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biochemical importance of vitamins and minerals
biochemical role of vitamins
importance of vitamins , macro and micronutrients in the body
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Vitamins In the early 20th century the discovery of vitamins began. Today there is a chance that there are some vitamins that are still undiscovered. The definition of vitamin is: one of several substances necessary for animal nutrition, and occurring in minute quantities in natural foods; numerous types have been distinguished, and designated by the letters of the alphabet. Each and every living animal needs vitamins to grow and be healthy. Since the human body can t produce vitamins naturally or normally produce the amounts needed, food provides the body with them. There are different vitamins found in different foods. These vitamins give vital nutrients to an animal. In 1906, the British biochemist Sir. Frederick Hopkins demonstrated that foods contain accessory factors in addition to proteins, carbohydrates, fats, minerals and water. Then, in 1912, thee chemist Casimir Funk identified that the antiberiberi substance in unpolished rice was an amine (a type of Nitrogen-containing compound), so Funk proposed that it be named vitamine, from vital amine. It was later discovered that different vitamins have different chemical properties. This discovery caused vitamine to be turned into vitamin. In 1912 Hopkins and Funk made a hypothesis. The hypothesis stated the absence of some vitamins could cause diseases such as beriberi and scurvy. Later a letter was assigned to each vitamin. The letters which were assigned to vitamins in the early years of vitamin research categoriz...
(13) Pazirandeh S. Overview of vitamin K. In: UpToDate, Post TW (Ed), UpToDate, Waltham, MA. (Accessed 27th April 2014)
Vitamin A, in its various forms, is an essential component of mammalian health. In addition to its well-documented role in vision, Vitamin A contributes to several other important biological functions including nuclear transcription, skin cell differentiation, growth, and immunity. As animals are not capable of synthesis, vitamin A and its metabolites (collectively know as the retinoids) must be obtained through the diet (Goodman 1984). Two major forms of vitamin A are found in food: retinol and carotenoids. All of these fat-soluble vitamins contain two distinct structural features that contribute to all of their activity. The first is a β-ionone ring to which the second critical motif, an isoprenoid chain, is attached.
Nutrition in humans is a product that require to supply the human body to function, nutrients also helps to prevent any disease in human organs.
Vitamin A is a fat-soluble nutrient. It plays an important role in vision, maintenance of epithelial cells, immune functions, and participates in the processes of growth, development and reproduction. Vitamin A is characterized into two chemically distinct yet structurally related forms. The first form is retinoid, which is present only in foods of animal origin, such as fish and organ meats. “Retinoid is also known as 'preformed vitamin A' because it can be metabolized directly into compounds that exert the biological effects of vitamin A” (Ross, 2005, p. 329). Preformed vitamin A retinoids are found in liver, fish, fish oils and eggs. A second form of vitamin A is β-carotene, which is synthesized only by plants, but can be turned into vitamin A in the body as needed. These carotenoids are also termed as 'provitamin A.' Provitamin A caretinoids are mainly found in carrots, spinach, broccoli, sweet potatoes, apricots and mangoes. Hence, the nutritional requirements for vitamin A can be met by retinoids, carotenoids, or a mixture of both from plant and animal sources. However, deficiency and excessive intake of vitamin A could lead to serious consequences.
Education plays a dominant role in the lives of students all over the United States. Since most students spend roughly eight to twelve hours in school, it is important to make sure that they are provided with a healthy and nutritious breakfast, lunch and snack.
Vitamin A is a fat-soluble vitamin that is greatly needed by the retina of the human eyes. It’s very vital for the enhancement of color and low-light vision. It’s also a generic term for related compounds such as retinal and retinol. The vitamin also has alternative names such as Retinol, Retinoic acid, Cartenoids and Retinal.
When one hears the three words: vitamins, nutrients, and minerals, they think of one thing-being healthy and noticing what your intake is daily. Nutrition is all about vitamins and nutrients. Firstly, vitamins are an organic compound required by the body in small amounts of metabolism, to protect health, and for proper growth of children. Vitamins also assist in the formation of hormones, blood cells, nervous systems chemicals, and genetic material. There are 13 well-identified vitamins. Some examples of the 13 well-identified vitamins are: A, D, E, and K-fat contained foods, B, C-consumed immediately. A well known and commonly used in commercials for orange juice vitamin is vitamin C. Vitamin C or ascorbic acid is important in the synthesis and maintenance of connective tissues. The lack of vitamin C will result in a sickness called scurvy. Scurvy harms the gums, mucous membranes, and the skin. Another well-known vitamin and is also used to commercial to give more information about this beverage is the vitamin in milk. The vitamin in milk is vitamin D. If you do not drink milk and obtain this vitamin, your bones and teeth will become soft and weak. Lacking one or more of the 13 well-identified vitamins will cause sickness and weakness to your body. Secondly, nutrients are how the body assimilates certain compounds. Nutrients are classified in 5 major groups: proteins, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, and minerals. One of the five nutrients is carbohydrate. The carbohydrate group principally consists of sugar, starch, dextrin, cellulose, and glycogen. In more basic terms, carbohydrates are sugars needed by human and other living organisms. Some types of foods that contain carbohydrates would be candies, ice cream, fruit juice, soda, chocolate bars etc. Lastly, vitamins are connected to minerals. Minerals are also a very important part of a healthy person. There are 11 major groups of minerals. They are: calcium, chromium, copper, iodine, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorous, potassium, selenium, and zinc. All these terms look very familiar if one has taken chemistry. These are the elements of our world. One of the more common minerals that most people have heard of is calcium. Calcium also helps with the structure and strength of teeth and bones. Vitamins and minerals work together to help humans maintain a healthy body. For example, vitamin D works with calcium to help for and maintain the strength of teeth and bones.
