1 Micronutrients

Nutrition & Dietetic Science

Lecture 3

Useful reference: http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/

Objectives
 Overview of micronutrients (minute quantities).
 Recognise who is at risk of nutrient
deficiencies and who may benefit from
supplements,
 Learn about the uses of vitamins and minerals.
 Food sources of the different vitamins
 Deficiencies and diseases.
 Problems of excessive vitamins
 Macro and micro minerals

2
 Micronutrients
3

 Needed in small amounts in the body

 “Smaller amounts” =
 Milligrams (mg) or
 Micrograms (mcg or μg)
 Non-energy yielding and include:
 Vitamins
 Minerals
4 What are vitamins?
Organic molecules essentially needed in
tiny quantities for growth and body
functions.
 Vitamins Overview
5

 Organic compounds essential in diet

 Help to promote growth and maintenance
 Allow other nutrients to do their jobs
 Needed for the regulation of metabolism and assist to release
energy from food.
 With only a couple of exceptions, the body cannot
manufacture vitamins. They must come from food we eat.
 When lacking in body tissues - can result in specific disease
or syndrome.
 Some vitamins provide antioxidant functions in the body
 B vitamins originally thought to be one chemical substance –
are actually many different substances
 They are cofactors that help our body prevent the
accumulation of acidic byproducts of metabolism
Essential Vitamins
 To date, 13 substances have been identified as
essential vitamins in the diet

 Scientists continue to discover important links

between vitamins and the risk of developing
illnesses such as heart disease, cancer,
osteoporosis, and high blood pressure

6
Vitamin Classification

Water-soluble vitamins
cannot be stored in the
body, so you need to get
them from food every day.
7
 Nutrients with Antioxidant Role
8

 Vitamin A & the carotenoids

 Vitamin C
 Vitamin E
 Selenium
 Phytochemicals
9 Water soluble vitamins
Vitamins B and C
 Vitamin B complex
10

The complex of B vitamins includes the following

group of substances:
B1 – thiamine

B2 – riboflavin

B3 – nicotinic acid

B5 – pantothenic acid

B6 – pyridoxine

B7 – biotin

B9 – folate (folic acid)

B12 – cobalamin
 Vitamin B complex (cont’d)
11

 The body requires relatively small amounts of B-vitamins.

 B1 and B2 are important for healthy functioning of the muscles,
nerves & heart, vision, skin health, energy metabolism
 B3 helps regulate the nervous & digestive systems
 B5 & B12 are required for normal growth & development
 Vitamins B6 and B12 help the body to use folic acid, vital in a
range of activities; cell division & repair, blood formation,
digestion, production of energy & the immune system.
 B12: Breakdown of fat & carbohydrate; B6: protein breakdown
 B7 is involved in the production of hormones
 B9 helps cells make and maintain DNA
 Vitamin B related Deficiencies &
Sources
12

 B1: Beriberi - when polished rice is staple diet

 Source: unpolished rice, yeast extract, whole grains,
nuts and seeds
 B2: poor wound healing
 Source: dairy, meats, whole grains, veg: asparagus,
broccoli, mushrooms, spinach
 B3: Pellagra – mental illness
 Source: meats, legumes, whole grains, maize, nuts
 Vitamin B related Deficiencies &
13
Sources
 B6: is found in most foods, so deficiency is rare.
 numbness & tingling in hands & feet, depression, poor
immunity, anaemia
 Source: Yeast, whole grains, garlic, nuts, seeds, fish,
bananas, beef
 B9: anaemia, neural tube defects
 Source: Green leafy vegetables, meats, legumes, grains,
oranges
 B12: anaemia, fatigue, paralysis
 Source: not found in plants products, only found in
animal products such as beef, pork, chicken, and fish,
liver, dairy products, eggs, fortified vegetarian & vegan
foods
 Vitamin C
14

 Chemical name: ascorbic acid

 Has antioxidant properties
 Helps body make collagen for wound healing
 Increases absorption of iron in plant foods
 Promotes healthy immune system
 Scurvy is a disease resulting from a deficiency of vitamin C,
which is required for the synthesis of collagen in humans.
 Has been the downfall of armies, navies & explorers

