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VITAMINS & MINERALS
VITAMINS
Vitamins: do not provide energy. They help carbohydrates,
fats, and proteins do their work. There are 13 vitamins known
to be required for good health.
They are divided into:
 Water-Soluble Vitamins: dissolve in water and pass
easily through the blood stream (Vitamin C and the Bcomplex vitamins)
 Fat-Soluble Vitamins: are absorbed and transported by fat (Vitamins A, D, E, and K)
A is needed for good vision, healthy skin, strong bones, and wound
healing. It is found in yellow, orange, and green vegetables, yellow fruits,
and in the fat of animal products like fish, milk, eggs, and liver.
B is needed for using protein, fat, and carbohydrates, and for keeping your eyes, skin, and
mouth healthy; for development work of the brain; and for a healthy nervous system. It is found
in foods like whole grain and enriched cereals and breads, meat and beans. B-Vitamins
include: Thiamin (Vitamin B1), Riboflavin (Vitamin B2), Niacin (Vitamin B3), Vitamin B6, Folic
Acid (Folate), Vitamin B12, Pantothenic Acid, and Biotin.
C is needed for wound healing; for development of blood vessels, bones, teeth, and other
tissues; and aids in the absorption of iron. It is found in foods like citrus fruits, melons, berries,
leafy green vegetables, broccoli, cabbage, and spinach.
D is needed for using calcium and phosphorus to build bones and teeth. Sunshine
causes your own skin to produce this vitamin. It is found in fatty fish, liver, eggs,
butter, and it’s added to most milk.
E helps to preserve the cell tissue. It is found in a wide variety of foods, and most
people get enough. Vegetable oils and whole grain cereals are especially rich sources.
K is needed for normal blood clotting. It is found in dark green leafy vegetables, peas,
cauliflower, and in whole grains. It is also made in our own bodies.
MINERALS
Minerals: most become a part of your body (teeth and bones),
while others are used to make substances that your body
needs. Minerals are divided into three groups:
 Major Minerals: needed in relatively large amounts.
Water, Vitamins & Minerals
 Electrolytes: work together to maintain body’s fluid balance.
 Trace Minerals: needed in very small amounts, but are just as important as other
nutrients.
MAJOR MINERALS (Bone Minerals):
CALCIUM is the mineral we need most. It makes bones and teeth
strong and sturdy. It is found in milk products. A lack of calcium can
lead to osteoporosis.
MAGNESIUM helps bones and muscles do their work and helps turn food in to energy. It
also helps the body use certain vitamins. You get this mineral in nuts, seeds, and dark
green vegetables, and whole grain products.
PHOSPHORUS works with calcium in making bones and teeth. It is very plentiful in a
typical Canadian diet.
FLUORINE is also important for strong bones and teeth. It helps prevent cavities. It is
found in seafood and in some plants. But many of us get our supply from the fluorine
added to drinking water.
ELECTROLYTES (Fluid Regulating Minerals):
These minerals include SODIUM, POTASSIUM, & CHLORINE. More than half your body
is water. These minerals help keep the right amounts of water inside the cells, while
keeping the rest out.
Sodium is an essential nutrient, but our bodies require very little. Diets high in
sodium may increase risk of high blood pressure, and heart disease. Sodium is
found in large quantities in many processed convenience foods.
TRACE MINERALS (Material Makers):
IRON carries oxygen in your blood. The best sources of iron are meats
(especially liver). But foods from some plants, like beans, green, leafy
vegetables and grains, are good sources of iron, especially when eaten
with foods rich in vitamin C. An example is drinking some orange juice with your whole
wheat toast in the morning. The vitamin C helps your body absorb the iron.
IODINE is needed to make a hormone produced by the thyroid gland, which controls
growth. Iodine is now added to salt.
ZINC helps you grow, taste, make proteins, and heal wounds. You get zinc in whole grain
breads, beans, meats, shellfish, eggs, and many more foods.
COPPER, along with iron, is important for healthy red blood cells, it also helps build
muscles. Good sources are fish and meats, as well as nuts, raisins, oils, and grains.
Water, Vitamins & Minerals