Vitamins At the end of this unit you should be able to:- Understand why our bodies need certain vitamins. Recognise the difference between fat soluble and water soluble vitamins. Identify the sources and deficiencies of Vitamins A, C and D.
Vitamins feed your needs Your body is very powerful and capable of doing all sorts of things by itself. One thing it can t do is make vitamins. That s where food comes in. Y our body is able to get the vitamins it needs from the foods you eat because different foods contain different vitamins. The key is to eat different foods to get a different range of vitamins. Vitamins have many roles in the body; e.g. protection from disease. The amount of each vitamin we need changes during a lifetime. Vitamins are essential for health. In fact the name comes from the word 'vital'. Many different vitamins are present in foods and they are required by the body in small amounts. To ensure we get all the vitamins we need it is important to eat a well-balanced diet. How much of these vitamins do we need? The body requires different amounts of each vitamin because each of them has a different function. People have different requirements too, according to their age, gender, level of activity and state of health. The Department of Health has drawn up Dietary Reference Values (DRVs) for all the nutrients for different groups of healthy people in the UK. Certain groups of people may have higher requirements for specific vitamins, e.g. those suffering from medical conditions, recovering from illness, smokers, athletes and pregnant women. These people need to ensure they obtain adequate intakes by eating foods rich in particular vitamins. 2
Fat soluble and water soluble vitamins There are two types of vitamins: Fat soluble and water soluble Fat soluble Vitamins ( Vitamins A, D, E and K ) When you eat foods that contain fat-soluble vitamins, the vitamins are stored in the fat tissues in your body and in your liver. They are stored in body fat until the body needs them. Water Soluble Vitamins (Vitamin B and C) When you eat foods that have water-soluble vitamins, the vitamins don t get stored in your body. Instead, they travel through your bloodstream. Whatever your body doesn t require is removed and comes out when you urinate. Vitamin A (fat soluble) Function This vitamin plays a really big part in eyesight. It helps prevent night blindness. Vitamin A helps you see in colour, too, from the brightest yellow to the darkest purple. In addition, it helps you grow properly and aids in healthy skin. Sources of vitamin A milk (whole / semi-skimmed only) Mango, apricots, papayas, carrots, sweet potatoes Cabbage, spinach Cheese Butter/ margarine (margarine by law must be fortified with vitamin A) Deficiency: Night blindness Dry flaky skin Frequent infections. 3
Vitamin C Function Vitamin C is important for maintaining body tissues, such as gums and muscles. It is needed to build up the fine collagen fibres that hold the body together. Muscles will not work properly if there is no collagen. * If there is no collagen: teeth fall out wounds will not heal the body will bruise easily Vitamin C is also vital if you get a cut or wound because it helps you heal. It also helps your body resist infection and contributes to the absorption of iron. Sources of Vitamin C? Oranges Cabbage Potatoes Lemon Broccoli Raspberries Tomatoes Kiwi fruit Brussel sprouts Lime Spinach Sweet red peppers Cantaloupe melon Deficiency: Severe deficiency leads to scurvy. This disease is characterised by bleeding gums, poor wound healing and damage to bone and other tissues. It is rarely seen in the UK today, although it may occur very occasionally in older adults. 4
Vitamin D Function Vitamin D is the vitamin you need for strong bones and teeth. Vitamin D also helps your body absorb calcium. Exposing skin to sunlight is an excellent way of getting Vitamin D into our bodies. Sources of Vitamin D? Milk (whole, semi-skimmed) Fish Egg Sunlight Fortified breakfast cereal Cheese Yoghurt Butter/margarine Deficiency: Can lead to bone deformity in children (rickets) and to pain and bone weakness in adults (osteomalacia / osteoporosis). Osteoporosis is a condition that affects the bones causing them to become weak and more likely to break. Osteomalacia is a condition where bones become weak and softer than usual causing bone pain and muscle weakness. 5
Activity 1 Complete the table using the work you have covered in this booklet. 6
Activity 2 Using the article Return of Rickets answer the following questions. 1. Rickets are on the rise because a generation milk and dairy products. 2. What are rickets? 3. Were rickets common in Victorian times? 4. Why do many children stay indoors a lot, nowadays, compared to years ago? 5. Milk was provided free to all school children from to the. 6. A 1/3 of the pupils are consuming less than the every day. 7. The 2 important nutrients found in milk are C and V 8. The main reasons for the increasing number of rickets in older infants and toddlers are - - prolonged. - extensive. - increased use of. - and that provide little vitamin D and calcium. 7
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Activity 3 Deficiency Disorders Label each disease using the word bank below Osteoporosis Scurvy Night blindness Rickets 9