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Vitamin and Mineral Information
Got Questions about Vitamins and Minerals? We have got some answers.
Need some help understanding the basics?
Hopefully this section of the website should do the job.
Here we discuss the basics of the most common Vitamin and Minerals in our diet.
It is an extensive list covering many of the most important components of our food.
Cysteine
Cysteine is a sulphur containing non-essential amino acid, which is formed from methionine. It is necessary in the detoxification of the body from harmful toxins. Cysteine helps protect the liver and brain from damage. It is required in the manufacture of taurine and is a component of glutathione. Skin nails and hair contain cysteine - and it is not only important in collagen production but also assists in skin elasticity and texture.
What it is
Potassium
You're probably careful not to each too much sodium (salt), especially if you're watching your blood pressure.
But you might want to focus your efforts on getting more potassium; for some people, this mineral may be as important in controlling blood pressure as sodium.
Vitamin C
This vitamin is probably better known and more widely used than any other nutritional supplement.
But even if you think you’re familiar with vitamin C, read on. You may be surprised to discover exactly how versatile and health-enhancing this nutrient truly is.
Magnesium
Although little heralded, magnesium may be one of the most important minerals for good health.
Studies suggest that, besides enhancing some 300 enzyme-related processes in the body, magnesium may help to prevent or combat many chronic diseases.
Vitamin B9 – Folic Acid
Getting enough of this B-Vitamin could prevent many thousands of deaths a year from cardiovascular disease. It could also virtually halve the number of babies born with birth defects. Yet nine out of ten adults in Australia and New Zealand take in too little folic acid.
What it is
A water-soluble member of the B complex vitaimin called B9, folic acid is also known as "folate" or "folacin". It was first identified in the 1940s when it was extracted from spinach. Because the body can't store it for very long, daily consumption is necessary to avoid deficiencie. Also, as it is destroyed by cooking and by long-storage, supplementation is often the best way to obtain adequate folic acid.
Glucosamine
This promising arthritis fighter helps to build cartilage – which provides cushioning at the tips of the bones – and protects and strengthens the joints as it relieves pain and stiffness. Although your body produces some glucosamine, a supplement is more effective.
Essential Fatty Acids (Fish Oil)
Scientists noticed a curiously low incidence of heart disease among Greenland Eskimos, despite their high-fat diet. The reason? They were eating fish rich in omega-3 fatty acids. Later studies confirmed their cardioprotective effect of fish oils while uncovering other benefits as well.
What they are
The fat in fish includes a form of polyunsaturated fatty acids called omega-3s. These differ from the polyunsaturated fatty acids found in vegetable oils (called omega-6s) and they have different effects on the body. (fish don't manufacture such fats but get them from the plankton they eat - the colder the water, the more omega-3s the plankton contains.)
Calcium
Renowned for preventing - or at least minimising - the devastating effects of osteoporosis, Calcium is now thought to lower high blood pressure and prevent colon cancer.
Unfortunately, this important mineral is often seriously lacking in the modern Australian and New Zealand diet.
What it is
Acidophilus
The 'friendly' bacteria called acidophilus help to create a healthy environment within the gastrointestinal tract. Taking acidophilus may combat digestive disorders, control vaginal yeast infections and help the body to resist diseases caused by 'unfriendly' bacteria. Acidophilus forms part of the 'friendly bacteria" known as Probiotics.
Vitamin B1 – Thiamine
Known as B1, this B group Vitamin is so important that, because it is removed during the milling of most grains, the law in Australia requires that it be added to bread-making flours to make up for its removal.
What it is
Thiamime gets is name, B1, simply because it was the first one isolated from the rest of the B group vitamins, it is none the less one of the key members of the B complex.
Vitamin B2 – Riboflavin
Research into Riboflavin, or B2 as it is also known, is showing that this member of the B complex has potential in combating many conditions, including migraines, cateracts and healing skin blemishes.
A water-soluble vitamin which is involved in converting fats, protein and carbohydrates into energy. It is destroyed by light so car must be taken when storing. It is flourescent yellow which is how it was noticed by scientists looking a milk under the microscope.
Riboflavin's yellow or orange-yellow colour is used as a food colouring as well as in fortifying some foods. It can be found in baby foods, breakfast cereals, sauces, processed cheese, fruit drinks and vitamin-enriched milk products as well as being widely used in vitamin supplements. Riboflavin is responsible for the harmless side effect of coloring a vitamin taker's urine bright yellow.
Vitamin B3 – Niacin
Niacin is Vitamin B3, one of the water soluble B-complex vitamins. One of Niacin's unique properties is its ability to help you naturally relax and get to sleep more rapidly at night. It is well established that niacin helps reduce harmful cholesterol levels in the bloodstream. Another niacin feature is its ability to greatly reduce anxiety and depression.
