DIPLOMA IN LESSON 3

NUTRITION
 Lesson 3 – Mighty Micro’s

LESSON 3
M I G H T Y MICRO ’S
MIC RO N UT R I E NTS I NC LU DE BOT H VITAMINS AND MINE RALS
• Vi t a mi ns c a n b e eith er water s o lubl e (B and C) or fat solubl e (A, D, E and K)

Vitam i n A ( Reti no l)

Fu n c ti o n Develo pment of go od eyesight, Development

and growth of embryo, Development of tissues

So u rce s Liver and liver products, Margarine, Dairy

products, oily fish, egg yolk, yellow and orange
pigments of fruit such as carrots, red p eppers,
tomatoes, peaches, and apricots, dark green
leafy veg e.g. spinach

Defi c i e n c y Rare in developed countries: Night blindness,

growth retardation, fetal abnormalities,
increased susceptibility to infection,
dry rough skin

Tox i c i ty Liver damage, fatal

Vitamin E ( To co phe ro l)

Fu n c ti o n Antioxidant: Protects

So u rce s Vegetable oil (soybean, corn, cottenseed, and

stafflower) Vitamin E sources also include fruits
and vegetables, grains, nuts, (almonds and
hazelnuts), seeds (sunflower) and fortified
cereals, meat and meat products

Defi c i e n c y Usually in premature infants or conditions

where fat is malabsorbed or in diets where fat
is restricted. Increased risk of CVD and some
cancers

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 Lesson 3 – Mighty Micro’s

Vi t a mi n D
Fu n c ti o n Strong bones and teeth

So u rce s Oily fish, meat (particualarly liver), eggs and

dairy products, fortified foods, Sunlight

Defi c i e n c y Rickets, Osteomalacia, Osteoporosis

Tox i c i ty Renel and cardiovascular toxicity

Vi t a mi n K

Fu n c ti o n Blood clotti ng, promoting bone health and

helping to produce proteins for blo od, bones,
and kidneys

So u rce s Green, leafy-vegetables: Spinach, broccoli,

cabbage, kale, and certain vegetables oils
including rapeseed, soybean and olive oil.
Animal foods, in general, contain limited
amounts of vitaminK. Also made by gut
bacteria

Defi c i e n c y Rare in healthy adults

Tox i c i ty Reasonably safe

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 Lesson 3 – Mighty Micro’s

WAT E R SO LU B LE V I TA M I NS ARE OUTLINE D BE LOW

V ita mi n Best Sou rces Functio ns

Thiamin(B1) Fortified cereals and oatmeals, Helps the body release energy
meats, rice and pasta, whole from carbohydrates during
grains, liver metabolism;growth and muscle
tone

Riboflavin Wheat grains, green leafy Helps the body release energy
vegetables, organ meats, from protein, fat and
milk, eggs carbohydrates during met abolism

Niacin Meat, poultry, fish, enriched Involved in carbohydrate,

cereals, peanuts, potatos, protein and fat metabolism
dairy products, eggs

Lean meats, wholegrains, Helps release energy from fats

Pantothenic
legumes and vegetables
acid

Folate Green leafy vegetables, Aids in genetic material

organ meats, dried peas, development; involved in re d
beans, lentils blood cell produc tion

B6 Fish, poultry, lean meats, Aids in genetic material

bananas, pru nes, dried development; involved in
beans, whole grains, red blood cell production
avacados

B12 Meats, milk products, Aids cell development,

seafood functioning of the nervous
system, and the metabolism
of protein and fata

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 Lesson 3 – Mighty Micro’s

V i ta mi n Best Sou rces Functio ns

Biotin Cere al/grain products, Involved in metabolism

yeast, legumes, liver of protein, fats, and
carbohydrates

Vitamin C Citrus fruit s, berries, Esse ntial for structure of bones,

andveget ables, cartilage, muscles, and blood
especially peppers vessels; helps maintaincapillaries,
and gums and aids in absorption
of iron

• Defi c i e nc i e s of water s o lu b le v ita mins incl ude: Beri-Beri (B1 – Thiamine),