... order to stay healthy. Vitamins are organic substances that the body uses to drive or aid metabolism. Minerals, on the other hand, are inorganic substances that the body cannot synthesize but are essential for healthy life. Both of these types of nutrients need to be present in a healthy canine diet.
Vitamins, a group of organic substances required in our diets in small amounts for growth and nutrition, are usually found in foodstuffs or taken as supplements. Yet vitamins probably present a wider gap between myth and reality in the layman's understanding than almost any other area of our diet. Surveys have found that while a majority of Americans do take vitamin supplements on a regular or occasional basis for reason of health concerns, there exists enormous confusion about the actual purpose and benefits of this practice ("Use of Vitamin and Mineral Supplements in the United States," 1990:161). Most people have a recognition that Vitamin C prevents scurvy, that Vitamin A is found in fish-liver oils, or that Vitamin D is found in dairy products; many people believe that Vitamin E preserves youth and prevents sterility, or that Vitamin C can present colds and cancer. Beyond this, however, there is still considerable ignorance and widespread myth.
The 6 essential nutrients are protein fat carbohydrate vitamins minerals and water. Proteins used to build cells in the body, act as hormones and enzymes. “The Institute of Medicine recommends 8 grams of protein for every 20 pounds of body weight”, as stated in www.hsph.harvard.edu. Fat is a source of energy in our body.
Holick, MF 2007, 'Vitamin D Deficiency', New England Journal of Medicine, vol. 357, no. 3, pp. 266-81.
The human body requires small amounts of nutrients in microgram or milligram quantities in our diet because it cannot synthesize the necessary amounts on its own. These nutrients are considered micronutrients. Micronutrients are a combination of water, vitamins, and minerals. Vitamins are organic compounds that do not provide energy, but are essential to the body in helping “aid in metabolism, as well as the growth, development and maintenance of body tissues” (Byrd-Bredbenner, Moe and Beshgetoor 402). Vitamins are broken down into two groups, water-soluble and fat-soluble. The water-soluble vitamins are the B-vitamins, and vitamin C. The fat-soluble vitamins are A, D, E, and K. Minerals are needed in even smaller amounts, however these inorganic substances are necessary for “cell metabolism, nerve impulse transmission and growth and development” (Byrd-Bredbenner, Moe and Beshgetoor 485). Minerals can be categorized into major or trace minerals. The major minerals include Sodium, Potassium, Chloride, Calcium, Phosphorus, Magnesium, and Sulfur. Trace minerals are Iron, Zinc, Copper, Manganese, Iodine, Selenium, Chromium, Fluoride, Molybdenum and Ultratrace minerals.
The family that stays in Vitamin B name consists of eight vitamins: Vitamin B1 (Thiamine), B2 (Riboflavin), B3 (Niacin), B5 (Pantothenic Acid), B6, B7 (Biotin), B12 and last but not the least Folic Acid. When you consider their chemical property, then they all have a similar formula. It was once considered to be a single nutrient that stayed in extracts of rice, yeast or liver. But later on, scientists discovered there was a lot more in these extracts which brought the complete family alive.
“If we could give every individual the right amount of nourishment and exercise not too little not too much, we would have food the safest way of health” (Barasi.E.M, 2003). This essay is going to discuss on the important of six essential nutrients in human body. According to PosnerB.M (1998), he define essential nutrients as a nutrients that the body cannot synthesize on its own-or not to an adequate amount and must be provided by the died. Oxford dictionary (2009), also define essential nutrients as are those nutrients that are required by the body and cannot be synthesise in the adequate amount to meet requirement, so must be provided by the diet. Essential nutrients are those found to be essential to human life and optimal function, Williams.M. H (2006).There are six main type of nutrients used to maintain body health. They are carbohydrates, protein, fat, vitamins, minerals and water. They must be in balance for the body to function properly.
Proper nutrition is one of the most essential elements to being healthy and living a long life. People deal with food every day, and food has been a part of life since the beginning of civilization. What we eat becomes our diet, and our diet plays a major role in deciding how healthy we are and how well our body functions. Without proper diet, our body cannot carry out the functions it needs to perform. Most people have some common knowledge on what is good and what is bad for the human body to consume. Fruits, vegetables, nuts, and grains are some common items people think of when they think of healthy foods. However, it is not enough just to know what foods are good for your body, it is also important to understand why certain foods are good for you and what they do to help the body function.