Vitamins are the stars of the nutrition scene. Nutrition, the science of food, is the study of the nutrients and substances in foods. Scientists examine how the balances of food compounds relate to health and disease, and explore how they interact during the process of ingestion, absorption, utilization, and excretion.
There are six essential nutrients for health and body maintenance: vitamins, minerals, water, fats, proteins, and carbohydrates. They are the building blocks of life, and we obtain them through our diet. Our bodies don't make them.
At this time, it is known that there are fourteen vitamins required by humans. Vitamins, first discovered in the late 1800s, are organic compounds found in foods. Since they are organic - containing carbon - they can be destroyed by heat, unlike their companion essential nutrient group, the incombustible minerals.
In the early 1900s, when scientists were continuing to discover new vitamins, they named newly found compounds by alphabet: A, B, C, D, E~. K. Note: The compounds that had been named F, G, H, I, J were later disqualified as vitamins, not fitting the definition: organic compounds needed in small quantities for life growth and maintenance. Compounds that have been given letters with numbers, B-1, B- 2~ were originally thought to be one compound, but later determined to be several different compounds with specific functions for each.
Vitamins are in one of two classes: fat soluble or water soluble. Vitamin C and the B vitamins (such as niacin and riboflavin) are water soluble. Vitamins A, D, E, and K are fat soluble. Which type of solubility each vitamin has will indicate which foods contain them. Basically, non-fat food has no fat soluble vitamins. However, highly colored vegetables like carrots do contain beta-carotene - a proto- vitamin which can be converted to active vitamin A.
Water soluble vitamins are easily shed by the body and lost from foods during preparation. Since they aren't stored by the body, we need to ingest them every day. Nevertheless it is best to avoid taking them excessively. On the other hand, fat soluble vitamins are readily stored by the body. Thus caution is necessary to avoid excessive quantities; it is possible to build up toxic levels of the fat soluble vitamins.
People commonly wonder if they need to take vitamin supplements, and which vitamins should be taken for good health. The situation today is that our foods are coming to us from conditions that previously were never the case for humans. Modern food is highly processed, and is frequently grown in depleted soils. Our foods are picked unripe and therefore incomplete from the standpoint of nutrition. Then they are shipped and handled more than the ideal. Therefore, it seems unlikely that the average person's diet provides sufficient amounts of necessary nutrients - vitamins and minerals in particular. Instead, we are consuming excessive amounts of harmful compounds like preservatives and refined sugars.
A suggestion. Do your own research project. Keep track of what you eat for a week or two. Eat normally, and just write down what you ate and how much of it. Then either buy or check out from your library a book on vitamins that will tell you approximately what you got from each food source. Add it up and compare to the recommended daily allowances. See how you're doing, and if you think it's a good idea to make some improvements, consult with a professional nutritionist, naturopathic physician, or other healthcare professional to come up with a good plan of diet and nutritional supplements. You'll see what a profound difference good nutrition can make in your health.
Carina Snowden writes on topics related to vitamins. Her articles are published in the news at alta vitamin the single on-line resource for a world of news about vitamins. Be sure to refer to all Carina's articles at the news at alta vitamin
recurring maid service Buffalo Grove ..Simply stated, the Greek word glyco refers to "sweet." Hence,... Read More
Extensive research studies show that taking vitamin and mineral supplements... Read More
We all want healthy skin. While the main reasons for... Read More
Lysine is an essential amino acid therefore it must be... Read More
Throughout my childhood I was aware of the importance of... Read More
Vitamin supplement ratings quite clearly show just how popular nutritional... Read More
I have frequently heard alcoholics who are in early recovery... Read More
The body needs a minimum amount of vitamins and minerals... Read More
HGH is produced naturally, in everyone, by the pituitary gland.... Read More
When I first started down this path I was looking... Read More
To supplement or not to supplement ? that is the... Read More
Our bodies change as we age, and to remain vigorous,... Read More
Flavones are the latest big supplement to hit the market.... Read More
Because whey protein products have a wide variety of uses... Read More
Nutrition Supplement ? nutrition.Nutrition supplement is a term familiar to... Read More
At times, due to your busy and fast life, we... Read More
1. Do not refrigerate vegetables and fruits (raw and uncut)... Read More
Many people take amino acids for height growth these days.... Read More
I recently heard of an older couple that eats salmon... Read More
Every minute of every day the cells of our... Read More
Anti aging has become the latest craze.Wherever we look at,... Read More
Recently a television health expert was discussing the topic, "How... Read More
One of the questions that I frequently get asked is... Read More
Ecdysterone is a powerful compound that can help to maximise... Read More
It is important to understand that we are ultimately responsible... Read More
premium house cleaning Glenview ..Your Immune system Needs BalanceTaking an immune system supplement daily... Read More
With a high cholesterol and heart disease in the family,... Read More
L-tyrosine is a non-essential amino acid that plays a role... Read More
Mineral Supplement ? be healthy.Why is mineral supplement so important?... Read More
Health Supplement ? what is it?So what is a health... Read More
OK, first let's get something straight here...If you think that... Read More
It's unfortunate but many people have digestive systems that find... Read More
Vitamin B3 is one of the vitamins that make up... Read More
Iron is a mineral that is essential to the health... Read More
Vitamin C may be the most famous vitamin. Tens of... Read More
Carboloading of a different variety.Saturday in Tucson before the 1982... Read More
Whey protein concentrate popularity has increased dramatically in recent years... Read More
HGH is produced naturally, in everyone, by the pituitary gland.... Read More
If you're constantly digging your hand into a jar of... Read More
If I read 1 good valid murder mystery book, would... Read More
Undoubtedly calcium has become a hot topic of controversy. We... Read More
Does this describe you: You walk into the living room... Read More
A 2003 study by the Health Sciences Department of the... Read More
I finally bought the stuff. I couldn't resist anymore. After... Read More
Imagine this scenario by the end of next August...You contact... Read More
There are two basic types of constipation - organic and... Read More
It is important to understand that we are ultimately responsible... Read More
Vitamin supplement ratings quite clearly show just how popular nutritional... Read More
As with most nutrients and minerals, zinc is often ignored... Read More
Both types of unsaturated fatty acids are contained within neuronal... Read More
Nutritional Supplements |