Question

Prepare a review of vitamin stability for 3 vitamins (5 pts/vitamin). In that review, recommend ideal food preparation that would maximize the vitamins uptake and utilization by the body? Note: for some vitamins, obtaining them from raw food is not ideal, if that is the case why not?

Answer 1

Ans.:- Fat-soluble vitamins are vitamins A, D, E, and K. They are present in foods containing fats. The body absorbs these vitamins as it does dietary fats. They do not dissolve in water.

Vitamins help the body function effectively. There are two types: water-soluble and fat-soluble vitamins. The water-soluble vitamins are vitamins B and C.

Most vitamins come from food, but sunshine contributes to vitamin D. Some people need or choose to take supplements that provide extra vitamins.

The body absorbs fat-soluble vitamins best when a person eats them with higher-fat foods.

This article looks at the types, functions, and sources of fat-soluble vitamins, and what can happen if a person has too much or too little.

Vitamin A helps maintain healthy vision. Without vitamin A, a person could experience vision problems and possibly vision loss.

Types

Vitamin A is not a single vitamin but a collection of compounds known as retinoids. Retinoids occur naturally in the human body, and they are present in some dietary sources.

Some foods provide retinols, which the body can use directly as vitamin A. Others provide provitamin A, compounds that the body converts into vitamin A.

People can obtain vitamin A through dietary sources.

Animal sources provide preformed vitamin A, or retinols. This type is ready for the body to use.

Plant sources provide carotenoids, such as beta-carotene, which is a powerful antioxidant. The body can convert these into vitamin A.

For this reason, lists of ingredients often show vitamin A content as “vitamin A RAE.” RAE means “retinol activity equivalents.”

Dietary sources

Animal sources of vitamin A include:

• fish liver oil
• beef liver
• cheese, milk, and other dairy products
• Sources of beta carotene include:
• sweet potato
• kale, spinach, and other green, leafy vegetables
• carrots
• cantaloupe
• black-eyed peas
• fortified breakfast cereals

Deficiency

Vitamin A deficiency is rare in the United States, but it can affect a person who:

• follows a plant-based diet
• has cystic fibrosis

A long-term deficiency can lead to a loss of night vision and possibly a total loss of vision.

Symptoms :

Symptoms of an overdose include:

• headaches
• fatigue
• nausea
• dizziness

In severe cases, coma and death can result.

Vitamin A supplements are available for purchase online. However, people should speak to a doctor before taking these or other supplements.

Vitamin D

People obtain vitamin D:

• naturally through exposure to sunlight or in the diet
• through fortified foods
• as supplements

The body obtains the compounds it needs to make vitamin D from food. It also produces vitamin D when ultraviolet (UV) light meets the skin.

Benifits:

Vitamin D has multiple roles in the body. It assists in:

• promoting healthy bones and teeth
• supporting immune, brain, and nervous system health
• regulating insulin levels and supporting diabetes management
• supporting lung function and cardiovascular health
• influencing the expression of genes involved in cancer development.

1.) Health bones :

Vitamin D plays a significant role in the regulation of calcium and maintenance of phosphorus levels in the blood. These factors are vital for maintaining healthy bones.

People need vitamin D to allow the intestines to stimulate and absorb calcium and reclaim calcium that the kidneys would otherwise excrete.

Vitamin D deficiency in children can cause rickets, which leads to a severely bowlegged appearance due to the softening of the bones.

Similarly, in adults, vitamin D deficiency manifests as osteomalacia, or softening of the bones. Osteomalacia results in poor bone density and muscular weakness.

A vitamin D deficiency can also present as osteoporosis.

2.) Healthy infants :

Vitamin D deficiency has links to high blood pressure in children. One 2018 study found a possible connection between low vitamin D levels and stiffness in the arterial walls of children.

The American Academy of Allergy Asthma and Immunology (AAAAI) suggest that evidence points to a connection between low vitamin D exposure and an increased risk of allergic sensitization.

An example of this is children who live closer to the equator and have lower rates of admission to hospital for allergies plus fewer prescriptions of epinephrine autoinjectors. They are also less likely to have a peanut allergy.

Eggs are a common early source of vitamin D. The children who started eating eggs after 6 months were more likely to develop food allergies than children who started between 4–6 months of age.

Furthermore, vitamin D may enhance the anti-inflammatory effects of glucocorticoids. This benefit makes it potentially useful as a supportive therapy for people with steroid resistant asthma.

3.) Healthy pregnancy :

deficient in vitamin D may have a greater risk of developing preeclampsia and giving birth preterm.

Doctors also associate poor vitamin D status with gestational diabetes and bacterial vaginosis in pregnant women.

Doctors also associate poor vitamin D status with gestational diabetes and bacterial vaginosis in pregnant women.

associated high vitamin D levels during pregnancy with an increased risk of food allergy in the child during the first 2 years of life.

Deficiency :-

deficiency can occur for many reasons.

Causes

Skin type: Darker skin, for example, and sunscreen, reduce the body’s ability to absorb the ultraviolet radiation B (UVB) rays from the sun. Absorbing sunlight is essential for the skin to produce vitamin D.

Sunscreen: A sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of 30 can reduce the body’s ability to synthesize the vitamin by 95% or more. Covering the skin with clothing can inhibit vitamin D production also.

Geographical location: People who live in northern latitudes or areas of high pollution, work night shifts, or are homebound should aim to consume vitamin D from food sources whenever possible.

Breastfeeding: Infants who exclusively breastfeed need a vitamin D supplement, especially if they have dark skin or have minimal sun exposure. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommend that all breastfed infants receive 400 international units (IU) per day of oral vitamin D.

