Vitamins Flashcards
What are vitamins
Micronutrients because they are only needed in small amounts
- divided into 2 groups: fat-soluble and water-soluble
Vitamin A (FDS)
Retinol and carotene
F:
- growth and development
- prevents infection
- improves vision
D:
- blindness
- children don’t grow properly
- difficult to fight infection
S:
- retinol: liver, oily fish, eggs, milk, cheese
- carotene: red, green and orange veg and fruits
Vitamin D
F:
- works with calcium to build and maintain strong bones and teeth
D:
- causes rickets in children and osteomalacia in adults
- can also cause osteoporosis
S:
- dairy products, oily fish, liver, sunlight
Vitamin E
F:
- for healthy cell walls and blood
- reduce risk of some types of heart disease and cancer
D:
- rare
S:
- veg, oils, lettuce, seeds, peanuts
Vitamin K
F:
- helps the blood to clot
D:
- rare
S:
- cheese, liver, leafy veg
Vitamin B1
Thiamine
F:
- helps release energy from carbs
- helps body to grow
- functions nervous system
D:
- slows growth and development
- beriberi (severe)
S:
- fortified breakfast cereals, meat, eggs, milk
Vitamin B2
Riboflavin
F:
- helps the release of energy from carbs
- involved in transport of iron
- healthy skin
D:
- poor growth rate
- skin and eye problems
S:
- liver, meat, milk, eggs, green veg
Vitamin B3
Niacin
F:
- metabolism growth and energy release
- essential for healthy skin
D:
- rare in UK
- sore skin, weakness
S:
- meat, eggs, wheat flour, dairy
Vitamin B9
Folic acid
F:
- essential for formation of RBCs
- foetal development
D:
- tiredness and anaemia
- depression
S:
- liver, dark green veg, peas, oranges
Vitamin B12
F:
- normal nervous system
- formation of RBCs
D:
- nerves not working right (paralysis)
S:
- only animal products
Vitamin C
F:
- formation of connective tissue
- helps wound healing and calcium absorption
- blood formation + helps absorb iron
D:
- spotty skin, loose teeth
- scurvy
S:
- citrus fruits, blackcurrants, green veg
