Vitamins are the stars of the nutrition scene. Nutrition, the science of food, is the study of the nutrients and substances in foods. Scientists examine how the balances of food compounds relate to health and disease, and explore how they interact during the process of ingestion, absorption, utilization, and excretion.
There are six essential nutrients for health and body maintenance: vitamins, minerals, water, fats, proteins, and carbohydrates. They are the building blocks of life, and we obtain them through our diet. Our bodies don't make them.
At this time, it is known that there are fourteen vitamins required by humans. Vitamins, first discovered in the late 1800s, are organic compounds found in foods. Since they are organic - containing carbon - they can be destroyed by heat, unlike their companion essential nutrient group, the incombustible minerals.
In the early 1900s, when scientists were continuing to discover new vitamins, they named newly found compounds by alphabet: A, B, C, D, E~. K. Note: The compounds that had been named F, G, H, I, J were later disqualified as vitamins, not fitting the definition: organic compounds needed in small quantities for life growth and maintenance. Compounds that have been given letters with numbers, B-1, B- 2~ were originally thought to be one compound, but later determined to be several different compounds with specific functions for each.
Vitamins are in one of two classes: fat soluble or water soluble. Vitamin C and the B vitamins (such as niacin and riboflavin) are water soluble. Vitamins A, D, E, and K are fat soluble. Which type of solubility each vitamin has will indicate which foods contain them. Basically, non-fat food has no fat soluble vitamins. However, highly colored vegetables like carrots do contain beta-carotene - a proto- vitamin which can be converted to active vitamin A.
Water soluble vitamins are easily shed by the body and lost from foods during preparation. Since they aren't stored by the body, we need to ingest them every day. Nevertheless it is best to avoid taking them excessively. On the other hand, fat soluble vitamins are readily stored by the body. Thus caution is necessary to avoid excessive quantities; it is possible to build up toxic levels of the fat soluble vitamins.
People commonly wonder if they need to take vitamin supplements, and which vitamins should be taken for good health. The situation today is that our foods are coming to us from conditions that previously were never the case for humans. Modern food is highly processed, and is frequently grown in depleted soils. Our foods are picked unripe and therefore incomplete from the standpoint of nutrition. Then they are shipped and handled more than the ideal. Therefore, it seems unlikely that the average person's diet provides sufficient amounts of necessary nutrients - vitamins and minerals in particular. Instead, we are consuming excessive amounts of harmful compounds like preservatives and refined sugars.
A suggestion. Do your own research project. Keep track of what you eat for a week or two. Eat normally, and just write down what you ate and how much of it. Then either buy or check out from your library a book on vitamins that will tell you approximately what you got from each food source. Add it up and compare to the recommended daily allowances. See how you're doing, and if you think it's a good idea to make some improvements, consult with a professional nutritionist, naturopathic physician, or other healthcare professional to come up with a good plan of diet and nutritional supplements. You'll see what a profound difference good nutrition can make in your health.
Carina Snowden writes on topics related to vitamins. Her articles are published in the news at alta vitamin the single on-line resource for a world of news about vitamins. Be sure to refer to all Carina's articles at the news at alta vitamin
bathroom cleaning service Northbrook ..Most healthy eaters are familiar with the three macronutrients that... Read More
If you break the word apart, Nutra has to do... Read More
A 2003 study by the Health Sciences Department of the... Read More
The growing numbers of health conscious people today living more... Read More
L-tyrosine is a non-essential amino acid that plays a role... Read More
As consumers, we are faced daily with choices about what... Read More
Minerals are essential to maintain our bodies in top condition... Read More
Fat Loss Supplement ? what is it?What is a fat... Read More
I recently heard of an older couple that eats salmon... Read More
Recently a television health expert was discussing the topic, "How... Read More
The ancient Egyptians had a cure for "night blindness". They... Read More
The benefits of whey protein are so numerous and apply... Read More
There is no doubt that Omega 3's can not only... Read More
Does this describe you: You walk into the living room... Read More
A deficiency of vitamins can lead to a variety of... Read More
It is important to understand that we are ultimately responsible... Read More
Creatine is an amino acid that is in meat and... Read More
With a high cholesterol and heart disease in the family,... Read More
Imagine this scenario by the end of next August...You contact... Read More
Parents always tell their children to take their vitamins. Every... Read More
At times, due to your busy and fast life, we... Read More
When you buy acid amino arginine you can look forward... Read More
The body needs a minimum amount of vitamins and minerals... Read More
The science of Glycobiology, touted by the Massachusetts Institute of... Read More
Fish oil is oil derived from the tissues of fatty... Read More
insured cleaning company Wilmette ..Most people understand the concept of vitamin and mineral supplementation,... Read More
If you think that smoking is a harmless little hobby... Read More
The multi-vitamin market is rich with choice. It's also very... Read More
If you break the word apart, Nutra has to do... Read More
Fiber supplements can be tremendously beneficial for IBS sufferers. Although... Read More
This article will reveal one easy change you can make... Read More
Taking vitamin and mineral supplements is perhaps one of the... Read More
We all want healthy skin. While the main reasons for... Read More
Vitamin C may be the most famous vitamin. Tens of... Read More
Did you know that when you take vitamins and minerals... Read More
Vitamin B5 or pantothenic acid plays a supporting role in... Read More
"Anybody who tells you that disease has only one cause,... Read More
Many people take amino acids for height growth these days.... Read More
Herbal supplements have become hugely popular over the years, and... Read More
Since the 1960???s there have been numerous controlled clinical trials... Read More
Weight Lifting Supplement ? what is it?The term "weight lifting... Read More
If I read 1 good valid murder mystery book, would... Read More
Your Immune system Needs BalanceTaking an immune system supplement daily... Read More
Carboloading of a different variety.Saturday in Tucson before the 1982... Read More
BCAA stands for branched chain amino acids and is increasingly... Read More
Part 1:A "better nutritional program" means the introduction of foods... Read More
Nitric oxide supplement has many benefits and there are many... Read More
Flavones are the latest big supplement to hit the market.... Read More
Parents always tell their children to take their vitamins. Every... Read More
In parts one and two of this series, titled "Take... Read More
Nutritional Supplements |