 The reason is that fresh fruits and vegetables are the main
sources of vitamin C; these foods spoil quickly and don’t
transport well on long voyages
 Vitamin C
15

 Estimated needs:
 Adult males: 90 mg/day, adult females: 75 mg/day
 Upper safe limit: adults; 2,000 mg/day
 Excessive high levels can cause gastritis, kidney stones, increase
iron absorption
 Sources:
Citrus fruits, cabbage
family; broccoli,
cauliflower, bok choy
& brussels sprouts,
green & red peppers,
okra, tomatoes,
potatoes
 Vitamin C content of foods
16

Food Serving size Amount of Vitamin C

Strawberries 1 bowl 70-120mg
Kiwi fruit 1 fruit 50mg

Steamed broccoli 1 serving (80g) 50mg

Orange 1 large 70mg

Mango and passion
250ml glass/bottle 48mg
fruit smoothie

Frozen peas, cooked 1 serving (85g) 17mg

17 Fat Soluble Vitamins
Vitamins A, D, E and K
In large amounts.….must heed caution
 Vitamin A
18

 Chemical name: Retinol, Retinal, Retinoic Acid

 Functions:
 Needed for night vision and color vision
 Helps maintain the health of endothelial cells
 Regulates cell growth and division
 Required for sperm production in men & fertilization in
women
 Deficiency:
 Night blindness (reversible)
 Poor vision/Dry skin & hair
 Dry eyes
 Low immunity
 Vitamin A (cont’d)
19

 Food Source:
 Carrots (a good source of beta-carotene, a precursor that can be
converted into vitamin A in your body)
 Animal products such as eggs and dairy products
 Fruits and orange colored vegetables
 Found preformed in our diet as retinoids
 Requires fat for absorption
 When dietary fat intake is very low (less than 10 g/day), vitamin
A absorption is impaired.
 Excessive Vit A:
 Can cause nausea, vomiting, headache, blurred vision, birth
defect, liver problem and risk of osteoporosis.
 Vitamin D can be made in the skin
20

 Chemical name: ergocalciferol or cholecalciferaol

 Vitamin D is known as the sunshine vitamin because it can be
made in the skin from precursor sterols by sunlight (exposure to
ultraviolet (UV) light)
 Vitamin D is needed for bone growth, to maintain normal blood
calcium levels, immune function
 Deficiency: if calcium cannot be absorbed efficiently; abnormal
bone structure, estrogen regulation, depression
 In children: rickets; characterized by narrow rib cages
 In adults: osteomalacia (weak bones)
 Food Source:
 Liver, egg yolks, and fatty fish; salmon, cod liver oil, cream, butter,
fortified food e.g., milk, yogurt, butter, breakfast cereals and
sunlight
 Vitamin D
21

Vitamin D is one of the most toxic nutrients – Why?

High intake of Vit D
Can cause high levels of calcium to develop in your

blood.
Can cause deposits of calcium and phosphate in soft

tissues
Causes tissues and organs to harden

Nausea, vomiting , poor appetite, constipation, weight

loss, confusion, heart rhythm problems.

Vitamin D comes from
food and from synthesis
in the skin. In order to
function, it must be
chemically modified in
the liver and the kidney.

22
 Quiz: Vitamin D
23

 How long do we need to stay in the sun to get

sufficient Vitamin D?

 Can sun block affect Vitamin D formation?

 Vitamin D (Ans)
24

How long do we need to stay in the sun to get sufficient

Vitamin D?
To make this vitamin the natural way, through your skin, you
need sun exposure on naked skin, without sun block, at or near
mid day
For most people, 10 or 15 minutes in noontime summer sun is

enough, and leads to the production of 10,000 IU (International

Units) of Vitamin-D3
Can sun block affect Vitamin D formation?
Yes. Studies have found that by blocking ultraviolet rays,
sunblock limits the vitamin D we produce but it is not enough to
cause a deficiency
 Vitamin E protects membranes
25

