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Nutrition
General Nutrition
1320
Operations
Administration
Operations,
Professional
Standards Training
Topic
Communications &
Marketing
3330
» to your credit
Making the grade in your profession
Vim, Vigor and
By Dayle Hayes, MS, RD
» Learn the fundamentals of everything
from ascorbic acid to thiamin.
M
Earn 1 CEU
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Key area
and Key
Topic Code
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Most of those who work in the dietetics and nutrition professions have studied
vitamins at some point. Many who work in school nutrition, however, come
from a foodservice or even a non-food background, and may not have learned
the fundamentals about vitamins and other nutrients or about the role these
play in our health. Whether your personal nutrition education level means
you require a Vitamins 101 primer or just a simple refresh, this article can
meet that need.
VITAMIN VOCABULARY Let’s start with a
review of some general information about
vitamins. The term micronutrient is used to
describe vitamins because we need such tiny
amounts of them. Our daily requirements for
vitamins are measured in milligrams or micrograms. This is in contrast to the grams of protein
or ounces of water that we require each day.
The term vitamin comes from the words vital
and amine. We may need only tiny amounts, but
vitamins are vital for life. They were originally
thought to be a compound called amines, although
science has now concluded that not all vitamins
are amines. In the past, most research on the optimal intake of vitamins, through food or supplements, only looked at the prevention of symptoms
that occur in the wake of deficiencies. Today,
scientists are also interested in the potential for
specific vitamins to prevent and treat disease, as
well as to enhance health, physical performance
and mental functioning.
Food fortification refers to the addition of key
vitamins (and minerals) to foods that are commonly consumed in order to improve their nutritional
quality. This is often done to address a specific
nutrient gap and effectively increase consumption
to improve public health. Fortification has been
used around the world in different foods since
the 1920s because it improves nutrition without
requiring people to make major changes in their
eating habits or purchasing patterns.
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stores and individuals may make false
claims about the safety and effectiveness of their products. The FDA has
excellent science-based information
about dietary supplements, including vitamins, at http://tinyurl.com/
SN-mag-vitamin-supplements.
The “big two” when it comes to vitamin fortification in the United States
today are vitamin D and folic acid.
Vitamin D fortification in milk became
a common practice in the 1930s as a
means to prevent rickets, a devastating bone disease affecting infants and
children. While most milk sold in U.S.
dairy cases is still vitamin D-fortified
(and rickets has virtually been eliminated), the authors of the 2015 Dietary
Guidelines for Americans report that
vitamin D remains “a nutrient of public
health concern” for both children and
adults. Scientists now believe that
vitamin D may have important roles
beyond bone health—perhaps in the
prevention of diabetes and cancer.
There are ongoing discussions about
the proper foods and correct amounts
of vitamin D that should be used in
fortification.
Mandatory fortification of grainbased foods with folic acid began in this
country in 1998 because this B-vitamin
can prevent serious neural tube birth
defects (NTDs), like spina bifida. Folic
acid must be consumed very early in
pregnancy, however, often before many
women know that they are pregnant
and can start taking a folic acid supplement. That’s what prompted the practice of adding folic acid to certain foods.
The current folic acid fortification
program has significantly reduced the
number of U.S. pregnancies affected by
NTDs, while raising promises of some
other possible health benefits and only
a very few potential concerns.
Arguably the most frequently asked
question about vitamins is: Can I get all
the vitamins I need from food or should
I take a supplement? But there is not a
simple “either/or” answer. To make the
right decision for you and your family,
consider the points that follow.
» Virtually every nutrition professional agrees: It is best to get vitamins
from food first. This means that eating
nutrient-rich meals and snacks made
with a wide variety of foods (fresh,
frozen, canned and prepared) and
beverages is the place to start.
» Few of us eat “perfectly” all the
time, however, and certain populations
have higher vitamin needs than what
is considered easily attainable through
meals. An over-the-counter multivitamin/mineral supplement can be
helpful if your food intake is less than
optimal. Just remember that a pill or
powder will never “fix” the health and
nutrition consequences of an eating
style that lacks fruits, vegetables, whole
grains and dairy foods.
» Vitamin supplements are important for pregnant women, nursing
mothers, young infants and children
with picky eating habits. Be sure to
check with a health care provider or a
pharmacist to get the proper doses of
vitamins and minerals for your individual needs.
» According to the U.S. Food and
Drug Administration (FDA), “many
supplements contain active ingredients
that have strong biological effects and
their safety is not always assured in
all users.” If you have a chronic health
condition and take certain supplemental products, you may be putting yourself at risk for serious side effects and
drug interactions. Again, check with
your pharmacist or health care provider to determine if the supplements
you are taking can interact with any
medications or cause problems during
surgery. Even over-the-counter drugs
can have negative interactions with
vitamins and other supplements.
