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Vitamins and minerals are
crucial to your health. Even though they do not provide you with energy
per se, they are important to various functions in the body. A deficiency
of a particular vitamin or mineral can cause disease. Many folks cures are
based on the fact that a specific food could replenish the missing
nutrient. Around the turn of the century, chemists were able to isolate
these compounds. They were given letter names, and later on, more specific
names. Deficiency diseases were also identified. The United States
Recommended Daily Allowance (USRDA) recommendations for vitamins and
minerals were established based on the levels required to prevent those
diseases.
Water Soluble Vitamins
Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) and the B
vitamins can be dissolved in water. This means that you need to replenish
stores of these vitamins daily, since they are readily lost from the body
in waste fluids. They are also sensitive to prolonged exposure to heat,
air and light. Cooking foods to retain maximum levels of the water soluble
vitamins is a challenge for the chef. Since the body can excrete water
soluble vitamins with ease, you normally need not worry about building up
toxic levels of these vitamins. It is possible to take too much of these
vitamins, however.
Phytochemicals
Phytochemicals are those compounds
found in plant-based foods. They have been linked with a variety of health
benefits.
Beta-Carotene
This vitamin is found in red and
orange vegetables, leafy greens, and members of the cabbage family.
Beta-carotene is a precursor for vitamin A, and has been shown to have a
variety of health benefits.
Anti-Oxidants
The antioxidants include vitamins C
and E. These compounds help to prevent other substances, such as the
membranes of red blood cells and vitamin A from being destroyed. They do
this by bonding with the oxygen that would otherwise destroy white and red
blood cells, as well as cell membranes in the lungs. This means that the
mechanisms required to keep the immune system strong and functioning are
preserved.
Fat-Soluble Vitamins
Vitamins A, D, E and K are fat
soluble. This means that they are stored in fat, which is far less simple
to remove from the body than water. Mega-doses of vitamin supplements can
easily cause toxic levels to build up. leading to serious disease, even
fatal. Unlike water-soluble vitamins, these vitamins are much more stable
during cooking.
Major Minerals
Calcium, potassium and sodium are
required by our body in significant quantities. They are essential to
maintaining a proper balance of fluids in our body, as well as the proper
acid/base balance. Calcium is associated with bone strength and density.
Potassium has been linked to maintaining the heart's rhythm, while sodium
has a great deal to do with blood pressure. These minerals need to be part
of your daily diet.
Trace Minerals
Other minerals known to be important
to maintaining health are required in very small amounts. Iron, zinc,
manganese and fluoride are all trace minerals.
Dietary Requirements for Vitamins
and Minerals
Today, as we continue to learn more
about the role of vitamins and minerals in maintaining health, questions
about the value of supplementation are cropping up. Many people are
attempting to use vitamin and mineral supplements to bolster their immune
systems, fight diseases, and prevent the development of everything from
osteoporosis to cancer. Self-medication can have serious consequences if
an individual takes mega-doses, especially of the fat-soluble vitamins and
some minerals.
For most people, supplementation is
unnecessary if a varied diet rich in whole grains, fruits and vegetables
is followed. For those who do not get a good dietary source of some
vitamins or minerals, supplementation may be suggested.
Water - "The Forgotten Nutrient"
Like vitamins and minerals, water is a
non-caloric essential nutrient, which means that you need it to keep your
body running properly, but it does not provide you with energy or with
building materials for growth or repair of tissues. Our bodies are mainly
water. Drinking the recommended eight glasses of water per day keeps
joints properly cushioned, and increases the body's ability to get the
necessary nutrients to the spot where we need them, and to clean out
toxins from your system.
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