [[chard]], sea vegetables, [[tomatoes]], [[halibut]], [[beans]], [[ginger]], [[cumin]], [[cloves]].
|-
| Zinc ''(trace element)''
| 00011.00011 mg
| is pervasive and required for several enzymes such as carboxypeptidase, liver alcohol dehydrogenase, and carbonic anhydrase.
| Calf [[liver]], [[eggs]], dry [[beans]], [[mushrooms]], [[spinach]], [[asparagus]], [[scallops]], red [[meat]], green [[peas]], [[yoghurt]], [[oats]], [[seeds]], [[miso]]
|-
| Iron ''(trace element)''
| 00018.00018 mg
| is required for many proteins and enzymes, notably hemoglobin to prevent anemia. Dietary sources include red [[meat]], leafy green [[vegetable]]s, [[fish]] ([[tuna]], [[salmon]]), [[egg]]s, [[dried fruit]]s, [[bean]]s, whole [[grain]]s, and enriched [[grain]]s.
| [[Grains]], dry [[beans]], [[eggs]], [[spinach]], [[chard]], [[turmeric]], [[cumin]], [[parsley]], [[lentils]], [[tofu]], [[asparagus]], [[salad]] greens, [[soybeans]], [[shrimp]], [[beans]], [[tomatoes]], [[olives]]
|-
| Manganese ''(trace element)''
| 00002.3002.3 mg
| is a cofactor in enzyme functions.
| [[Spelt grain]], [[brown rice]], [[beans]], [[spinach]], [[pineapple]], [[tempeh]], [[rye]], [[soybeans]], [[thyme]], [[raspberries]], [[strawberries]], [[garlic]], [[squash]], [[eggplant]], [[cloves]], [[cinnamon]], [[turmeric]]
|-
| Copper ''(trace element)''
| 00000.9000.900 mg
| is required component of many redox enzymes, including cytochrome c oxidase.
| [[Mushrooms]], [[spinach]], [[greens]], [[seeds]], raw [[cashews]], raw [[walnuts]], [[tempeh]], [[barley]]
|-
| Iodine ''(trace element)''
| 00000.1500.150 mg
| is required not only for the synthesis of thyroid hormones, thyroxine and triiodothyronine and to prevent goiter, but also, probably as an [[antioxidant]], for extrathyroidal organs as mammary and salivary glands and for gastric mucosa and immune system (thymus):
| Sea vegetables, iodized [[salt]], [[eggs]]. Alternate but inconsistent sources of iodine: [[strawberries]], [[mozzarella cheese]], [[yogurt]], [[milk]], [[fish]], [[shellfish]].
|-
| Selenium ''(trace element)''
| 00000.0550.055 mg
| a cofactor essential to activity of [[antioxidant]] enzymes like glutathione peroxidase.
| [[Brazil nuts]], cold water wild [[fish]] ([[cod]], [[halibut]], [[salmon]]), [[tuna]], [[lamb]], [[turkey]], calf [[liver]], [[mustard]], [[mushrooms]], [[barley]], [[cheese]], [[garlic]], [[tofu]], [[seeds]]
|-
| Molybdenum ''(trace element)''
| 00000.0450.045 mg
| the oxidases xanthine oxidase, aldehyde oxidase, and sulfite oxidase
| [[Tomatoes]], [[onions]], [[carrots]]
|}

==See also==
* http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vitamin
* http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/vitamins-minerals/Pages/vitamins-minerals.aspx
* http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dietary_mineral
{{CategoryLine}}
[[Category:Ingredients]]

Category:Vitamins, minerals and supplements - Revision history

Chef at 19:08, 8 February 2013