Health & Fitness Blog

Vitamins and Minerals and What they do

The Basics

We all have heard of vitamins and minerals and their importance in our daily diet for good health.

The sheer variety of vitamins and minerals that is available in health shops and supermarkets may seem confusing and even a little scary – what to buy, and for what benefit ??

Vitamins are a fundamentally important part of the human diet, and in order to take the best care of your health and well being,  it’s useful to understand what each vitamin does – and why you need them. Once you understand the  basics and functions of each of the vitamins and minerals, then you’ll be able to shop wisely and choose food, and vitamin supplements, that will help improve your health and well being.

It’s not necessarily the pills containing the highest quantities of vitamins that are the best, and the more expensive ones aren’t necessarily better than the cheaper brands.

Given that most food today is highly processed, it is recommended that you check to see that you are getting your daily requirement of vitamins and minerals from your daily diet.   If  you’re not, then it’s worth making up the lack by taking supplements.

Some vitamins are actually produced by the body rather than being absorbed from food, but even then certain conditions are required to make this happen.   Vitamin D, for example, is produced from exposure to sunlight, and so our vitamin D levels fall in the Winter, and can be low if you work indoors.

What are Vitamins and Minerals?

Vitamins and Minerals are micro-nutrients which are required for the normal functioning of the body. Though they have no energy or calories, the body needs vitamins and minerals because of their various functions, and the chemical reactions they enable in the body and brain.

For example -

• Some Vitamins, including the B-group vitamins, convert food into energy, and help strengthen your nervous system – good if you’re overworked or stressed-out !.
• Vitamins are required to make enzymes and hormones.   Hormones are important substances used by the body and the brain to perform a number of essential functions
• Vitamins promote normal growth by aiding metabolism and helping to build protection against germs and viruses.
• Vitamins are very important for normal growth and development in children
• Vitamins and Minerals help in healthy bones and teeth
• These micro-nutrients are good for healthy skin, hair and nails and keeps you mentally strong

Vitamins D and K are INTERESTING IN THAT THEY ARE ACTUALLY produced naturally by the body. Vitamin D can be formed in the skin, given adequate exposure to sunlight, while vitamin K is normally produced by our natural healthy intestinal bacteria. However, it’s necessary to supplement the naturally-produced amounts of these two Vitamins because, partly due to the conditions of modern life, they are generally not produced in adequate amounts for your on-going needs.

So How Many Different Vitamins and Minerals Are There ?

There are thirteen Vitamins, and sixteen (or more) minerals currently recognized by science.  Of these 13 Vitamins, there are two basic groups – Fat Soluble and Water Soluble.

Fat-Soluble Vitamins

Fat-soluble vitamins are stored in the fatty tissues in the body and in the liver. Vitamins A, E, D and K are fat-soluble – that is, they dissolve in fat, but not water.  Since these vitamins are stored in the body, it’s important not to take too high a quantity of them in a healthy diet.   Because the body stores them, their levels will build up in your body if you get too much of them, and in excess quantities they can be toxic and even cause health problems.

Water-Soluble Vitamins

The other group of Vitamins are the water-soluble vitamins. These Vitamins pass into the water in your body and pass out again when you pass water.   Vitamin C, and the B-group Vitamins are water soluble vitamins.   The good news is that, if you take too much of them, the excess is passed out of the body when you visit the toilet.   But the downside is that you need to keep taking them every day for the very same reason.   Also, when you cook your food, especially when boiling food such as vegetables, these vitamins are lost as they leach out into the cooking water.

In my nest post I’ll go into the details of the function that each Vitamin and Mineral plays in the body.   As I said above, once you know the function of each vitamin and mineral – and how much of each one you need – then it’s easy to pick the right combination that will maintain and improve your health.

Vitamins are Famous !

Of all the nutrients a healthy body needs, almost everybody has heard of Vitamins, and while most people have heard that “Vitamin C can help prevent you catching a cold”, most of us don’t know much about these essential micro-nutrients.   Hopefully now you’ve gained a bit of knowledge that will help you know what you’re looking for when you want to make some small changes to your diet that will improve your health.

Next Time

Come back soon, I’ll be going into more detail on what each Vitamin can do for you, and how much you should aim to get, in order to be sure that you have a healthy diet.

Follow these top diet tips to get started with your fitness program, and live a healthy life

# Drink a lot of water every day – Drinking water has many health benefits. It is a key ingredient in keeping your internal systems in balance. Around 6-8 glasses of water is the recommended daily intake.

# Eat 5-6 small meals in a day rather than three big meals, this will help control your weight. Enjoy eating more in the morning and afternoon; dinner should be the last and the lightest meal

# Try to include protein plus fibre in all your meals, healthy proteins help to improve muscle mass, and fibre helps to make you feel full, which means you don’t want to eat so much.

# Try to stock your kitchen with healthy foods, try not to buy junk and fatty foods from the supermarket. If you have a selection of ready-to-eat healthy meals and snacks at home then there is less chance of you ordering a pizza delivery.

#When you are eating out, try to share meals, or order a child’s portion. Seriously, this is a great way to reduce your food intake. If possible, eat a healthy snack before you go out to eat, so that you aren’t tempted to over-eat, but still you don’t go hungry

# If you are on a weight control program, or trying to loose weight, buy a kitchen scale. It is easy to underestimate the amount you are eating, and when you weigh the food in your meal you may find that it is more than the recommended serving size. Aim to eat the right serving size as shown in the nutrition table at the back of the packet.

# Eat slowly, and chew thoroughly. This is good for the digestion, and also you will feel fuller sooner.

# Try to avoid eating anything, especially carbohydrates, in the last 2-3 hours before you go to bed.

#Avoid processed foods as much as possible. Instead, go for whole meal and wholegrain. Aim to eat carbohydrates, which are low G.I.  such as whole grains, oats etc.

# Avoid fried food, if you can’t, then at least avoid deep fry and go for stir-fry. Ideally, eat baked, or grilled food.

# Extra Virgin Olive Oil is good for cooking.

# Include 3-4 grams of Omega-3 fatty acids in your diet daily. Foods like salmon, walnuts, and flaxseed are excellent sources of Omega-3. Omega-3 Fish oil capsules as a dietary supplement are a convenient way to do this.

# If you are not a gym lover, then try to take a brisk 30 minutes walk once a day, 5 days a week.   This exercise, coupled with a healthy diet, is good for cardiovascular fitness and for overall good health.

# Drinking fresh fruit juice is healthy, but you can’t beat actual fresh fruit.   It has more fibre than fruit juice, which means that it makes you feel full sooner, and this makes you want to eat less without feeling hungry.

Come back soon for more Diet, Fitness, and Health Tips !