Vitamins Minerals


Here we take a topline look at Vitamins Minerals and supplements. What they basically do for you, what are the right ones for you and where can you get them.

Firstly, vitamins.  You’ve probably heard throughout your life: “take your vitamins” or “eat your vegetables they’re packed full of vitamins and minerals”. So you know you need them but for what?

Vitamins are essential for growth and development in every stage of your life. And each plays a specific role in your body. For instance:

  • Vitamin A helps you see at night. Carrots are a great source of A.
  • C helps your body heal if you get a cut. Oranges are the most famous source.
  • Vitamin D helps your bones. To become healthy and strong. D is actually hard to find in food though milk is probably the easiest way to get it.
  • B vitamins help your body make protein and energy. Probably the best group for a fast-paced lifestyle. Green leafy vegetables are a great source.

The two types of Vitamins

There are two types of vitamins: water soluble and fat soluble.

When you eat foods that contain fat-soluble vitamins, they are stored in your body’s fat tissues and in your liver. They then wait around fat until your body needs them.

Fat-soluble vitamins are happy to stay stored for awhile — from a few days, to up to 6 months! Then, when they’re needed, special carriers in your body take them to where your body needs them. Vitamins A, D, E, and K are all fat-soluble vitamins.

Water-soluble vitamins are different - they don't get stored as much in your body. Instead, they go through your bloodstream. Whatever your body doesn't use comes out when you urinate. That’s why your pee can sometimes change color when you’re taking vitamin supplements, especially B.

As they don’t stick around your body these kinds of vitamins need to be replaced often. This group includes C and the big group of B vitamins — B1 (thiamin), B2 (riboflavin), niacin, B6 (pyridoxine), folic acid, B12 (cobalamine), biotin, and pantothenic acid.

Your body can’t make vitamins so it must get them from the food you eat or the vitamins supplements you take.
In looking at Vitamins Minerals must then be taken into consideration. You see TV commercials for many food products, especially for cereals, always mentioning they have Minerals. 

But what are they exactly?

Some of the same minerals people dig out of the earth like iron are found in much smaller amounts in food. In iron’s case red meat such as beef is a good source.

Just like Vitamins Minerals perform many functions throughout the body. They’re vital for growth, development and staying healthy.

Macro and Trace Minerals

There’s two kinds of minerals: macrominerals and trace minerals.

Macro in Greek means "large". So with these minerals your body needs larger amounts of than trace minerals.
The macromineral group is made up of:

  • Calcium
  • Phosphorus
  • Magnesium
  • Sodium
  • Potassium
  • Chloride
  • Sulfur

A trace means that there is only a little of it. So even though you need trace minerals, just a tiny bit of each one will do the trick. Scientists aren't even exactly sure how much of these minerals you need every day.

The Trace Minerals include:

  • Iron
  • Manganese
  • Copper
  • Iodine
  • Zinc
  • Cobalt
  • Fluoride
  • Selenium

Mineral-rich foods include:

  • Red Meat and tuna
  • Eggs
  • Dairy food
  • Green leafy vegetables
  • Beans
  • Bananas
  • Citrus fruits

We can get all the Vitamins Minerals and other nutrients we need from a balanced, healthy diet. There may be occasions where you may need an additional Vitamins Mineral boost such as Vitamin B for stress and Zinc in flu season.

For all the other times eat well and stay well.

Enjoy!