When it comes to the nutrients needed for different bodily functions, vitamins and minerals rank at the top. If you want to live a long, healthy life, it’s crucial that you eat the correct nutrients. Eating a healthy diet provide a sufficient amount of minerals and vitamins required by the body. They help in strengthening your bones, boost your immune system as well as ensure faster healing of the wound. Minerals and vitamins are also required for converting the food into energy and help in repairing the cellular damage. In this article, we are talking about what these vitamins and minerals actually do in our body and why you should consume enough quantity of them.
Micronutrients- play a vital role in the body
Vitamins and minerals are also called micronutrients that our body required in small amounts. Disorders can arise from a lack of certain micronutrients. Here are some diseases that can cause due to vitamin deficiencies:-
- Scurvy:- This problem leads to bleeding gums and listlessness of scurvy. The key reasons of causing this problem are deficiency of vitamin C. Therefore you should include enough fruits and vegetable in your diet.
- Blindness:- Vitamin A deficiency is also responsible for causing blindness.
- Rickets:- Vitamin D deficiency can lead to rickets which are conditions of weak and soft bones. It can lead the skeletal deformities like bowed legs.
The micronutrients deficiency can leave substantial harm to your body. But having the right amount of micronutrients can bring various benefits for your health such as:-
- Strong bones:- If you consume the right amount of vitamin D, vitamin K, calcium, magnesium, etc. then it makes your bones strong and fights against fractures.
- Prevent pregnancy complications:– By consuming the right supplements like folic acid in the early stage of pregnancy it work well in preventing brain and spinal birth defects in offspring.
- Healthy gums and teeth:– The minerals fluoride is beneficial in bone formation as well as preventing dental cavities from starting or worsening.
Difference between vitamins and minerals
The micronutrients, vitamins, and minerals are considered different in basic ways. The chemical structure of minerals remains unchanged even after exposure to oxygen, heat, or acid, however vitamins are quickly broken down. It means you can easily get the minerals from your diet containing plants, fish, etc. The vitamins in food and other sources become inactive when exposed to heat and air, making it difficult to get them.
Water-soluble vitamins
These vitamins are directly supplied in the bloodstream when food is broken down during digestion or supplements dissolve. Our body contains a huge amount of water therefore water-soluble vitamins easily circulate in the body. Your kidney regulates the level of water-soluble vitamins and flushes it out from the body in your urine. The water-soluble vitamin includes:-
- B vitamins
- Vitamin B12
- Niacin (vitamin B3)
- Folic acid (folate, vitamin B9)
- Riboflavin (vitamin B2)
- Pantothenic acid (vitamin B5
- Biotin (vitamin B7)
- Vitamin B6
- Vitamin C
- Thiamin (vitamin B1)
Role of water-soluble vitamins
They are playing a vital role in the body by generating energy from the food.
Here we are sharing some examples how different water-soluble vitamins are beneficial for maintaining your health:-
- To release energy:-Some vitamin B components include coenzymes that help in releasing energy from food.
- Produce energy: Niacin, biotin, Thiamin, etc. are beneficial for energy production
- Form proteins and cells:- folic acid, vitamin B6, and B12 are beneficial for metabolizing the amino acids and help in multiplying cells.
- Develop collagen:- Vitamin C is beneficial for making collagen that helps in knits wounds, supporting blood vessels walls and creating a base for bones and teeth.
These are benefits of vitamins, minerals, and micronutrients in our body therefore you should ensure that you are consuming a balanced nutritional diet for your fit and healthy longlife.
