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