VITAMINS & MINERALS

Vitamins are organic compounds that are required by the body for maintenance of good health and growth. They are further classifed as fat-soluble and water soluble. By convention, the word "vitamin" has been reserved for certain nutrients that the body cannot manufacture and must get through eating food or consuming supplements.

The fat-soluble vitamins include A, D, E and K. The water-soluble ones include the B vitamins and C. In contrast to their fat-soluble counterparts, they are not easily stored by the body.

Minerals are inorganic nutrients that are found in the body. Although they comprise only about four percent of the body's weight, they are essential structural components necessary for many vital metabolic processes. Minerals such as calcium are required in large amounts daily whilst others such as chromium are needed in smaller amounts.

The relative importance of each mineral is equal. Some are found in the body in their inorganic form such as calcium salts in the bone and sodium chloride in the blood. Others are found in the body in organic combinations, such as iron in haemoglobin and iodine in thyroxin.

Absorption of minerals into the body will vary greatly depending on the type.