 Chemical name: Tocopherol

 Vitamin E is a fat-soluble antioxidant
 As a powerful antioxidant Vitamin E protects the cell
membranes from oxidation
 Protects WBCs, Enhances immune function
 Adequate vitamin E may help reduce the risk of heart
disease.
 Food Source: sunflower seeds, nuts, peanuts, and refined
plant oils, such as canola, safflower, and sunflower oils,
leafy green vegetables, such as spinach and mustard
greens, wheat germ and fortified breakfast cereals
 Because vitamin E is needed to protect cell membranes,
a severe deficiency causes nerve damage
 Vitamin K is needed for blood clotting
26

 Chemical name: Phylloquinone, menaquinone,

menadione
 Vitamin K is needed for the production of several of
these blood-clotting proteins including prothrombin.
 Deficiency: Abnormal blood coagulation
 Without vitamin K, even a bump or small scratch
could cause bleeding to death
 Source:
 Bacterial synthesis in GI
 Food sources: green vegetables, green tea, oats
Blood clotting involves a
number of substances
called clotting factors.
Several of these, including
prothrombin, require
vitamin K as a coenzyme
for their production.
Without them, fibrinogen
cannot be converted into
its active form, fibrin,
which is a structural
component of blood clots.

27
28 Minerals
 Minerals Overview
29
 Minerals are naturally occurring inorganic substances.
 All of the minerals in the food supply originate from Mother Earth!
 They are already in the simplest form.
 They cannot be synthesized in the laboratory, or by any plant or
animal including humans.
 Minerals are elements needed by the body in small amounts for
health & maintenance
 To maintain health, minerals must be consumed in the correct
proportions
 Because certain minerals can be toxic if taken in too high amounts,
safe upper intake levels (UL) have been established
 Minerals act as cofactors and serve as electrolytes
 Mineral Classification
30

Major (macro) Minerals

atleast 100mg/day required by diet

Present in the body in amounts ≥0.01% body weight

Essential: Sodium, potassium, chloride, calcium,

phosphorus, magnesium, sulphur

Trace elements/minerals
Less than 100mg/day required by diet

Present in the body in amounts <0.01% body weight

Essential: Iron, copper, zinc, selenium, iodine, chromium,

fluoride, manganese, molybdenum

 Calcium Overview
31

 99% calcium in the body found in solid mineral deposits

in bones & teeth
1% found in intracellular fluid, blood & extracellular

fluid
Function: helps transmit nerve impulses, contract

muscles, regulate blood pressure, release hormones, maintain

healthy bones & teeth, forms 2% of body weight (bones)
 Food Source: best sources are dairy foods

Non-dairy source: soybeans, canned salmon or sardines

(with bones), seeds and nuts, legumes, green vegetables,
fortified drinks
 Calcium Nutrient needs & Deficiency
32

 Nutrient needs:
 For adults 19-50 years: *RDA 1,000 mg/day
 For adults over age 51: 1,200 mg/day
 UL is 2,500 mg/day
 Deficiency
 Low bone mineral density
 Osteopenia
 Osteoporosis
 Poor bone development in children
 Muscle cramps
 Calcium cramps: dull cramp
 Magnesium cramp: sharp pain
 Nervous irritability

* Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDA)

 Bone Mass & Osteoporosis
33

 Peak bone mass achieved by age 30

 After 30 – bone resorption occurs at rate faster than
bone synthesis
 This leads to reduction in bone mass & bone mineral
density (BMD)
 Osteoporosis: low bone mineral density that leads to
porous & fragile bones
 Supplements: recommended for
 Lactose intolerant
 Milk allergies
 Ovo-vegetarians
 Vegans
 Low calcium diets
 Sodium/Potassium
34

Needed for:
 Electrolyte & fluid balance, nerve conduction, muscle
contraction, regulate blood pressure
Food Sources:
Potassium
 All fruits and vegetables
Sodium
 Table salt, preservatives in meat products, shellfish
Deficiency:
 Sodium: nausea, vomiting, dizziness, muscle cramps,
exhaustion
 Potassium: lethargy, muscle weakness & cramps,
irritable, lack of concentration
 Chloride
35

