Dietary Requirements
A. Vitamins and Minerals
1) Fat soluble vitamins are found in fatty foods such as vegetable oils, dairy foods, oily fish and eggs. The body stores these vitamins in your liver and fatty tissues for future use, so there is no need to eat food containing them every day. The fat soluble vitamins are Vitamins A, D, E and K.
Water soluble vitamins are not stored in the body, so have to be absorbed from food more often. The body gets rid of any excess vitamins through urination. Water soluble vitamins are Vitamin C, the B Vitamins and folic acid, they are found in foods such as fruit, vegetables, potatoes, grains and dairy foods. Unlike fat soluble vitamins they can be destroyed by heat or exposure to air. Therefore if the food is being cooked, especially by boiling, some of the vitamins can be lost. (NHS, 2015)
2) Factors that can affect vitamin and mineral absorption include:
• Low fat diet: A low fat diet can be followed by some people in hope that it will help them to lose weight. Some fat is needed in the diet to absorb the fat soluble vitamins A, D, E and K. These may not be absorbed as well if the fat intake has been greatly reduced (Friedrich, 2012).
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Acid-blocking medication can bind with and reduce absorption of vitamin B12. Low levels of vitamin B12 can lead to anaemia and neurological problems. Antibiotics can destroy the good bacteria in the intestines that play a role in the absorption of vitamins and minerals. Laxatives, diuretics and drugs that are used to treat seizures may cause diarrhoea which can then affect absorption of vitamins and minerals. Some cholesterol-lowering medications and contraceptives are also known to reduce the absorption of vitamins and minerals (Heerden,
A. Vitamins and Minerals
1) Fat soluble vitamins are found in fatty foods such as vegetable oils, dairy foods, oily fish and eggs. The body stores these vitamins in your liver and fatty tissues for future use, so there is no need to eat food containing them every day. The fat soluble vitamins are Vitamins A, D, E and K.
Water soluble vitamins are not stored in the body, so have to be absorbed from food more often. The body gets rid of any excess vitamins through urination. Water soluble vitamins are Vitamin C, the B Vitamins and folic acid, they are found in foods such as fruit, vegetables, potatoes, grains and dairy foods. Unlike fat soluble vitamins they can be destroyed by heat or exposure to air. Therefore if the food is being cooked, especially by boiling, some of the vitamins can be lost. (NHS, 2015)
2) Factors that can affect vitamin and mineral absorption include:
• Low fat diet: A low fat diet can be followed by some people in hope that it will help them to lose weight. Some fat is needed in the diet to absorb the fat soluble vitamins A, D, E and K. These may not be absorbed as well if the fat intake has been greatly reduced (Friedrich, 2012).
• …show more content…
Acid-blocking medication can bind with and reduce absorption of vitamin B12. Low levels of vitamin B12 can lead to anaemia and neurological problems. Antibiotics can destroy the good bacteria in the intestines that play a role in the absorption of vitamins and minerals. Laxatives, diuretics and drugs that are used to treat seizures may cause diarrhoea which can then affect absorption of vitamins and minerals. Some cholesterol-lowering medications and contraceptives are also known to reduce the absorption of vitamins and minerals (Heerden,