Vitamins and Minerals

Question 1

What are vitamins? What is the difference between fat soluble and water-soluble vitamins?

Answer 1

Vitamins:
* Potent, essential compounds
* Perform various bodily functions.
* Growth and reproduction
* Maintenance of health
* Organic (contain carbon)
* Do not provide calories (energy)

Fat Soluble:
* A, D, E, K
* Found in fats and oils of foods.
* Stable in foods
* Stored in the liver and body fats.
* Regular intake recommended.
* Megadoses can build up to toxic levels.
* Megadose: dose of ten or more times the amount normally recommended.
* Deficiency symptoms develop slowly.

Water-Soluble:
* B vitamins and vitamin C
* Found in watery components of food
* Fragile in foods – can be washed out or destroyed during food storage, processing, and preparation
* Body excretes excess if blood levels rise too high – low risk of toxicity
* No storage site in the body
* Daily intake recommended
* Deficiency symptoms appear quickly

Question 2

Know the vitamins discussed in the handout, including functions, food sources, deficiency diseases/symptoms (if any), toxicity symptoms (if any). Use the PowerPoint to help define key terms.

Answer 2

Look at pg.9 from Final Review Fall 2023

Question 3

What are minerals? What is the difference between major and trace minerals?

Answer 3

Minerals are:
* Inorganic compounds
* Found naturally in the earth’s crust

Major minerals: essential nutrients found in the human body in amounts greater than 5 grams – needed in large amounts in diet

Trace minerals: essential nutrients found in the human body in amounts less than 5 grams – needed in smaller amounts in diet

Question 4

Know the minerals discussed in the handout, including functions, food sources, deficiency diseases/symptoms (if any), toxicity symptoms (if any). Use the PowerPoint to help define key terms.

Answer 4

Look at pg. 10 from Final Review Fall 2023