Sources of Essential Micronutrients: Vitamins and Minerals

Описание: Essential micronutrients as the name suggests are nutrients our body needs only in small amounts. These are the vitamins and mineral. In todays we will talk about sources of vitamins and minerals and the function of micronutrients.

Vitamins and minerals are essential micronutrients that play a variety of roles in our body, from building to repairing tissue, to aiding digestion, and maintaining nervous system functions. There is daily recommendation of all the micronutrients that we should consume to function normally. Deficiency of vitamins and minerals results in diseases. An example is scurvy due to Vitamin C deficiency in sailors who went on long voyages during 16 and 17th century.

Keep in mind though there is also an upper limit for the amount of vitamins and minerals one must consume on a daily basis. When we consume too much of a particular vitamin or mineral, it can stay within the body, making blood levels more toxic. There can be unpleasant and even damaging side effects to having too much of micronutrient also.

Sources of Vitamin and Mineral Functions

Vitamins are either water-soluble or fat-soluble. The fat-soluble vitamins are A, D, E, K. These all require fat for digestion.

Vitamin A plays a major role in vision, reproductive health and the immune system. Vitamin A and D play a key role in bone health. The best sources of vitamin A are egg yolks, milk and liver. The best source for vitamin D is sunlight.

Vitamin E, has antioxidant properties and helps prevent cell damage. Vegetable oils, nuts and seeds are a great source of Vitamin E

Vitamin K is found in leafy greens such as broccoli, Brussels sprouts and spinach. It plays a role in healing and blood clotting and bone growth.

The water-soluble vitamins include all the B vitamins, vitamin C, folic acid and niacin:

Niacin, Riboflavin (also known as B2) and Thiamin (also known as B1) help metabolize carbohydrates and amino acids. The great source of vitamins B1 and B2 are grains, cereals, meats, and legumes.

Vitamin B6 plays a role similar to those of Niacin, Riboflavin and Thiamin, and also plays a role in neurotransmitter synthesis and the synthesis of blood cells. The great sources of vitamin B6 are poultry, cereals, chickpeas various root vegetables.

Folic acid plays a major role in neurotransmitter and DNA synthesis, amino acid metabolization and red blood cell function. You’ll find it in fruits, legumes, liver, and wheat germ.

Vitamin B12 plays a major role in the nervous system and in message transduction by maintaining the myelin sheath that encases nerves. Because of its important role, B12 deficiencies are serious. Unfortunately you’ll find B12 only in animal based food products such as poultry, beef and dairy. For vegans therefore we strongly recommend them to consume cereals fortified with B12.

The work of Vitamin C is very broad. It plays a crucial role in healing and collagen production, it is an antioxidant, and synthesizes DNA and neurotransmitters. Vitamin C does not prevent the general public from contracting the common cold, though that seems to be a common myth. Too much vitamin C can be a bad thing, acting as an oxidant and even leading to nose bleeds and gastrointestinal distress. Best source of vitamin C are citrus fruits and vegetables.

Essential minerals that our body needs include:
Magnesium
Potassium
Manganese
Calcium
Sulfur
Iron
Chromium
Fluoride
Iodide
Selenium
Zinc
Molybdenum
Copper
Chromium

The main functions of minerals are:
• Bone and organ tissue maintenance
• Muscle contraction
• Digestion
• Healing
• Cellular functions
• Transportation
and much more.

With all the information we have you might now be confused on what you should be eating and how much. So to simplify things just keep in mind that micronutrients are available in whole, unprocessed foods. If you are able to consume a diet high in a variety of fruits, vegetables, legumes and meats and fish, you probably are not deficient in any of them. If on the other hand you find that you are eating a few of the same foods over and over, you may want to supplement your diet with a few key-missing micronutrients.
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