Symptoms :

• regular sickness or infection
• fatigue
• bone and back pain
• low mood
• impaired wound healing
• hair loss
• muscle pain

If Vitamin D deficiency continues for long periods, it may result in complications, such as:

• cardiovascular conditions
• autoimmune problems
• neurological diseases
• infections
• pregnancy complications
• certain cancers, especially breast, prostate, and colon.

Vitamin E :

Vitamin E is found naturally in some foods, added to others, and available as a dietary supplement. “Vitamin E” is the collective name for a group of fat-soluble compounds with distinctive antioxidant activities .

Vitamins are substances that your body needs to grow and develop normally. Vitamin E is an antioxidant. It plays a role in your immune system and metabolic processes.

Good sources of vitamin E include

• Vegetable oils
• Margarine
• Nuts and seeds
• Leafy greens

Vitamin E is also added to foods like cereals. Most people get enough vitamin E from the foods they eat. People with certain disorders, such as liver diseases, cystic fibrosis, and Crohn's disease may need extra vitamin E.

Vitamin E supplements may be harmful for people who take blood thinners and other medicines. Check with your health care provider before taking the supplements.

potential benefits :-

Vitamin E oil’s potential benefits derive from two key features: its antioxidant properties, which could fight inflammation and slow the effects of free radicals, and its moisturizing properties.

Some purported benefits of vitamin E oil include:

# Moisturizing skin-

Vitamin E is found in many moisturizers, and the oil may be used as a moisturizer to prevent or treat dry, flaking skin.

# Wound healing-

Some research suggests that vitamin E supplements may promote wound healing. It is possible that topical vitamin E oil might offer similar benefits, but there is little research on the subject.

# Skin cancer prevention-

supplements containing vitamin E were less likely to develop skin cancer, even when exposed to large quantities of ultraviolet light. These results prompted some supporters of vitamin E oil and supplements to claim that it can prevent skin cancer.

However, studies on humans have not found any skin cancer prevention benefits associated with vitamin E.

Reducing skin ichting -

Vitamin E cannot treat allergic reactions, infections, and other issues that cause skin itching.

Because it moisturizes the skin, however, it may offer temporary relief from itching caused by dry skin.

Keeping skin well moisturised may help to prevent dry skin, and prevent symptoms such as itchiness. Any kind of oil safe for skin may offer these benefits.

Eczema

Vitamin E may alleviate the dryness, itching, and flaking associated with eczema, or atopic dermatitis.

One study found that oral vitamin E supplements could produce significant improvements in eczema symptoms. Though vitamin E oil has not been well-studied in the treatment of eczema, it may increase the effectiveness of topical moisturizers.

Psoriasis

At least one study has linked topical vitamin E to a reduction in psoriasis symptoms. Even better, the study showed that there were no serious side effects.

However, the effects of vitamin E on psoriasis were not as good as most readily available treatments. Vitamin E oil might be a good option for people who want to avoid prescription remedies and who have mild psoriasis.

" The top food sources " -

Federal guidelines suggest minimum daily amounts for vitamins and key minerals. However, unless you need to increase your intake for specific ones because of a deficiency or other medical reason, following so many numbers can be confusing.

The best approach to ensure you get a variety of vitamins and minerals, and in the proper amounts, is to adopt a broad healthy diet. This involves an emphasis on fruits and vegetables, whole grains, beans and legumes, low-fat protein, and dairy products. The good news is that many common foods contain multiple mineral and vitamin sources, so it is easy to meet your daily needs from everyday meals.

Here are some of the best foods for vitamins and minerals from the Harvard Medical School Special Heath Report, Making Sense of Vitamins and Minerals: Choosing the foods and nutrients you need to stay healthy:

Vitamin Sources
Water soluble:

B-1: ham, soymilk, watermelon, acorn squash

B-2: milk, yogurt, cheese, whole and enriched grains and cereals.

B-3: meat, poultry, fish, fortified and whole grains, mushrooms, potatoes

B-5: chicken, whole grains, broccoli, avocados, mushrooms

B-6: meat, fish, poultry, legumes, tofu and other soy products, bananas

B-7: Whole grains, eggs, soybeans, fish

B-9: Fortified grains and cereals, asparagus, spinach, broccoli, legumes (black-eyed peas and chickpeas), orange juice

B-12: Meat, poultry, fish, milk, cheese, fortified soymilk and cereals

Vitamin C: Citrus fruit, potatoes, broccoli, bell peppers, spinach, strawberries, tomatoes, Brussels sprouts

Fat soluble:

Vitamin A: beef, liver, eggs, shrimp, fish, fortified milk, sweet potatoes, carrots, pumpkins, spinach, mangoes

Vitamin D: Fortified milk and cereals, fatty fish

Vitamin E: vegetables oils, leafy green vegetables, whole grains, nuts

Vitamin K: Cabbage, eggs, milk, spinach, broccoli, kale

Minerals
Major:

Calcium: yogurt, cheese, milk, salmon, leafy green vegetables

Chloride: salt

Magnesium: Spinach, broccoli, legumes, seeds, whole-wheat bread

Potassium: meat, milk, fruits, vegetables, grains, legumes

Sodium: salt, soy sauce, vegetables

Trace:

Chromium: meat, poultry, fish, nuts, cheese

Copper: shellfish, nuts, seeds, whole-grain products, beans, prunes

Fluoride: fish, teas

Iodine: Iodized salt, seafood

Iron: red meat, poultry, eggs, fruits, green vegetables, fortified bread

Manganese: nuts, legumes, whole grains, tea

Selenium: Organ meat, seafood, walnuts

Zinc: meat, shellfish, legumes, whole grains