Vitamins Flashcards
What is the function of vitamin C?
- Helps protect cells and keeps them healthy
- It is necessary for the maintenance of healthy connective tissue which gives support and structure for other tissue and organs
- Helps wound healing by protecting cells and keeping them healthy
- Helps alleviate symptoms of other illnesses- AND it can prevent cancer
- It is also know to speed up the curing of the common cold
What is the proper name for vitamin C?
Ascorbic acid
What is the deficiency disease of vitamin C?
Scurvy - it is a rare condition, it can be a problem for elderly people who are unable to maintain a healthy diet, people who smoke or have a dependency on alcohol or drugs, or people on a low income.
Without vitamin C collagen can’t be replaced and the different types of tissue break down leading to symptoms of scurvy. These include:
- muscle and joint pain
- tiredness
- appearance of red dots on the skin
- bleeding and swelling of the gums
- loosening of teeth
- bruising
- internal bleeding
What are the sources of vitamin C?
Oranges Kiwis Red and green peppers Strawberries Blackcurrants Broccoli Brussels sprouts Peas Mango
What happens when you have excess vitamin C?
Taking large amounts of vitamin C can cause stomach pain, diarrhoea and flatulence.
What is the RDI for vitamin C?
Adults need 40mg PER DAY AS IT CANNOT BE STORED IN THE BODY SO YOU NEED IT IN YOUR DAILY DIET.
Why are levels of vitamin C frequently lower?
Vitamin C is easily destroyed through oxidisation, heat and water as it is a WATER SOLUBLE vitamin.
When food is processed it’s often cut, diced or chopped - this means enzymes are released which catalyse the oxidisation of as orbit acid. During cooking and processing up to 75% of vit C is lost. Short processes involving small amounts of water incur little loss.
Oxidisation is most rapid under alkaline conditions and in the presence of small amounts of copper - copper pans.
What is the process that adds more vitamin C?
Before canning or freezing, vitamin C may be added to the blanching water increasing the vitamin C content and improves flavour and colour.
What is the proper name of vitamin A?
RETINOL
Think retina and eye, it helps vision and the deficiency is colour and/or night blindness.
What are the functions of vitamin A?
- Strengthens your immune system to fight against infections
- Helps vision in dim light
- Keeps skin and the linings of some parts of the body healthy
- Boosts eyesight, growth and improves appetite and sense of taste.
- It can help skin conditions like eczema, acne, ulcers and respiratory and urinary problems.
- Any vitamin A your body doesn’t need is stored for future use - it isn’t needed everyday
What are good sources of vitamin A?
Cheese Eggs Oily fish Fortified low fat spreads Milk and yoghurt
Liver is a particularly rich source of vitamin A, but this means you may be a risk of having excess if you eat liver more than once a week.
What is the deficiency of Vitamin A?
- Lack of vitamin can may mean that an individual has frequent and persistent skin infections. Acne, dry and scaly skin.
- Deterioration in health and maintenance of skin.
- Other symptoms include throat infections or mouth ulcers, thrush or cystitis, dandruff and dry hair.
- Sore eyelids and in extreme cases night and colour blindness.
What happens when you have excess vitamin A?
According to some research, having more than an average of 1.5mg a day over many years may affect your bones, making them more likely to fracture when you are older.
This is particularly important for old people, especially women who are already at risk of OSTEOPOROSIS. This is where your bone density reduces and you have a higher risk of fractures.
What happens with excess vitamin A when you are pregnant?
Having large amounts of vitamin A can harm your unborn baby, by causing deformities. Therefore, if you are pregnant or thinking about having a baby do not eat liver or liver products such as pate.
What is the proper name for vitamin D?
CALCIFEROLS
Think calcium - vitamin D helps regulate the amount of calcium in the body
What is he RDI for vitamin A?
- 7mg a day for men
0. 6mg a day for women
What are the functions of vitamin D?
It helps regulate the amount of calcium and phosphate in the body.
Keeps bones and teeth healthy
What are the sources of vitamin D?
Oily fish - salmon, mackerel, sardines Egg Fortified breakfast cereals Fat spreads Powdered milk
What is the deficiency of vitamin D?
Bone deformities:
- rickets in children
- bone pain and tenderness as a result of osteomalacia
Most at risk of deficiency:
Pregnant and breastfeeding women, babies and young children under 5, those not exposed to much sun and people with darker skin
What happens when you have excess vitamin D?
Having a high intake of vitamin D over a long period of time can cause more calcium to be absorbed- the excess calcium can be deposited and damage the kidneys.
It can also encourage calcium to be removed from the bones weakening them.
What is the RDI for vitamin D?
2.5mg for adults
What is the proper name of vitamin B1?
THIAMIN
What are the sources of vitamin B1?
Peas Eggs Liver Vegetables Fresh and dried fruit Wholegrain bread Some cereals
What is the function of vitamin B1?
- It works with other B-group vitamins to help break down and release energy from foods.
- Keeps nerves and muscle tissue healthy
