Why is it So Important?: Vitamins and Minerals

We all know how important it is to get your vitamin and minerals but why? What exactly are these little substances really doing for your body? Vitamins and minerals are responsible for basically EVERYTHING going on inside your body. For example vitamin D is in charge of keeping the bodies calcium levels in range and vitamin A helps your eyes adjust to see in the dark! Or what about the fact that vitamin K is the main reason your able to stop bleeding from a papercut?! The way these substances literally operate your body amazing. Keep reading to learn more about what all these substances do to keep up alive and healthy!

Water-Soluble Vs. Fat-Soluble

There are two kinds of vitamins, those that are fat-soluble and those that are water-soluble. The difference depends on how the vitamin is absorbed into the body and if it can be stored or not. The main thing to know is that fat-soluble vitamins can be stored in body fat which means you don't need to consume them everyday. Since some is stored in the fat, you can go days or even weeks without eating these vitamins and not become deficient. Water-soluble on the other hand, can not be stored in the body and needs to be consumed regularly to avoid a deficiency. Your body uses as much of the vitamin as it needs and then the rest is excreted through your pee!

What is the difference between vitamins and minerals?

Vitamins are organic substances that come from plants and animals. This is what you get from all your colorful fruits and vegetables, and animal products. Minerals are inorganic substances that can also be found in fruits and vegetables because they are absorbed from the soil or are found in animal products because the animals eat these fruits and veggies! Minerals are elements, the same exact things you see on the periodic table! Our body doesn't need everything on the periodic table, most elements are actually toxic to the body, but some are important for chemical reactions.

When I was taking classes on human nutrition science I was so interested to learn that every vitamin and mineral has a specific job in the body, I never thought about it like that before. I always assumed these substances were just important for our health, not knowing that they each had their own unique function and chemical processes. Its little things like this that make me so excited to talk about nutrition and help people understand why it's so important! Food truly is fuel for the body, without it we couldn't survive (obviously but you get what I'm saying).

This chart highlights all the essential vitamins and minerals the body needs and all their various functions! The functions listed are not all the functions of each vitamin/mineral just the main ones, they all have so many!

Vitamin	Sources	Functions
Vitamin A	Tomato, Red pepper, Carrots, Sweet potato	Helps you see at night, Regulates cell division, Reproduction regulation
Vitamin D	Mushrooms, Salmon, Tuna	Blood calcium homeostasis, Bone growth and maintenance
Vitamin E	Oils, nuts and seeds	Antioxidant, helps to eliminate free radicals
Vitamin K	Green leafy vegetables	Cofactor in a reaction that clots blood
Vitamin B12	Only found in animal products	Red blood cell formation, supports the function
Niacin	Red meat, Fish, Poultry, Brown rice, Legumes	Involved in metabolism and producing energy in the body
Pantothenic Acid	Avocados, Milk, Beef, Mushrooms	Necessary for macronutrient metabolism and bile salt production
Riboflavin	Milk, Yogurt, chicken, Salmon, Eggs	A key component of coenzymes involved in energy production and cell growth
Vitamin B6	Chickpeas, Whole grains, Poultry, Salmon	Synthesizes heme, the precursor to hemoglobin which is what helps transport oxygen in the bloodstream
Biotin	Sweet potatoes, Eggs, Fish, Nuts, Seeds	Aids in the metabolism of macronutrients
Thiamin	Pork chops, Acorn squash, Green peas, Soy milk	Turns food into energy and keeps nervous system healthy
Folate	Beans, Peanuts, Whole grains, Fruits	DNA synthesis, when your cells multiply and grow they need healthy DNA to function
Vitamin C	Citrus fruits, Tomatoes, Broccoli, Brussel sprouts, Bell peppers	Involved in collagen synthesis and neurotransmitter synthesis

Minerals	Sources	Functions
Magnesium	Legumes, Dark leafy vegetables, Whole grains	Regulates muscle and nerve function, blood sugar levels, blood pressure and making protein, bone, and DNA.
Iron	Dark chocolate, Spinach, Beans, Meat, Poultry, Fish	Needed for growth and development, important for red blood cells
Copper	Shellfish, Fish, Nuts	Works with iron to make red blood cells
Iodine	Iodized salt, Seaweed, Canned tuna	Needed to make thyroid hormones which regulate many processes in the body
Zinc	Meat, Seafood	Helps synthesize DNA, build proteins, and heal damaged cells
Chromium	Grain products, Nuts, Fruits, Vegetables	Aids in insulin action and glucose breakdown
Calcium	Milk, Cheese, Edamame	Healthy bones, heart rhythm and nerve functions
Selenium	Brazil nuts, Meat, Seafood	Helps make DNA and protects against infections
Phosphorus	Dairy, Meat, Seafood, Legumes, Nuts	Needed for all tissue and cellular repairs