Vitamins

	Classification
	Sources
	Function
	RDA
	Deficiency

The word "vitamin" comes from vita, the Latin for "life". Everybody must eat a certain amount of vitamins to stay healthy. Vitamins are chemicals found in very small amounts in many different foods. Tiny quantities are enough for the needs of the body. If people live on a very limited range of foods they may not get their proper share of vitamins.

Classification of Vitamins
Vitamins are classified into two main groups
Water soluble		Fat soluble
B group	Water soluble	A D E K
C	Fat soluble

Sources of Fat soluble Vitamins

A	D	E	K
Fish liver oils	Sunshine	Eggs	Liver
Liver	Fish liver oils	Cereals	Green vegetables
Butter	Oily fish	Butter	Fish
Cheese	Margarine	Pulse vegetables	Fish liver oils

Sources of Water soluble Vitamins

B₁Thiamine	B₂Riboflavin	B₃Niacin
Cereals	Beef	Meat
Offal	Offal	Offal
Milk	Milk	Fish
Vegetables	Green Vegetables	Pulses

B₆Pyridoxine	B₁₂Cobalamin	Folic acid
Liver	Offal	Offal
Cereals	Meat	Cereals
Wheat germ	Fish	Green vegetables
Fish	Cheese	Pulses

Sources of Fat soluble Vitamins

Vitamin A Retinol
Fish liver oils	Liver	Butter	Cheese

Vitamin D Calciferol
Sunshine	Fish liver oils	Oily fish	Margarine

Vitamin E Tocopherols
Eggs	Cereals	Butter	Pulse vegetables

	Vitamin K Quinones
Liver	Green vegetables	Fish	Fish liver oils

Sources of Water soluble Vitamins

Vitamin B₁Thiamine
Cereals	Offal	Milk	Vegetables

Vitamin B₂Riboflavin
Beef	Offal	Milk	Green Vegetables

Vitamin B₃Niacin
Meat	Offal	Fish	Pulse vegetables

	Vitamin B₆Pyridoxine
Liver	Cereals	Wheat germ	Fish

Vitamin B₁₂ Cobalamin
Offal	Meat	Fish	Cheese

	Folic Acid
Offal	Cereals	Green vegetables	Pulses

	Vitamin C Ascorbic Acid
Blackcurrants	Citrus fruits	Strawberries	Peppers/Potatoes

Functions of Fat soluble Vitamins

A Retinol	It regulates growth, Necessary for healthy eyes, It promotes healthy skin. Maintenance of healthy lining membranes, e.g. of nose and throat
D Calciferol	Combines with calcium in the formation of strong bones and teeth.
E Tocopherols	Acts as an antioxidant, both in cell membranes and commercially.
K Quinones	Necessary for clotting of blood.

Functions of Water soluble Vitamins

B group
B₁ Thiamine	Essential for release of energy from carbohydrates. Essential for upkeep of nerves.
B₂ Riboflavin	Involved in metabolism of proteins, fats and carbohydrates. Essential for upkeep of tissues.
B₃ Niacin	Involved in energy release from food. Essential for healthy skin.
B₆ Pyridoxine	Essential for metabolism of proteins. Assists the formation of haemoglobin.
B₁₂ Cobalamin	Essential for the formation of red blood cells. Helps treat pernicious anaemia.
Folic Acid	Involved in formation of red blood cells.
Vitamin C Ascorbic Acid	Necessary for healthy skin gums and blood vessels. Absorption of iron. Manufacture of connective tissue.

RDA of Vitamins

Fat Soluble	A Retinol	750 ug
	D Calciferol	10 ug
	E Tocopherols	None
	K Quinones	None
Water Soluble	C Ascorbic Acid	60 mg
B group	B₁Thiamine	1 mg
	B₂Riboflavin	1.5 mg
	B₃Niacin	15-20 mg
	B₆Pyridoxine	2 mg
	B₁₂Cobalamin	3-4 ug
	Folic acid	300 ug

Deficiency of Fat soluble Vitamins

A	Retarded growth. Night blindness. Roughness and dryness of skin. Dry lining membranes, e.g. of nose and throat
D	Poor quality bones and unhealthy teeth. Rickets in children, osteoporosis in adults.
E	Muscular dystrophy.
K	Blood does not clot properly.

Deficiency of Water soluble Vitamins

B group
B₁	Fatigue, depression and irritability. Nervous disease, Beriberi.
B₂	Inflammation and itching of skin. Cracks around mouth, tongue and nose.
B₃	Mild deficiency causes weakness, weight loss, depression. Severe deficiency causes pallegra.
B₆	Convulsions in infants born with deficiency. May cause a form of Anaemia.
B₁₂	While other factors cause pernicious anaemia, B₁₂cures it. Anaemia caused by arrested development of red blood cells.
Folic Acid	Severe deficiency causes anaemia particularly during pregnancy.
C	Weakening of body tissues skin, gums and blood vessels. Incomplete absorption of iron, leading to anaemia. Manufacture of connective tissue. In severe cases scurvy.

ACTIVITIES
1. Make a list of the foods which you eat that contain Vitamin C.
2. Suggest 5 interesting ways of including fresh fruit in the diet.
3. Many foods contain no Vitamin A.
Suggest how you could make up for this by combining them with other foods.
4. Why do Muslim women lack Vitamin D?
5. Why do we need to take the water soluble vitamins daily?
6. What foods containing water soluble vitamins have you included in your diet today?

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