The Vitamins, Minerals, &
Water: A Functional Approach
Chapter 7
Turning Back the Clock

Discovery that diseases could be caused
by dietary deficiencies
Scurvy
 Rickets
 Pellagra


Discovery of vitamins
The Two Classifications of
Vitamins
Water-soluble vitamins
 Fat-soluble vitamins

The Minerals
Vitamins vs. minerals
 The two classifications of minerals

Major minerals
 Trace minerals

The Antioxidant Nutrients
Antioxidants = “anti-oxygen”
 Vitamin C, vitamin E, & beta-carotene

The Antioxidant Nutrients

Vitamin C
Role as antioxidant
 Other roles for vitamin C

Collagen
 Stress
 Immunity


Sources of vitamin C in foods
The Antioxidant Nutrients

Vitamin E

Role as an antioxidant
Heart disease
 Cell membranes


Sources of vitamin E in foods
The Antioxidant Nutrients

The vitamin A precursor: beta-carotene
Antioxidant role
 Other roles for vitamin A

Vision
 Epithelial tissue


Sources of vitamin A & beta-carotene in
foods
The Antioxidant Nutrients

Selenium
Antioxidant functions
 Role in chronic disease prevention

Color Your Plate with Vitamin-Rich
Foods--& Handle Them with Care
Shop for produce weekly
 Store produce properly

Most belong in the refrigerator
 Store whole

Eat frozen vegetables within 1-2 months
of purchase
 Cook in the least amount of water for the
shortest time possible

Nutrients for Healthy Blood

Folate
DNA & red blood cells
 Neural tube defects
 Sources of folate in foods


B vitamins & heart disease

Homocysteine
Nutrients for Healthy Blood

Vitamin B12
Nerve fiber sheaths
 Red blood cells
 Deficiencies

Vegans
 Lack of intrinsic factor
 Atrophic gastritis

Nutrients for Healthy Blood

Vitamin B6
Hemoglobin
 Protein metabolism
 Food sources

Nutrients for Healthy Blood

Vitamin K
Coagulation
 Sources - food & intestinal flora
 Deficiency in newborns

Nutrients for Healthy Blood

Iron
Hemoglobin
 Iron-deficiency anemia
 Ways to enhance iron absorption

Absorption-enhancing factors
 Absorption-inhibiting factors


Iron toxicity
Nutrients for Healthy Blood

Zinc
Metabolism
 Immunity
 Sexual development
 Food sources


Copper

Roles in metabolic & physiological
processes
Nutrients for Healthy Bones
Trabecular bone vs. cortical bone
 Bone development & remodeling
 Peak bone mass

Nutrients for Healthy Bones

Vitamin D
Calcium absorption
 Synthesis in the body
 Deficiency

Rickets
 Osteomalacia


Toxicity
Nutrients for Healthy Bones
Vitamin K’s role in bone health
 Calcium

Bone/teeth material
 Circulating in body fluids
 Osteoporosis
 Food sources
 Alternative sources of calcium

Nutrients for Healthy Bones

Phosphorus
Bone/teeth material
 DNA & RNA
 Metabolism
 Phospholipids
 Food sources

Nutrients for Healthy Bones

Magnesium
Muscle relaxation
 Bone/teeth material


Fluoride
Role in bone/teeth health
 Water fluoridation

Vitamins, Minerals, & Energy
Metabolism
Energy metabolism
 Thiamin

Coenzyme functions
 Deficiency - beriberi
 Food sources

Vitamins, Minerals, & Energy
Metabolism

Riboflavin



Coenzyme functions
Food sources
Niacin



Coenzyme functions
Deficiency - pellagra
Food sources


Niacin equivalents (NE)
Supplements
Vitamins, Minerals, & Energy
Metabolism

Pantothenic acid & biotin


Coenzyme roles
Sulfur

Role in protein structure
Vitamins, Minerals, & Energy
Metabolism

Iodine


Thyroid hormones
Deficiency





Goiter
Cretinism
Food sources
Trends in intake
Chromium

Role in carbohydrate metabolism
Water, Minerals, & Fluid Balance

Water
Essentiality
 Roles in the body
 Water balance



Movement into & out of cells
Electrolytes
Water, Minerals, & Fluid Balance

Sodium, potassium, & chloride

Sodium


Hypertension
Potassium
Deficiency
 Relationship with sodium
 Supplements

Water, Minerals, & Fluid Balance

Sodium, potassium, & chloride

Chloride

Roles in the body
Diet & Blood Pressure--The Salt
Shaker & Beyond

Risk factors for hypertension
Salt (sodium) intake
 Obesity
 Alcohol intake
 Unhealthful lifestyle

Diet & Blood Pressure--The Salt
Shaker & Beyond

An eating plan to reduce high blood
pressure


DASH diet
Prevention
Healthful diet & weight management
 Physical activity
 Moderate drinking & not smoking

Choose & Prepare Foods with
Less Salt

At the supermarket
Read food labels
 Fresh, whole foods


At home


Herbs & spices instead of salt
When eating out

Ask for no-salt preparation
Phytonutrients in Foods: The
Phytochemical Superstars
Phytochemicals
 Mechanisms of actions of
phytochemicals
 How to optimize phytochemicals in a
daily eating plan

Fruits, vegetables
 Whole grains, legumes, nuts, seeds

Nutrition & Cancer Prevention
Research on the association of diet with
cancer
 Nutrition is one of several lifestyle factors
involved
 Results of studies on diet & cancer

Colon cancer
 Breast cancer

Nutrition & Cancer Prevention

Dietary concerns for consumers
Total calorie intake
 Fat
 Protein
 Carbohydrate
 Beta-carotene
 Vitamin C

Nutrition & Cancer Prevention

Dietary concerns for consumers
Cruciferous vegetables
 Other vitamins & minerals
 Calcium
 Fiber

Nutrition & Cancer Prevention
Plant-based diets linked with lower
cancer rates
 Association of alcohol with cancer
 Association between beta-carotene &
other carotenoids & cancer
 Phytochemicals & cancer

Nutrition & Cancer Prevention

Prevention strategies
Be as lean as possible without becoming
underweight
 Be physically active for at least 30
minutes/day
 Avoid sugary drinks & limit energy-dense
foods
 Eat more of a variety of vegetables, fruits,
whole grains, & legumes

Nutrition & Cancer Prevention

Prevention strategies
Limit consumption of red meats & avoid
processed meats
 Limit alcohol consumption
 Limit consumption of salty & high-sodium
foods
 Don’t use supplements to protect against
cancer
 Do not smoke or chew tobacco

Nutrition & Cancer Prevention
Foods are better than supplements
 Green & black tea
 High-temperature cooking
 Variety in the diet