Ar i bofl av i no sis (B2 Rib ofl avin), Pe llagra (Niacin), Spina Bifida / Megal obl asti c
an a e mi a ( Fo late) a n d Scu r v y ( Vitamin C)
• Mine ra l s i nc lu d e: Ca lciu m , p h o s phoro us, magnesium, sodium, pot assium, iro n,
z i nc , co ppe r, ch ro m iu m , m a n ga n ese, sel enium, fluoride, Iodine

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 Lesson 3 – Mighty Micro’s

V i ta mi n Fu n cti on So urces Defi cien cy

Calcium Strengthens bonces Milk, dairy products, Minor deficit can

and teeth. Regulates dark green leafy affect bone and
heartbeat and helps vegetables, salmon, teeth formation
with muscle and sardines, turnips, tofu
nerve functions almonds and broccoli

Vitamin D aids in
absorption. Oxalic
acid (spinach)

Iodine Keeps the thyroid Seafood, seaweed, Enlargement of the

gland working. The diary products, and thyroid gland
thyroid glad helps iodised salt.
regulate the rate at
which your body
carries out necessary
phsiological functions

Iron Helps the blood Liver, red meat, egg Anaemia-tiredness

an muscles carry yolk, legumes, whole and letargy,
oxygen to the body. grains, dark green feelings, of
It is also part o vegetables. Absorption weekness,insomnia
some e nzymes increased with and palpitations
Vitamin C.

Calcium rich foods,

eggs, Oxalates
(spinach, kale, beets,
nuts, chocolate,
wheat bran, rhubarb,
strawberries),
polyphenol rich foods
(cocoa and coffee),
phytates (almonds,
sesame, drie d bean
lentils, peas)

Magnesium Helps muscles work, Wholegrains, nuts, Fatigue, numbness,

aids metabolism legumes, apricots, poor memory,
and aids in bone bananas, soy, beans, muscle twitching
growth and green leafy and irritability,
vegetables. tingling and a
rapi d heart be at.

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 Lesson 3 – Mighty Micro’s

V i ta mi n Fu n cti on So urces Defi cien cy

Potassium Esse ntial for nerve Oranges, bananas, Depre ssion, fatigue,
function, muscle Peanuts, beans, hypertension,
contraction and Potatoes, and Spinach decreased heart rate.
maintenance of
fluid inside and
blood p ressure
in the body

Selenium Helps to prevent Tuna, brazil nuts, Poor, heart functi on,
damage to cell eggs,grains, osteoarthropathy,
and aids in chicken, shellfish, mental retardati on
functioning of the fish
thyroid gland

Zinc Helps wounds to Wholewheat, peanut, Growt h retardati on,

heal. Aids taste and poultry, eggs, legumes, hair loss, diarr hoea,
smell sensory beef and shellfish delayed sexual
maturation, an d
importance, eye and
skin lesions, and
loss of appeitite

Low toxicity risk from food

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 Lesson 3 – Mighty Micro’s

AB S O R PT I O N OF M I NERALS

For Mi ne ra l s to b e a b s o r b ed p ro p er ly, t he digesti ve system needs to be in goo d

wor ki ng o rde r :

• Goo d sto m a c h a cid levels a re n eeded to hel p separate t he minerals f rom fo o d o r

s u ppl e m e nt . Low HC L (s to m a ch a cid) can inhibit t he brea kdown on t he sto m ac h
• Th e bo dy co ntro ls m in era l a b s o r ption via t he int esti nal wall depending on t he
n e e ds a nd re q u irem ents .
• Ove r- l o a di ng th e b o d y ca n res u lt in tox icit y
• Foo ds r i c h i n p hy tates ca n b lo ck absorpti on (fibre-cont aining whol e grain
p ro duc t s- be a ns , s eed s n u ts)
• Foo ds r i c h i n Oxa lates ca n h in d er absorpti on also (rhubarb, beet s, spinach, swe et
p ot ato e s, te a ,ch o co late a n d s oy product s)
• Som e v i t a m i ns a n d m in era ls im p rove absorpti on. Vit amin D can assist wit h the
ab s o r pti o n of ca lciu m a n d m a gn es ium. Vit amin C can assist t he absorpti on of i ro n.

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 Lesson 3 – Mighty Micro’s

N OT E S
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