2.8 KiB
2.8 KiB
Vitamins were first discovered in 1921
- Casamir Runk coined the term vitamin
- Vita = life
- Amine = a type of nitrogen containing substance
- The first discovered vitamin was thiamin
- There are 13 known vitamins, plus 5 vitamin like substances
- It is unlikely that any new vitamins will be discovered - (babies and sick people can live on synthetic liquid diet?)
- A vitamin is a complex organic compound that regulates certain metabolic processes
- Cannot be synthesized in sufficient quantities by the body
- Occurs naturally in foods
- Deficiency disorder occurs if substance is missing from the body
- They do not provide any energy
- Vitamins are organic, but they differ from macronutrients:
- Not metabolized for energy
- Present in small amounts in foods
- Required in milligram and microgram amounts
- Because vitamins are organic
- They are subject to heat degradation
- Exposure to excessive heat, alkaline substances, light, and air can destroy certain vitamins
- Water soluble vitamins can leach out of food and dissolve in cooking water
Fat Soluble Vitamins
- Fat soluble vitamins are K, A, D, E
- Found in lipid portions of the body
- Associate with lipids in the body
- **Digested and absorbed with fats
- Stored in the body
- Can cause toxicity
Water soluble vitamins
- Water soluble vitamins are the B-vitamins: thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin B-6, pantothenic acid, folate, biotin, vitamin B-12, and vitamin C.
- They dissolve in water
- Very limited amounts are stored with the exception of B-12
- Kidneys will filter out excess water soluble vitamins
- Less likely to be toxic
Oxidization
- An oxidizing agent is a substance that removes electrons from atoms or molecules
- A free radical is a substance (C, H, O) with an unpaired electron
- Highly reactive, damages and destroys molecules
- Antioxidants (Vitamin E, C) are substances that give up electrons to free radicals to protect cells
Vitamin Intake
Bioavailability is the amount of a vitamin available for use in the body
- Factors that affect how available a vitamin is include:
- How long it takes the vitamin to pass through the intestinal tract
- Certain health conditions that affect the absorption of facts
- By cooking with a little bit of fat, you better absorb fat soluble vitamins from that meal.
- Natural sources of vitamins typically provide higher availability It's important to preserve the vitamin content of food, ways to do so include:
- Avoid decaying, wilting, or bruised fruits or vegetables
- Fresh produce should refrigerated at high humidity, away from the open air
- Exposure to excessive heat, alkaline (salty) substances, light, and air can all reduce the vitamin content of food
- Vegetables should be cooked in small amounts of water, using quick cook methods