» Not all sales pitches for dietary
supplements are accurate. Websites,
THE VALUE OF VITAMINS Vitamins
are critical elements for health, and
they are best consumed through food,
rather than supplements. Got it. Now,
how does one go about making sense
of the “alphabet soup” that inevitably
results from a discussion about these
micronutrients? Which vitamins are
most important for you, your family
and your customers? Let’s examine
a baker’s dozen of vitamins from two
perspectives. Why do we need it? What
are the basic functions of this nutrient
in the human body? Where is it found
in food? What foods or beverages are
the best sources of this nutrient?
Vitamins are divided into two types.
Fat-soluble vitamins can be stored in
your body’s fat cells. Excess watersoluble vitamins cannot be stored in
your body. In general, if you ingest
more than your body can use, they
are excreted in your urine. Let’s start
with the fat-soluble vitamins:
Vitamin A.
This vitamin is
also found in food
and supplements
as beta-carotene,
a compound that
can be converted
to vitamin A. Its
primary functions are to:
» help your eyes see normally in the
dark;
» protect against infections by keeping skin and membranes healthy; and
» act as an antioxidant to help prevent certain cancers and heart disease.
Vitamin A is found in animal products (liver, fish oils, eggs, whole milk
and fortified dairy foods) and as betacarotene and other carotenoids in red,
yellow, orange and dark-green produce
items.
Vitamin D. It’s
also known as the
“sunshine vitamin,”
because your body
can make it when
ultraviolet light
hits the skin.
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Vitamin D promotes the absorption
of calcium and phosphorus and helps
deposit these minerals into bones
and teeth, to make them strong and
healthy. In addition to being made
from ultraviolet light, vitamin D is
found naturally in small amounts in
fish (sardines and salmon). It is added
to milk products, margarines and some
cereals.
Vitamin E.
This has become
one of the mostresearched micronutrients. It serves
as an antioxidant
to reduce damage
to body cells over
time and may reduce the risk of heart
disease, cancer and other chronic
health problems. The best sources of
vitamin E are vegetable oils (soybean,
corn, safflower, cottonseed, etc.) and
products made with these oils (salad
dressings, margarines, baked foods,
etc.).
Vitamin K. This
is a vitamin that
your body can and
does produce on
its own through
bacteria in your
intestinal tract.
Your body uses
vitamin K to make the protein that
causes blood to coagulate or clot, which
stops bleeding. It also helps to make
parts of other proteins used by your
blood, bones and kidneys. The best
foods sources of vitamin K are darkgreen, leafy vegetables like spinach and
broccoli. Smaller amounts can be found
in dairy foods, cereals, eggs and meat.
The water-soluble vitamins include
vitamin C and the “B-complex” vitamins. At one time, these were thought
to be one single “B factor” compound.
As nutrition scientists separated the
various Bs from one another, they
named some B1, B2 and so on, while
others were named for their chemical
structure. Over the past 100 years,
compounds have been named up to B17
and beyond. Most of these, however,
were determined not to be true
vitamins, unlike the ones that follow.
Thiamin/Vitamin B1. This watersoluble vitamin helps produce
energy from carbohydrates in every
body cell. Pork, liver and other organ
SAVE A
STAMP!
Nutrition
General Nutrition
1320
» the test
You can take this
test online and
pay by credit card.
Go to: www.schoolnutrition.org/OnlinePDAs
”Vim, Vigor and Vitamins”
Completion of this test, with a passing score,
will count as 1 Continuing Education Unit (CEU) in Key Area 1,
Nutrition, Code 1320.
Please Print
Name: ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
SNA Member Number: ___________________________________________________________________________________________________
Address: _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
City / State / Zip: _________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Email: ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
1. Vitamins are typically measured in ___.
■ ounces
■ grams
■ milligrams
■ millimeters
2. Scientists think there is potential for vitamins to prevent and treat disease.
■ True
■ False
3. Originally, milk was fortified with vitamin
D to help prevent ___.
■ polio
■ tuberculosis
■ scurvy
■ rickets
4. The best source of vitamins is from ___
foods.
■ fresh
■ frozen
■ canned
■ all of the above
5. Vitamin supplements are always safe to
take with over-the-counter medications.
■ True
■ False
6. ___ is effectively the same as betacarotene.
■ Vitamin C
■ Vitamin D
■ Vitamin K
■ none of the above
7. Vitamin D is also known as the ___
vitamin.
■ “dairy”
■ “fortifier”
■ “sunshine”
■ “bone-builder”
8. Which of these is not a B vitamin?
■ thiamin
■ ascorbic acid
■ riboflavin
■ niacin
9. Folic acid and folate are two different
micronutrients.
