Vitamins Flashcards
Which vitamins are fat-soluble?
- K
- A
- D
- E
List 2 properties of fat-soluble vitamins.
- They’re heat stable (not lost during cooking)
- They can be stored in the liver, so taking them daily is not as important
What are other names for vitamin A?
- Plant form: carotene
- Animal form: retinol
Which is the function of vitamin A?
- Needed for good eyesight
- Antioxidant
What are 3 things a deficiency of vitamin A causes?
- Night blindness (it speeds up adjustment to low lighting)
- Higher chance of infection
- Stunted growth
List 5 sources of vitamin A.
Retinol:
- Liver
- Egg yolk
- Oily fish
Carotene:
- Fortified margarine
- Orange or yellow fruit and vegetables
What is the function of vitamin D?
- It helps the absorption of various minerals, such as calcium (needed for the development of healthy bones and teeth)
What does a deficiency of vitamin D cause?
- Rickets in children
- Osteomalacia (softening of the bones) in adults, and even osteoporosis
What are 4 sources of vitamin D?
- Oily fish (salmon, sardines)
- Egg yolks
- Fortified margarine
- Sunlight, as it is then produced under the skin
What are the functions of vitamin E?
- It keeps the skin and eyes healthy
- Improves the immune system
- Antioxidant
- Decreases the risk of some cancers
What is caused by a deficiency of vitamin E?
(Is rare.)
- Weak muscles
- Problems with sight
Where is vitamin E found?
- Vegetable oils
- Leafy greens
- Nuts
What does vitamin K do?
- Involved in the normal clotting of blood
What does a deficiency of vitamin K cause?
(Is rare.)
- Blood doesn’t clot properly
Where is vitamin K found?
- Leafy greens
- Cereals
- Vegetable oils
What are the water-soluble vitamins?
- B group
- C
In which ways can the water-soluble vitamins’ nutritional value be destroyed?
- 37°C (enzymes destroy it)
- Oxidation
- They dissolve in water
What does this mean for their intake?
- They have to be taken daily
What do all B vitamins have in common?
- They help the body break down food to gain energy
What is vitamin B1 known as, and what does it do?
- Thiamine
- Helps the nervous system
- Helps with energy release
What does a deficiency of thiamine do?
- Tiredness and weak muscles
- Beriberi (in severe cases)
Where can thiamine be found?
- Bread
- Pasta
- Rice
What is vitamin B2 known as, and what does it do?
- Riboflavin
- Repair of tissues
- Helps with energy release
What does a deficiency of riboflavin cause?
- Skin and eye problems
- Poor growth
Where can riboflavin be found?
- Milk
- Eggs
- Leafy greens
What is vitamin B3 also known as, and what does it do?
- Niacin
- Helps maintain a healthy nervous system
- Helps the skin stay healthy
- Helps with the release of energy
What does a deficiency of niacin cause?
- Pellagra (disease causing fatigue, depression and memory loss)
Where can niacin be found?
- Wheat
- Meat
What is vitamin B9 also known as, and what does it do?
- Folate/ folic acid
- Works with vitamin B12 to make red blood cells
- Foetal development
What does a deficiency of folic acid cause?
- Spina bifida in foetuses
- Anaemia
- Tiredness
Where can folic acid be found?
- Liver
- Peas
- Leafy greens
What is vitamin B12 also known as, and what does it do?
- Cobalamin
- Works with vitamin B9 to make red blood cells
- Helps the nervous system
What does a deficiency of cobalamin cause? Who is at most risk, and why?
- Nerve damage
- Vegans, as cobalamin is found in the products of animals and their flesh
What is vitamin C also known as, and what does it do?
- Ascorbic acid
- Helps wound healing
- Keeps blood vessels healthy
- Antioxidant
What does a deficiency of ascorbic acid cause?
- Scurvy in severe cases
Where is ascorbic acid found?
- Citrus fruits
- Tomatoes and strawberries
- Green vegetables
List 5 ways to preserve vitamin C’s nutritional value.
Avoid oxidation:
- Prepare quickly
- Serve quickly
Use less water:
- Boil in a little, hot water
- Do not soak
Preserve cells:
- Tear up
Which vitamins are antioxidants?
- A
- C
- E
What do antioxidants do?
- They protect the body from free radicals
- Free radicals are chemicals that damage cells in the body and cause disorders like cancer and heart disease
