Vitamins and Minerals 2024 PDF

Vitamins, minerals and their importance for nutrition Assoc. Prof. Dr. Şebnem Şimşek 2024 Compared to carbohydrate, protein and fat molecules, vitamins are: smaller molecules, have a different structure, have different functio...

Vitamins, minerals and their importance for nutrition Assoc. Prof. Dr. Şebnem Şimşek 2024 Compared to carbohydrate, protein and fat molecules, vitamins are: smaller molecules, have a different structure, have different functions, do not provide energy, but are components of enzymes that are responsible for energy production and reactions that are important for health. They are found in foods in varying quantities and it is sufficient to consume them in milligramme or microgram quantities. Vitamins are organic compounds and as such they can be destroyed, oxidised or broken down. When this happens, they lose their function. They are divided into two categories: fat-soluble and water-soluble vitamins. While water-soluble vitamins can pass directly into the blood, fat-soluble vitamins pass first into the lymph and then into the blood. In order to reach the cells in the body, fat-soluble vitamins require special carriers. The kidneys react very sensitively to the concentrations of the substances in the blood, recognise them and remove them from the bloodstream. While excess water-soluble vitamins are excreted from the body in this way, fat-soluble vitamins, just like fats, are stored. Therefore, excessive consumption of fat-soluble vitamins can lead to toxic effects over time. Minerals There are numerous studies on minerals, especially iron, zinc, iodine and selenium, which are vital for the human body. Calcium, phosphorus, potassium, sulphur, sodium, chloride and magnesium are called major minerals because they are found in quantities of more than 5 g in the human body, while iron, manganese, copper, iodine and zinc are called trace minerals because they are found in smaller quantities. Unlike other nutrients, minerals are inorganic molecules.  FAT-SOLUBLE VITAMINS Vitamin Food sources Functions Diseases caused Stability by deficiencies Vitamin A Retinol: Growth, Night blindness, Resistant to Retinol Egg yolk, liver, development and changes in heat and alkali, Retinal fish oil, fortified repair, protection epithelial tissue, Susceptible to Retinoic acid dairy products, of body tissues, keratinization, light, acid, Retinyl ester butter immune system, dry eyes oxygen, Provitamin A visual functions (xeropthalmia), ultraviolet α-, β-, γ- caroten abnormal bone and radiation Criptoxantin β-caroten: tooth Rapid 5000IU (1RE=3,33IU) Dark green development. degradation at (1 IU=0.3 µg vegetables high retinol=0.6 µg beta temperatures in caroten = 1.2 µg other the presence of carotenoids) rancid oils Vitamin Food sources Functions Diseases caused Stability by deficiencies Vitamin D Fish liver oil, It is a component Rickets, tetany, Resistant to heat, fortified milk, egg of the steroid dental caries, alkali, and oxidation Vitamin D2 yolk, exposure to hormone structure osteomalacia Ergocalciferol sunlight that regulates calcium and Vitamin D3 phosphorus Cholecalciferol absorption and metabolism, and is involved in bone 200-400 IU, 5-10 µg mineralization Vitamin Food sources Functions Diseases caused Stability by deficiencies Vitamin E Vegetable oils, Antioxidant, Haemolysis of red Resistant to heat whole grains, dark protection of cell blood cells, and acid, oxidation α-, β-, γ- tocopherol green vegetables, membranes and anaemia, at the presence of nuts (chestnut, red blood cells neuromascular rancid oils as well 8-10 mg α-tocopherol hazelnut), legumes from oxidation, dysfunction as lead and iron, immune function degradation at ultraviolet light WATER-SOLUBLE VITAMINS Vitamin Food sources Functions Diseases caused Stability by deficiencies Vitamin C Citrus fruits, Collagen synthesis, Scurvy, weakness The least stable tomato, melon, immune system of cartilage and vitamin, undergoes Ascorbic acid watermelon, protection, wound capillary walls, oxidation in the strawberry, healing, skin bleeding, pain, presence of heat, 60 mg/day green and red antioxidant, anemia, delayed