■ True
■ False
10. Broccoli is a good source of vitamin C.
■ True
■ False
TEST COMPLETION & SUBMISSION DETAILS
To earn 1 Continuing Education Credit (CEU) toward SNA’s Certificate/Credentialing programs for this
professional development article (PDA) test, you must achieve a passing score and the issue date
(March 2017) must not be older than five (5) years from your Certificate/Credentialing period, A
maximum of three (3) PDAs per year is allowable for SNA’s Certificate in School Nutrition program. There is
no maximum of passing PDAs for those with the SNS Credential, submitted within the three-year period.
To pay by check: Mail this completed form before your expiration date. Include $11 (SNA Members) or $17
(non-members) for processing to: SNA, Attn: PDA, PO Box 759297, Baltimore, MD 21275-9297. Do not
send cash!
To pay by credit card: Pay for and take the test online at www.schoolnutrition.org/OnlinePDAs.
Processing fees for tests completed online are $9 (SNA Members) or $15 (non-members).
Due to administrative costs, refunds will not be made for any reason.
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meats provide
significant
amounts of
thiamin. Whole
and enriched grain
products (cereal,
bread, etc.) provide
most of our
thiamin intake today.
Riboflavin/
Vitamin B2. This
nutrient aids in
producing energy
in all the cells of
your body. It also
helps to change
tryptophan (an
amino acid) that is present in foods
into niacin. Milk, dairy foods and organ
meats are excellent sources of riboflavin. Whole and enriched grain products
(cereal, bread, etc.) supply smaller
amounts.
Niacin/
Vitamin B3.
Another in the B
series of vitamins,
it assists your body
in using fats and
sugars, producing
energy in all the
cells of your body and aiding more
than 200 enzymes to function properly.
You can find niacin in protein foods
(meat, fish, poultry, dairy foods, nuts
and legumes). Enriched grain products
also contain this vitamin.
Vitamin B6/
Pyroxidine. This
vitamin helps your
body make certain
amino acids from
protein. Like riboflavin, it also converts tryptophan
into niacin. Where it differs is helping
to convert tryptophan into the brain
chemical known as serotonin. Vitamin
B6 also works to produce insulin, hemoglobin and antibodies to fight infection.
Chicken, fish, pork, beef and organ
meats are the best sources of
vitamin B6. Fortified grains, whole
grains, nuts and legumes also supply
smaller amounts.
Folic Acid. Yet
another B-complex
vitamin (B9), it’s
also called folacin
or folate, depending on its form in
food and supplements. It plays
several roles in the human body.
» It’s considered essential in reproduction by helping to produce DNA.
» Folic acid works with vitamin B12
to form hemoglobin in red blood cells.
» It can help reduce the risk of
neural tube birth defects by as much
as 75%.
All enriched grain products in the
United States today are fortified with
folate. Leafy green veggies, some fruits,
liver and legumes are other good sources of this B-vitamin.
Vitamin B12/
Cobalamin. This
is the largest and
most complex
vitamin compound.
It works with folic
acid to form hemoglobin in red blood
cells. It also helps the human body to
use fatty acids and certain amino acids.
In addition, it serves as a vital part of
many different chemicals in almost
every cell of the body. Vitamin B12 is
found only in animal products (meat,
fish, poultry, eggs, milk and other dairy
foods) and fortified foods, like breakfast
cereals.
Biotin. Also
included as a
B-complex vitamin,
and sometimes
referred to as B7,
it plays an important role in energy
production at the
cellular level. Biotin also aids the body
in using proteins, carbohydrates and
fats that come from food. It is present
in a wide variety of foods, but in relatively small amounts. Eggs, liver and
cereals are among the best food sources
of biotin.
Pantothenic
Acid/B5. The last
member of the
B-complex is
found in most
multi-vitamin
preparations. It
plays an important
role in energy production and helps the
body use proteins, carbohydrates and
fats from food. It is widely available in
meat, fish, poultry, whole grains and
legumes.
Vitamin C.
This water-soluble
vitamin is also
known as ascorbic acid. It has
dozens of functions
throughout your
body, such as:
» helping to produce collagen, the
connective tissue that holds body parts
together;
» helping to form and repair red
blood cells, bones and other tissues;
» protecting the body from bruising;
» keeping gums healthy;
» promoting the healing of cuts and
wounds; and
» keeping your immune system
strong.
Citrus fruits and juices (orange,
grapefruit, tangerine, etc.) are excellent
sources of vitamin C. Certain produce
items (kiwi, berries, broccoli, peppers,
etc.) also are good sources.
VITAMIN VIRTUE While sometimes
hyped as miracle cures for every ailment under the sun, vitamins are just
essential nutrients. They are necessary in very small amounts to ensure
normal growth, development and good
health during every stage of the human
lifecycle, from in utero to old age.
Nutrition experts agree that food is the
best—and certainly the best-tasting—
source of vitamins for all of us! SN
Dayle Hayes is a school nutrition
and social media consultant based in
Billings, Mont. You can reach her at
[email protected].
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