VITAMINS

Vitamins are made up of carbon,

hydrogen and oxygen.
Vitamins are called micronutrients
because they are needed in only very
small quantities. They all have chemicals
names but they are usually referred to
by letters.
 MAIN FUNCTIONS
Vitamins are essential to the body:
To maintain health
To help prevent deficiency diseases such as
Beriberi (weakened muscles, heart, nerves and
digestive system) and rickets (softening of the
bones)
To regulate the repair of body cells
To help combat the ageing process
To help to process carbohydrates and release
energy in the body
 VITAMINS -
Two main categories
Water soluble Fat Soluble

A
B D
C E
K
 Water soluble Fat Soluble

Cannot be stored in body Can be stored in body -

- regular supply needed regular supply not needed

Excess is excreted in Can accumulate to toxic

urine - no danger of toxic levels if large amounts
levels ingested

Unstable to heat and Fairly stable at normal

light, leach into cooking cooking temperatures
liquids
Vitamin A 2 forms; Retinol and Beta-
Carotene

Retinol Beta-Carotene
Named because of its Plant sources
concern with retina of
eye Present with chlorophyll
Only found in animal in plants, converted to
foods Vitamin A in gut wall
Vitamin A - Retinol and Beta-Carotene

Functions Sources
Regulates growth Retinol - Cod liver oil,
Liver, Dairy
Promotes healthy products, Herrings,
skin Egg yolk
Maintenance of Beta-Carotene
healthy tissues Dark green leafy
Helps eye adapt to vegetables, Broccoli,
dim light Carrots, Deep orange
fruits and vegetables
The moisturising
vitamin!
Vitamin A - Retinol and Beta-Carotene

Effects of deficiency
Retarded growth,
malformed bones
Long term-may lead to
night blindness
Susceptibility to
infection
Excess beta-carotene
may lead to liver and
bone damage
 Vitamin D -Calciferols
Functions Sources
Absorption and Sunlight conversion
laying down of
calcium and Fish liver oils
phosphorous in Dairy products
bones and teeth Oily fish
Regulates calcium Margarine
balance between
bones and blood
Prevents rickets
Vitamin D -Calciferols
Effects of deficiency
*Rickets in children and
*osteomalacia in adults
* Conditions where bones
are soft and cannot take
weight of body

**Osteoporosis
**Bones become light, less
dense and prone to
fractures

Dental caries
 Vitamin E - Tocopherol
Functions Sources
Protects tissues Pure vegetable oils
against damage Wheat
Promotes normal wholemeal bread and
growth and
Cereals
development
egg yolk
Helps in normal red
blood cell nuts
formation sunflower seeds
Vitamin E - Tocopherol
Effects of deficiency

Deficiency is very
rare but it could
affect the central
nervous system
 Vitamin K - Napthoquinone
Functions Sources
Needed for blood Green leafy veg
clotting, which means
it helps wounds heal Vegetable oil
properly. Cereals
There is increasing
evidence that vitamin
K is also needed to
help build strong
bones.
Vitamin K - Napthoquinones
Effects of deficiency

Deficiency is very
rare but individuals
with liver damage
and new born infants
are at a higher risk
 Vitamin B1 - Thiamin
Functions Sources
Essential for release of Meat
energy from Oatmeal
carbohydrates Breakfast cereals
Necessary for appetite Wheat
and good health Fortified white flour
Milk
Needed for normal
Eggs
functioning of nervous
Vegetables
system
Vitamin B1 - Thiamin
Deficiency
Fatigue,
depression,
irritability

Beri-beri -
disease of
nervous system
 Vitamin B2 -Riboflavin
Functions Sources
Metabolism of carbohydrates, Offal
proteins and fats
Milk
Growth, repair, development of
Cheese
body tissues - healthy skin, eyes
and tongue Eggs
The principal growth promoting Yeast extracts
factor in the vitamin B complex
Green Vegetables
Vitamin B2 -Riboflavin
Deficiency
Loss of appetite
Swollen tongue,
cracked lips, eye
infection,
 Vitamin B3 -Niacin
Functions Sources
Metabolism of Meat, Offal
carbohydrates, proteins Yeast extracts
and fats Yeast
Needed for normal Bran, wheat, flour
functioning of nervous Some pulses, dried fruit
system
Vitamin B3 -Niacin

