1.3 Vitamins & Minerals Flashcards
What are vitamins?
Organic molecules that are needed by the body in very small amounts
A vitamin that we can obtain from other sources are…
Vitamin D (made by the body by the action of UV rays from sun to skin)
Some mineral salts are needed in fairly high amounts and are called…
Macronutrients
Some are needed in much smaller amounts
Micronutrients
Calcium is found in
Dairy food and eggs
Function of calcium
Makes up bones an teeth, needed for blood clotting
Phosphate is found in
Dairy foods, eggs, meats
Function of phosphate is
Makes nucleic acids, ATP, phospholipids, bones & teeth
Iron is found in
Liver, green vegetables
Function of iron is
Makes haemoglobin and myoglobin
Sodium is found in
Table salt, dairy foods, meat, eggs and vegetables
Function of sodium is
Needed for nerve and muscle action
Where can vitamin D be stored?
In our muscles and body fat
Why is vitamin D needed?
To absorb calcium ions from the food in our guts and to assist in depositing calcium in bone cells
Lack of a vitamin can lead to
Deficiency disease
Vitamin D deficiency can lead to…
Rickets (soft bones in children), gradual softening of bones (bones become painful and more likely to fracture in adults)
Pregnant women should increase their vitamin D intake as it is needed for the foetus’ developing bones
Why is vitamin K important?
In blood clotting - found in dark green vegetables
Why is vitamin A needed?
To make pigment rhodopsin, present in the rod cells of the eye - which are needed for vision in dim light - can be stored in the liver
-Found in milk, egg yolks and carrots
A lack of vitamin A can lead to…
Blindness through inflammation and scarring of the cornea of the eye
Also causes ‘night blindness’ (inability to see in dim light)
Vitamin E acts as a…
An antioxidant, and seems to be beneficial in preventing cancer.
High amounts of vitamin D can lead to…
Kidney damage and kidney stones
Too much vitamin A can be
Toxic and can lead to serious side-effects including liver damage