Needed for:
Fluid balance, transmission of nerve impulses, component
of stomach acid, Antibacterial

Food Sources:
Table salt

Deficiency:
Dangerous blood acid-base imbalances, irregular
heartbeat
 Phosphorus
36

 Functions
 Gives hardness to bones and teeth
 Nerve function: essential component of phospholipids,
component of ATP and DNA
 Sources
 Food sources: dairy foods, soy milk, tofu, nuts, poultry
 Deficiency
 Muscle weakness
 Low bone density
 Decreased resistance to infection
 Magnesium
37  Function:
 Component of bone,
 Helps calcium absorption
 Muscle contraction (prevents muscle spasm)
 Assists more than 300 enzyme systems
 Food sources
 Nuts & seeds, cocoa, seaweed, molasses, green vegetables
 Deficiency & Symptoms
 Muscle cramps, nausea, weakness, increased risk of
chronic diseases such as heart disease, hypertension,
osteoporosis and type 2 diabetes
38 Microminerals
 Iron
39

 Function:
 Key role in transport of oxygen as part of
haemoglobin
 Component of myoglobin in the muscle cells
 Assists many enzyme systems
 Deficiency:
 Fatigue, restless legs, increased susceptibility to
infection, anemia
 Food Sources:
 Red meat, dark foods, fortified foods, green leafy
vegetables, seafood, eggs, kelps
 Absorption:
 Heme iron (meats) more absorbable than non-
heme iron.
 Copper
40

 Function:
 Enzymes that affect iron and lipid metabolism
 Protective shield around connective tissue / fibers
 iron transport
 Deficiency
 Anemia and bone abnormalities
 Food Sources:
 shell fish, nuts, beans
 Absorption:
 High levels of zinc, Vit C, antacid decrease copper
absorption.
 Zinc
41
 Function:
 Immune function, growth, taste, smell, hearing
 Wound healing, carbohydrate metabolism
 Sexual development & reproduction
 Required for functioning of >200 enzymes
 Food sources
 Seafood
 Eggs, poultry
 Cereals and whole grains
 Meat, organ meats
 Deficiency signs and symptoms
 Poor sense of smell and taste
 Low immunity
 Hair loss & skin changes
 Selenium
42

 Function:
 Antioxidant: reduces risk of cancer.
 Activity of thyroid hormones
 Food Sources:
 Seafood, meats, eggs, brazil nuts, whole grains
 Deficiency
 Growth retardation
 Muscle cramps
 Iodine
43

 Functions
 Essential component of thyroid hormones that helps
regulate energy production & growth
 Deficiency signs & symptoms
 Goiter
 affects growth and development (mental & physical)
 Poor concentration
 Weight gain
 Cretinism (stunted growth)
 Food Sources
 Iodized table salt, seafood, seaweed
 Chromium
44

 Needed for: normal insulin function and glucose

utilization
 Food sources
 Brewers yeast, beef, cheese, liver, meats, whole grains
 Deficiency signs & symptoms
 High blood sugar
 High lipid levels
 Overweight problems
 Lack of chromium causes diabetes in elderly.
 Fluoride
45

 Needed for: Maintenance of bones and teeth and prevention of

dental carries
 Food Sources
 Tea
 Seafood
 Fluorinated water
 Chicken
 Gelatin
 Grape juice
 Deficiency symptoms:
 badly formed or weak teeth or increase in tooth cavities
 brittle or weak bones
 fractured hips in the elderly
 Manganese
46

 Needed for:
- smooth functioning of the brain
- cofactor required in the production of certain
enzymes.
 Synthesis of protein found in bone & cartilage
 Food Sources:
Tea, wheat germ, spinach, peas, nuts, oat germ, liver,
kidneys, oat flour, pineapple, leafy vegetables.
 Symptoms of deficiency:
-Pain in the joints.
-High blood sugar.
-Problems with bones.
-Poor memory.
-Reduced immune function
 Molybdenum
47

