Vitamins

Question 1

Vitamin

Answer 1

Essential organic substances needed in minute (small) amounts by the body to perform specific functions
* available from food

Question 2

How many vitamins in total?

Answer 2

13 vitamins in total required

Question 3

Name all Water Soluble Vitamins

Answer 3

Water-Soluble:
* B-group vitamins involved in energy production (thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, biotin, pantothenic acid)
* Pyridoxine (Vitamin B6)
* Folate (B group vitamin)
* Vitamin B12
* Vitamin C

Question 4

Name all Fat Soluble Vitamins

Answer 4

Vitamins A, D, E and K

Question 5

How do vitamins differ from macronutrients in structure?

Answer 5

Structure – individual units; not linked together

Question 6

How do vitamins differ from macronutrients in function?

Answer 6

Function – no energy when broken down; role is to assist enzymes that release energy from CHO, lipids and proteins (e.g., coenzymes), etc.

Question 7

How do vitamins differ from macronutrients in Health?

Answer 7

Health - deficiency symptoms if absent from diet

Question 8

How do vitamins differ from macronutrients in food contents?

Answer 8

Food contents - amounts of vitamins people ingest daily from foods and amount required in milligrams (mg) rather than grams (g)

Question 9

Toxicity of Vitamins

Answer 9

More is not necessarily better for vitamins
* Excessive intake may cause harm – mostly for fat-soluble vitamins, but some water-soluble vitamins have adverse effects when taken in large doses
* Toxicity lies in the dose – NRV (Upper level of intake, UL)

Question 10

Bioavailability of Vitamins

Answer 10

Vitamin’s bioavailability = amounts of vitamins available from foods depending on the quantity provided by a food and the amount absorbed and used by the body

• Bioavailability differs between individuals: efficiency of digestion and time, previous nutrient intake, nutrition status, methods of preparation (cooking, raw, etc), source of nutrients (fortified, natural, synthetic)

Question 10

Define UL (upper level of intake)

Answer 10

UL defines the highest amount of nutrient that is likely to cause harm for most healthy people when consumed daily.

Question 10

Organic Nature (nutrient losses)

Answer 10

Fresh foods naturally contain vitamins, but vitamins are organic and can be destroyed by exposure to light, oxidation, cooking, and storage

Question 10

Who Needs Vitamin and Mineral Supplements?

Answer 10

People with the following:
* Inadequate food intake (elderly, restricted diets)
* Increased nutrient requirements (pregnancy/lactation)
* Some vegetarians
* Chronic excessive alcohol consumption
* Increased metabolic demands (surgery/trauma/fracture)
* Maldigestion or malabsorption (liver disease, GI disease)
* Primary prevention of disease (folate, thiamin)

Question 11

Methods to minimise nutrient losses

Answer 11

• Refrigerate fruits and vegetables (slow degradation of vitamins)
• Store cut fruits and vegetables in airtight wrappers or closed containers and refrigerate (to minimize oxidation of vitamins)
• Use a microwave or steam in small amounts of water (minimise losses)
• Avoid high temperatures and long cooking times (minimise losses)

Question 12

Solubility of Vitamins

Answer 12

• Hydrophobic (fat-soluble) vitamins and hydrophilic (water-soluble) vitamins
• Solubility affects absorption, transport, storage and excretion by the body

Question 13

Solubility of Vitamins

Water-Soluble Vitamins

Answer 13

Found in watery components of foods, moves through
blood & travels freely in the blood; can freely circulate into water components of the body

Question 14

Solubility of Vitamins

Fat-Soluble Vitamins

Answer 14

Occurs with fats and oils of foods, must first enter lymph
then the blood & requires special transport proteins; kept in fatty tissues and liver until needed

Question 15

Solubility of Vitamins

Role of Kidney in Vitamin Solubility

Answer 15

Plays a role in removal of excess water-soluble vitamins; fat-soluble vitamins are kept in fat-storage sites and are less readily excreted.