Vitamins Flashcards
Vitamin A details
Known as - retinol/ beta carotene
Fat soluble
Use - antioxidant, healthy skin, growth
Found in - (retinol) cheese, butter, eggs, liver, oily fish
(Beta carotene) cabbage, spinach, kale, pees, carrots (yellow/orange/red veg)
Deficiency - lack of growth, dry skin, night blindness, weak immune system
Excess - poisonous to body, dry eyes, damages baby’s, weak immune system
DRV - 700mcg for men, 600mcg for women and teens
Vitamin D details
Known as - cholecalciferol
Fat soluble
Use - helps calcium deposit in bones
Found in - sun, oily fish, meat, egg, butter, dairy
Deficiency - bones in legs bend, rickets in children, osteomalacia in adults
Excess - damage to kidneys/ organs (hupercalcaemia)
DRV - 10 mcg daily
Vitamin K details
Known as - Phylloquinone
Fat soluble
Use - allows blood clotting, bone health, immune system health
Found in - veg oils, leafy veg, liver, cheese
Deficiency - blood loss, easy bruising, bleeding in newborns
Excess - none
DRV - 0.075 mg for men, 0.065mg for women, 0.045 mg for teens
Vitamin E details
Known as - tocopherol
Fat soluble
Use - antioxidant, forms red blood cells, immune system
Found in - plant foods, soya, corn, nuts, seeds
Deficiency - unlikely, muscle weakness
Excess - loss of appetite, fatigue
DRV - 4mg for men, 3mg for women
Vitamin B1 details
Known as - thiamin
Water soluble
Use - helps release energy, helps nervous system
Found in - liver, milk, cheese, bread, eggs, potatoes, pork, fish
Deficiency - beri beri muscle wasting disease
Excess - rare
DRV - 1mg for men, 0.8mg for women, 0.9mg for male teens, 0.7mg for female teens
Vitamin B2 details
Known as - riboflavin
Water soluble
Use - helps release energy, healthy skin/ eyes/ nervous system/mucous membranes
Found in - every animal/veg cell, chicken, egg, bread, rice
Deficiency - rare, skin problems, dry lips, poor growth
Excess - no side effects
DRV - 1.3mg men, 1.1mg women,
Vitamin B3 details
Known as - niacin
Water soluble
Use - release energy, healthy skin/digestive system/nervous system
Found in - meat, fish, flour, eggs, milk, broccoli
Deficiency - pellagra diarrhoea dermatitis dementia
Excess - liver damage
DRV - 17mg for men, 13mg for women, 15mg male teens, 12mg female teens
Vitamin B12 details
Cobalamin
Water soluble
Use - maintains nerve cells, makes red blood cells, produces folic acid
Found in - meat, eggs, salmon, cod
Deficiency - pernicious anaemia, memory loss, numbness, tingling (likely in vegans)
Excess - no harmful side effects
DRV - 1.5 mcg for adults, 1.2mcg for teens
Folic acid (B9) details
Water soluble
Use - reduces risk of nervous system defects, healthy red blood cells
Found in - broccoli, liver, pees
Deficiency - defects in back bone, anemia
Excess - no side effects
DRV - 200mcg for adults and teens, 100mcg for kids
Vitamin C details
Absorbing acid
Water soluble
Use - antioxidant, maintains healthy connective tissue, repairs tissue
Found in - oranges, blackcurrant, strawberries, potatoes, peppers
Deficiency - scurvy swollen gums/joint pain/new unhealable wounds
Excess - stomach pain, diarrhoea
DRV - 40mg for adults, 35mg for teens, 30mg for kids
Water soluble vitamins in preparation
Easily damaged by heat
Dissolve in water
C is damaged when exposed to air
Storing vitamins
Away from heat and light
Airtight containers
Freeze
Fresh ingredients
Preparing vitamins
Scrub instead of peeling (skins are often rich in nutrients)
Avoid peeling early to prevent air damage
Don’t leave veg sitting in water
Cooking vegetables
Limit water boiling
Microwave, steam or grill veg
Use any cooking water to make gravy, soup, stew
Antioxidants uses
Neutralise free radicals which are unstable molecules that can damage body cells
Blueberries
Spinach
Strawberries
Artichokes
Broccoli
