🍲 Vitamins and Minerals

This lesson explains core food science and nutrition concepts with practical relevance to food quality, safety, and human health.

---

Vitamins and Minerals

Vitamins

Vitamins are organic compounds required in small quantities for normal physiological functions. They cannot be synthesized in sufficient amounts by the body and must be obtained from diet.

Fat-Soluble Vitamins

Vitamin	Function	Deficiency Disease	Food Sources
Vitamin A (Retinol)	Vision, immune function, cell differentiation	Night blindness, xerophthalmia	Liver, carrots, sweet potato, spinach
Vitamin D (Calciferol)	Calcium absorption, bone health	Rickets (children), osteomalacia (adults)	Sunlight, fish liver oil, fortified milk
Vitamin E (Tocopherol)	Antioxidant, membrane protection	Hemolytic anemia (rare)	Vegetable oils, nuts, wheat germ
Vitamin K (Phylloquinone)	Blood clotting, bone metabolism	Hemorrhagic disease	Green leafy vegetables, soybean oil

Water-Soluble Vitamins

• Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) — coenzyme in carbohydrate metabolism; deficiency causes beriberi; sources: whole grains, legumes
• Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin) — cofactor in redox reactions; deficiency causes ariboflavinosis (angular stomatitis); sources: milk, eggs, green vegetables
• Vitamin B3 (Niacin) — NAD/NADP synthesis; deficiency causes pellagra (3 Ds: dermatitis, diarrhea, dementia); sources: meat, groundnuts, legumes
• Vitamin B12 (Cobalamin) — DNA synthesis, nerve function; deficiency causes megaloblastic anemia; sources: animal products only
• Vitamin C (Ascorbic acid) — collagen synthesis, antioxidant, iron absorption; deficiency causes scurvy; sources: citrus fruits, amla, guava

Minerals

Macro-Minerals

• Calcium — bone and teeth formation; RDA: 600–1000 mg/day; sources: milk, ragi, sesame
• Phosphorus — bone structure, ATP; sources: milk, meat, cereals
• Iron — hemoglobin synthesis; deficiency causes iron-deficiency anemia; RDA: 17–21 mg/day; sources: liver, jaggery, green leafy vegetables

Micro-Minerals (Trace Elements)

• Iodine — thyroid hormone synthesis; deficiency causes goiter, cretinism; RDA: 150 mcg/day; sources: iodized salt, seafood
• Zinc — enzyme cofactor, immune function; deficiency causes growth retardation; sources: meat, shellfish, legumes
• Selenium — antioxidant defense (glutathione peroxidase); sources: Brazil nuts, fish, cereals

The Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDA) are established by ICMR (Indian Council of Medical Research) and provide guidelines for nutrient intake across different age groups, physiological states, and activity levels.

---

Summary Cheat Sheet

Topic	Key takeaway
Main focus	Vitamins and minerals — classification, deficiency diseases, RDA, and food sources.
Section context	Revise this lesson with the rest of Principles of Food Science and Nutrition for stronger conceptual continuity.