light, alkali, pepper, broccoli, increased iron wound healing, oxidative enzymes, potato, green absorption weak bone and and Cu/Fe minerals. leafy vegetables tooth development Vitamin Food sources Functions Diseases caused Stability by deficiencies Vitamin B1 Whole-grain Eergy metabolism, Loss of appatite, The dried form is bread, enriched neural and appetite mental depression, stable, but when its Thiamine bread, grains, health hearth rhythm solutions are cereals, flours, disturbances, heated to 120°C in 1,5 mg/day brewer’s yeast, beriberi an acidic organ meats, environment, it is legumes largely lost. It degrades under neutral or alkaline cooking conditions. Vitamin Food sources Functions Diseases caused Stability by deficiencies Vitamin B2 Dairy products, Energy metabolism, Cracks, cold Rapid degradation grains, fortified normal vision, sores, sensitivity in solution under Riboflavin grain breads, healthy skin to light or burning UV and visible animal proteins and itchy eyes light, sensitivity to 1.7 mg/day strongly alkaline solutions and stability to heat, oxidising agents and acids. Vitamin Food sources Functions Diseases caused Stability by deficiencies Niacin Animal proteins, Energy metabolism, Pellagra It is highly fortified grain nervous system, - Neurological resistant to alkali, Nicotinic acid products, legumes digestive degeneration, skin acid, heat, light, Nicotinamide functions, skin inflammation and oxidation health (dermatitis) 20 mg/day Vitamin Food sources Functions Diseases caused Stability by deficiencies Folic acid Organ meats, dark Birth defects, red Megaloblastic Sensitivity to light green leafy blood cell anemia, and thermal Folat vegetables, production, growth depression, decomposition, Folacin muscle meats, and cell division, growth sensitivity to acidic Pteroilglutamic acid poultry, fish, egg, nucleoprotein retardation, conditions (PGA) whole grains synthesis frequent infections 400 µg/day  MINERALS Mineral Food sources Functions Diseases caused Stability by deficiencies Calcium Milk and dairy Bone development Osteomalacia, Increasing: products, fish with and maintenance, osteoporosis, Stomach acid 1000 mg/day edible bindings, dark nervous system tetany, Vitamin D green leafy vegetables, functions, blood hypercalcemia Lactose fortified foods clotting, muscle Ca-binding proteins contraction Decreasing: High fiber diet, excess phosphate, fat, phytate, oxalic acid, (spinach with yoghurt, excessive chocolate consumption, chocolate milk) Mineral Food sources Functions Diseases caused Stability by deficiencies Iron Meat, fish and Components of Anaemia, reduced Factors that poultry, whole hemoglobin and resistance to increase: 18 mg/day grain foods, myoglobin, infections, Increased red legumes, green components of reduced labour blood cell vegetables, egg, oxidative enzymes productivity, production, dry fruits (Catalase, reduced physical increased acidity in Cytochrome, activity, fragility, the stomach and Xanthine oxidase), fatigue, reduced upper duodenum, production of new learning ability, depletion of the cells, amino acids, pale and concave body's iron stores hormones, and nails, delayed neurotransmitters wound healing Decreasing factors: Tannins, phytates from cereals, haemagglutinins, antacids (spinach with yoghurt, tea, coffee) Mineral Food sources Functions Diseases caused by Stability deficiencies Zinc Meat, seafood, and Components of most of Growth retardation, poultry, milk, the enzymes, increased delayed sexual 15 mg/day legumes, nuts and or decreased enzyme maturation, seeds activity impaired immune function, hair loss, eye and skin lesions, loss of appetite Iodine Salt with iodine, Tyroid function, Simple goiter , Decreasing: seafoods, milk, egg growth, cretinism (mental Guatrogens 150 µg/day mental development, and physical energy metabolism retardation in Increasing: infants) Selenium References El, S. N. 2020. Gıda Bileşenlerinin Beslenme Açısından Önemi, Ege Üniversitesi, Mühendislik Fakültesi, Gıda Mühendisliği Bölümü Öğrencileri İçin Hazırlanmış Beslenme Ders Notu, İzmir. Whitney, E., and Rolfes, S. R. 2016. Understanding Nutrition, 14th Edition, Stamforth, USA.