 Needed for:
Is a cofactor needed for the activity of a number of enzymes
Breaks down proteins and other substances.
Helps protect against tooth decay.
It is necessary for proper metabolism of fats,
carbohydrates and iron.
Can help protect against some forms of cancer.
 Food sources:
Wheat germ, liver, dark green leafy vegetables, eggs, legumes
 Deficiency is very uncommon.
 Irritability.
 Irregular heartbeat.
 Bioavailability of vitamins
48

 Almost all foods contain some vitamins

 Bioavailability depends on source of vitamins and
other factors e.g., temperature, light, oxygen, acid &
alkali affect stability of vitamins
 E.g.: how food is cooked, stored, and processed
 The vitamins naturally found in foods can be
washed away during preparation, destroyed by
cooking, or damaged by exposure to light or
oxygen
 Tips for Preserving Vitamins
49

 Store food away from heat & light & eat soon after
purchase
 Cut fruits & vegetables as close to cook or serve time
as possible
 Don’t soak vegetables before cooking them
 Vitamins may leach out
 Cook in as little water as possible
 Use water from cooking vegetables to make soups &
sauces
 Don’t rinse rice before cooking
 may wash away water soluble vitamins
 Absorption of micronutrients
50
 Unlike carbohydrates, fats and proteins, certain micronutrients
are poorly absorbed.
 The absorption of many vitamins and minerals depend on:
 Their chemical form
example: Heme iron vs. non-heme iron
 Presence of other factors within the same food
example: Lactose present in milk increases of absorption of calcium
from milk, whereas the calcium in spinach, nuts, seeds is absorbed at a
much lower rate due to factors present in the food bind the calcium
and prevent its absorption.


 Absorption of micronutrients
51

 Other foods within the meal

Examples:
 Fat soluble vitamins are much better absorbed when the
meal also includes some dietary fat.
 Non-heme iron absorption can be doubled if the meal
includes vitamin C rich foods; whereas high fiber foods
such as whole grains and foods high in oxalic acid such as
tea, spinach can decrease the absorption of zinc and iron.
 Chemical transformations within
52
the body
 Many vitamins and minerals undergo one or more
chemical modifications before they can be used by
our cells.
Examples:
 Phosphate group is added to vitamins B1 and B6.
 Vitamin D is activated by addition of two hydroxyl
groups.
 Iron may alternate between Fe2+ and Fe3+
 and Copper may exist as Cu1+ and Cu2+.
 Are supplements healthful sources
53
of micronutrients?
 In general, it is much easier to develop a toxic overload of
nutrients from supplements than it is from foods.
 Some micronutrients consumed as (high potency) supplements
appear to be harmful to the health of certain consumers.
 Most minerals are better absorbed from animal food sources
than they are from supplements.
 Enriching a low nutrient food with a few vitamins and
minerals does not turn it into a healthful food.
 Eating a variety of healthful foods provides you with many
more nutrients, phytochemicals and other dietary factors than
supplements alone.
 Are supplements healthful sources
54
of micronutrients?
 Foods often provide a balance of micronutrients and other
factors that work in concert with one another.
 A healthful diet, built from a wide variety of foods, offers
social, emotional, and other benefits that are absent from
supplements.
 However supplements can play an important role in
promoting health in certain populations such as pregnant
women, children with poor eating habits and people with
certain illnesses.
55

End of Presentation
Tutorial: How do these fruits benefit us?
Acai Berries
Apples

Bananas
Blackberries

Blueberries

Cantaloupe

56
Cherries Citrus
Fruits

Cranberris
Dragon Fruit

Grapes Grapefruit

57
Kiwi
Oranges

Plums
Strawberries

Pomegranate

Avocados

58
Tomatoes
Papaya

Pumpkin & pumpkin seeds

Raspberries

Watermelon

Pineapple

59
 Nutripro
60

 Vitamins: The orchestra for the body.

 Contents:
• What are vitamins?
• A quick guide to fat-soluble vitamins.
• Tips for serving a vitamin-rich meal.
• A quick guide to water-soluble vitamins
 http://www.nestleprofessional.com/worldwide/
SiteCollectionDocuments/Publications/Food/
NutriPro_5_Vitamine_LowRes.pdf
END OF PRESENTATION