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Vitamins, minerals and other nutrients are vitally important to our overall wellbeing. Dietary sources contain these micro- and macronutrients for maximum benefit to human health.
Few individuals get enough key nutrients despite eating healthily, even though many diets include these important elements in their daily meals. Nutrient gaps have negative repercussions for numerous aspects of health such as teeth and bones, blood pressure, heart health and weight.
Vitamins
Vitamins are organic molecules that are essential to life but cannot be produced internally; thus they must be obtained through food intake or supplementation. While vitamin E consists of four tocotrienols and eight tocopherols, most people can meet their vitamin needs by eating a well-rounded diet; others may require additional supplements.
Vitamins play an essential role in energy-yielding metabolism, DNA synthesis and nerve signaling – essential functions that underpin human life and development. Vitamin A (beta carotene), C, D and E are stored in fat tissues while others such as water-soluble vitamin K2 may be excreted through urine. Good sources for vitamins A-E include leafy green vegetables, non-citrus fruits and berries, avocados, nuts & seeds poultry fish lean meat as well as poultry fish lean meat. Institute of Medicine has created Dietary Reference Intake Intake Guidelines that reflect age/life stage recommendations regarding specific vitamins A-E intake guidelines called Dietary Reference Intake Intake Guidelines or Dietary Reference Intake Intake Intake Guidelines or Dietary Reference Intake Intake Intake Intake Intake Guidelines or DRIs).
Minerals
Minerals are inorganic substances found naturally on Earth that contain one or more chemical elements; more frequently they consist of multiple elements bound together forming solid structures at room temperature with predictable crystal structures.
All matter in our universe can only exist in four states: liquid, solid, gas or plasma. Atoms closer together can more easily “freeze into place”.
Minerals play an essential role in human life, from building strong bones and transmitting nerve impulses to maintaining regular heartbeats. There are two classes of minerals: macrominerals and trace minerals. Macrominerals include calcium, phosphorus, potassium and sodium while trace minerals include iron, zinc, copper iodine fluoride selenium. A balanced diet usually provides sufficient mineral nourishment; if taking mineral supplements is desired it should first be discussed with their physician or UF/IFAS Extension family and consumer sciences agent before doing so.
Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Omega-3s (eicosapentaenoic acid or EPA and docosahexaenoic acid or DHA) are essential components of cell membrane phospholipids that form your cell membranes and also used to produce signaling molecules called eicosanoids that have multiple functions in cardiovascular, pulmonary, immune, and endocrine systems.
Studies have revealed that people who consume fish or take omega-3 supplements may have a reduced risk of heart disease than those who don’t consume either source. It is best to get omega-3s through food rather than pills, which could interfere with medications or increase bleeding risks for some individuals.
Studies have linked dietary intakes of EPA and DHA with many health outcomes, such as infant development; cancer prevention; dry eye disorders, depression and age-related macular degeneration. The AREDS clinical trial concluded that taking 500 mg each of DHA and EPA daily for five years significantly slowed progression to advanced AMD among participants with moderate or severe disease.