Deficiency
Fatigue,
depression,
irritability
Beri-beri -
disease of
nervous system
 Vitamin B9 -Folic Acid
Functions Sources
Red blood cell formation
Fortified cereals
Development of brain, spinal
Green leafy
cord and skeleton in foetus
vegetables
Reduces risk of neural tube
defects e.g. spina bifida
Potatoes
May play role preventing bread
heart attacks, strokes and Milk
cancer
Wheat
Vitamin B9 -Folic Acid
Deficiency
Fatigue in mild cases
Anaemia in severe
cases
Neural tube defects
Important to take
folic acid prior to
conception and vital
during first 3 months
pregnancy
 Vitamin C -Ascorbic Acid
Functions Sources
Critical to immune system
Rosehips,
Formation of connective
tissue, collagen blackcurrants,
Helps absorption of iron green peppers,
Prevents scurvy kiwi, citrus
Promotes healing of wounds fruits,
and healthy blood vessels strawberries,
Acts as antioxidant, spinach, cabbage,
protects cholesterol
broccoli
 Vitamin C -Ascorbic Acid
Deficiency
Weakening of connective tissue
Susceptibility to infection
Incomplete iron absorption
Delayed healing of wounds
Prevent scurvy - pale skin with spots,
bleeding, soft gums.
 KEY FACTS:
Micronutrients are essential for a
healthy body
Water soluble vitamins must be eaten
every day
It is easy to improve the micronutrient
content of your diet by eating more
fruit and vegetables, enough red meat
and wholegrain cereals.
 MINERALS
Our body requires mineral elements for
a variety of functions. They are also
known as micronutrients.
 MINERALS
Unlike vitamins, which are organic substances
minerals are inorganic and are found in rocks
and soil. Vegetables absorb minerals as they
grow, while animals digest it through their
diet.
Minerals can be divided into two groups -
those needed in larger quantities (major
minerals) and those only required in tiny
amounts (trace elements).
 MINERALS
Trace Minerals - are iron, zinc and
iodine.

Major Minerals - are sodium,

potassium, calcium and phosphorus.
 MINERALS
Minerals have 4 major functions:
Body building teeth and bones
Control of body processes, especially
the nervous system
Essential part of body fluids and cells
Form part of enzymes and other
proteins necessary for the release of
energy
 Iron
Functions Sources
Production of Red meat
haemoglobin in Kidney
red blood cells to
carry oxygen in Liver
the blood Eggs
Bread
Green veg
Deficiency
Anaemia
 Calcium
Functions Sources
Teeth and bones. Dairy products
Blood clotting. fortified white
Nerve and muscle bread
contraction.
oily fish
Heart regulation
green veg
Deficiency nuts and seeds
Stunted growth can cause citrus fruits.
rickets, osteoporosis.
 Phosphorus
Functions Sources
Bones and teeth Dairy products
with calcium.
Nuts
Muscle contraction
Meat
Fish
Deficiency foods rich in
Rarely deficient but could calcium
cause tiredness and
depression
 Sodium
Functions Sources
Maintains water Cheese
balance in the body Bacon
and controls body
temperature, helps smoked meats
you sweat when body Fish
temp rises. processed foods
table salt.
Deficiency Government advice
Deficiency is highly says on average you
should be eating no
unlikely more than 6g of salt a
day.
 Potassium
Functions
Muscle contraction Sources
and in maintaining Banana
fluid. It is necessary
for the building of Celery
muscle and for
normal body growth. Turnips

Deficiency
Dry skin, acne,
Muscle spasms
 Zinc
Functions Sources
Everything from Meat (lamb)
acne to diabetes.
Aids the immune
Oats
system. Needed for Eggs
the senses of smell Nuts
and taste.
Deficiency
Dry skin, acne,
Muscle spasms
 Iodine
Functions
Sources
Thyroid gland function
(controls how quickly Animal and plat
the body uses energy) life from the sea
and body metabolism
Milk
Deficiency Eggs
Particularly in Yogurt
children,
fall in the production
of thyroid hormones
 Fortified Foods
The addition of micronutrients to
commonly consumed staple foods is a cheap
and effective way of improving nutrient
intake for the population as whole or for
vulnerable groups.
In the UK since the 1940s there has been
mandatory fortification of white flour with
calcium, iron, vitamins B1 thiamin and B3 -
niacinB1, B2 and margarines with vitamins A
and D. These measures have helped to
reduce the burden of many previously
common deficiencies
 Folic acid fortification
Folic acid is a B vitamin. It is called folate when it is
found in foods in its natural form. Folic acid is used
in supplements or added to food.

Some foods, such as many breakfast cereals and

spreads, are already fortified with folic acid and
other vitamins and minerals. But recently there have
been discussions about whether it should be
compulsory to add folic acid to bread or flour in the
UK.
 Match up Task:
Match up the vitamin or mineral to the
function and to the
Exam style question:
 Practical Task
Demonstrate your understanding and
nutritional knowledge in such away to
maximise the ascorbic acid content of a
recipe.
Find out what the RNI for vitamin C is in
adults and your recipe should aim to supply
at least a third of the RNI for vitamin C.
60mg.
Your practical work should be a main
course or starter course using vegetables.
 To do:
Investigate food sources naturally rich in
vitamin C.
Select an appropriate recipe and nutritionally
model it to ensure that it reaches a third of an
adults RNI for vitamin C. 20mg.
Plan to cook your dish; write out the method
with controls. In the controls you must fully
explain how vitamin c is lost and what steps you
will be taking to reduce the loss of vitamin C.
After making, evaluate. Estimate where the
ascorbic acid was lost in your recipe. Were there
any further steps that you could have taken to
minimise that loss?