Micronutrients- Vitamins Flashcards
What is the function of Vitamin A in the diet?
Prevents nightblindness
Keeps skin healthy
Antioxidant
Keeps skin membranes healthy
What sources are there of Vitamin A
Retinol- cheese, eggs, oily fish, milk, yoghurt, liver
Beta-carotene- yellow/red veg and green leafy evegetables
What happens if you have a deficiency of Vitamin A
Nightblindness
What happens if you have an excess of Vitamin A?
Retinol is poisonous. Pregnant woman should avoid foods containing large amounts as it can be harmful to the baby.
What is the name of Vitamin B1
Thiamin
What is the function of Thiamin (B1) in the diet?
Works with other B group vitamins to release energy from food
Helps the nervous system
What are the sources fo B1?
Peas, bananas, oranges, nuts, wholegrain bread, fortified breakfast cereals, liver
What happens if you have a deficienty of B1?
BERI BERI, muscle wasting disease- only seen in countries where food is short.
What happens if you have an excess of B1?
Very rare, only when someone takes too many supplements.
What is the name of Vitamin B2
Riboflavin
What is the function of Riboflaving (B2) in the diet?
Releases energy from food
Keeps skin, eyes, nervous system and mucous membranes healthy.
What are the sources fo B2?
Milk, eggs, fortified breakfast cereals, mushrooms, plain yoghurt
What happens if you ahve a deficiency of B2?
Rare, skin problems, dry cracked lips, poor growth in children
What is the name of B3?
Niacin
What is the function of B3?
Releases energy from food
What are the sources of B3?
Meat, fish, wheat flour, eggs
What happens if you have a deficiency of B3?
Pallegra (pal-egg-rah)- symptoms include- diarrhoea, dermatitis (sore, dry and crack skin) and dementia (loss of memory, confusion, cannot speak properly).
What happens if you have an excess of B3?
No side effect- can lead to liver damage in high quantities
What is the name of B9?
Folic Acid
What is the function of B9?
Reduces risk of nervous system defects in unborn babies
Works with B12 to form healthy red blood cells
What are the food sources of B9?
Broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage, peas, chickpeas and kidney beans, liver, fortified breakfast cereals
What happens if you have a deficiency of B9?
SPINA BIFIDA, is a birth defect that occurs when the spine andspinalcord don’t form properly.
It’s a type of neural tube defect.
What is the name for B12
Cobalamin
What is B12’s function?
Works with B9 to make healthy red blood cells
Keeps nerve cells healthy
What are the sources of B12?
Meat, fish, milk, cheese, eggs, fortified breakfast cereals
What happens if you ahve a deficiency of B12?
PERNICIOUS ANAEMIA- common in vegans (supplements required
What is an alternative name for Vitamin C?
Ascorbic Acid
What is Vitamins C’s function?
Helps the body absorb IRON
Needed to maintain CONNECTIVE TISSUE which binds the cells together in skin, blood vessels, muscles etc.
Anti-oxidant
What are sources for Vitamins C?
Citrus fruits, peppers, strawberries, blackcurrants, broccoli, brussels sprouts, potatoes
What happens if you have a deficiecy of Vitamins C?
SCURVY (bleeding from small blood vessels under skin, gums inflamed, loose teeth, wounds take a long time to heal, scar tissue may break open). IRON DEFICIENCY ANAEMIA- iron isn’t absorbed.
What happens if you have an excess of Vitamins C?
Stomach pain and diarrhoea.
What is the function of Vitamin D
Developing and maintaining bones and teeth
Healing broken bones
Preventing bone diseases: RICKETS and OSTEOPEROSIS
Helping body to absorb CALCIUM
What are the sources of Vitamin D?
Oily fish (salmon, mackerel, red meat, liver, egg yolks, fortified foods (breakfast cereals and spreads), dietary supplements, sunlight reacting with your skin.
What happens if you have a deficiency of Vitamin D?
Rickets- bones soften causing bending and bowing.
What happens if you have an excess of Vitamins D?
Stored in the body, unlikely to cause problems.
Which groups are most at risk of a deficiency of Vitamins D?
Pregnant and breastfeeding women, children under the age of 5, those not exposed to the sun, cover their skin, indoors for long periods, people with darker skin.
What is Vitamins E’s function
Protecting the body (antioxidant and anti-aging)
Forming red blood cells
What are the sources fo Vitamin E?
Plant oils (rapeseed, sunflower, soya, corn and olive), nuts and seeds, wheatgerm (found in cereals and cereal products)
What happens if you have an excess of Vitamin E?
Causes lack of appetite (no issue with deficiency as rare)
What is the function of vitamin K?
Making blood clot and maintaining bone health
What are sources of Vitamin K?
Green leafy vegetables, vegetable oils and cereal grains
What happens if you are deficient in Vitamin K?
Rare, as made by the body. Signs of deficiency include easy bruising and bleeding. Blood may take longer to clot in a person suffering with Vit K deficiency.
What happens if you have too much Vitamin K?
Not enough evidence to suggest possible effects of taking too much.
Which groups are at risk of a Vitamin K deficiency?
New born babies are at risk of developing a rare condition associated with Vit K deficiency. It is almost completely preventable by giving a single dose soon after birth.
Explain why there is some truth to ‘carrots can help you see in the dark’
Carrots are high in beta-carotene which is a form of Vitamin A. Vitamin A helps to prevent night blindness, which is turn allows people to be able to see in the dark.
Explain why we are able to spread our intake of fat soluble vitamins over time
Fat soluble vitmains are stored in our body’s fat tissue, so that they can be used by our body over time
Why is an excess of water soluble vitamins unlikely to cause any side effects?
As they are water soluble, we can pee them out.
Identify fat soluble vitamins
A,D,E,K
Identify water soluble vitamins
B1, B2, B3, B9, B12 and C
Explain the link between free- radicals, anti oxidants and Vitamins A, C and E
A,C and E are all antioxidants, which are thought to prevent skin ageing via free- radicals
Water soluble vitamins can be easily destroyed when heated, expalin why