The body can manufacture Niacin by converting the amino acid Tryptophan, which is found in eggs, milk and poultry, into the vitamin. About half ofthe Niacin supplied by the average diet comes from the body's processessing of tryptophan. It has an anti-inflammatory effect and so if useful in treating rheumatoid arthritis and has potential in treating osteoporosis as it may help to heal damaged cartilage.
What it does
Vitamin B6 – Pyridoxine
Vitamin B6, or pyridoxine as it is also known, performs a wide variety of functions in your body and is essential for your good health. For example, Vitamin B6 is needed for more than 100 enzymes involved in protein metabolism.
A water-soluble member of the B groups vitamin B6 is involved in more bodily processes than any other vitamin or mineral. It functions mainly as a coenzyme to act in concert with other enzymes to speed up chemical reactions in the cells.
Vitamin B6 exists in three major chemical forms: pyridoxine, pyridoxal and pyridoxamne, all of which are equally is satisfying nutritional needs, however some practitioners believe that pyridoxal is better absorbed.
Vitamin A
One of the first vitamins to be discovered, this essential nutrient keeps your eyesight keen, your skin healthy and your immune system strong. It follows that an extra dose of vitamin A may help to remedy various eye problems, a number of skin disorders and a wide range of infections.
What it is
Vitamin A, a fat-soluble nutrient, is stored in the liver. The body gets part of its vitamin A from animal fats and makes part in the intestine from beta-carotene and other carotenoids contained in fruits and vegetables. Vitamin A is present in the body in various chemical forms called retinoids - so named because the vitamin is essential to the health of the retina of the eye.
Ginkgo Biloba
This popular herbal medicine, derived from one of the oldest species of tree on earth, is widely marketed as a memory booster. Ginkgo biloba does help with age-related memory loss, but whether it's a 'smart pill' meant for everyone remains to be seen.
What it is
The medicinal form of the herb is extracted from the fan-shaped leaves of the ginkgo biloba tree, a species that has grown in China for more than 200 million years. (The leaves are bi-, or double-, lobed; hence the name 'biloba'.) A concentrated form of the herb, ginkgo biloba extract, is used to make the supplement. Commonly called ginkgo, the extract is obtained by drying and milling the leaves and then extracting the active ingredients in a mixture of alcohol and water.
Vitamin D
Called the sunshine vitamin (because your body can make some Vitamin D with enough sunlight), vitamin D is essential for bone health and may slow the progression of arthritis. It's also believed to strengthen the immune system and possibly prevent some cancers.
What it is
Technically a hormone, vitamin D is produced within the body when the skin is exposed to the ultraviolet B (UVB) rays in sunlight.
Vitamin E
A superstar nutrient with antioxidant capability, vitamin E offers a multitude of preventive benefits, including protection against heart disease, cancer and a broad range of other disorders. Working at the body's cellular level, vitamin E may even slow the ageing process.
What it is
Vitamin E is a genetic term for a group of related compounds called tocopherols, which occur in four major forms: alpha-, beta-, delta- and gamma-tocopherols. Alpha-tocopherol is the most common and most potent form of the vitamin. Because it is fat-soluble, vitamin E is stored in the body, mainly in fat tissue and the liver. Vitamin E is found in only a few foods, and many of these are high in fat, which makes it difficult to get the amount of vitamin E you require while on a healthy, low-fat diet. Therefore, supplements can be very useful in obtaining optimal amounts of this nutrient.
Echinacea
Long used by Native Americans and consequently some early American settlers and doctors, echinacea fell out of favour with the advent of modern antibiotics. But it's fast regaining popularity as a safe and powerful immune-system booster to fight colds, flu and other infections.
What it is
Echinacea is a wildflower with daisy-like purple blossoms native to the grasslands of the central United States, where it is also known as the purple or prairie coneflower. For centuries, the Plains tribes used the plant to heal wounds and to counteract the toxins of snakebites. The herb also became popular with European-American pioneers and their doctors as an all-purpose infection fighter.
Lecithin & Choline
Lecithin & Choline are closely related nutrients are essential to the functioning of every cell in your body.
They're particularly important for the liver and nerves. No wonder so many nutritionists urge us to get more of them.
Phosphorus
If you compiled a list of nutrients the body could not live without, phosphorus could certanly be near the top. Although its main function is building strong bones and teeth, this mineral is needed by virtually every cell in the body. Fortunately, the chance of deficiency is very small.
What it is
Evening Primrose Oil
Native Americans have long valued the evening primrose plant for its healing powers. Today, research focuses on the therapeutic effect of the oil obtained from its seeds, which contain an omega-6 essential fatty acid called gamma-linoleic acid (GLA).
What it is
Called evening primrose because its light yellow flowers open at dusk, this wildflower grows in North America and Europe. The plant and its root have long been used for medicinal purposes - to treat bruises, haemorrhoids, sore throat and stomach aches. But the use of its seed oil, which contains gamma-linoleic acid (GLA), is relatively recent. GLA is an essential fatty acid that the body converts to hormone-like compounds called prostaglandins, which regulate a number of bodily functions.
Green Tea
According to legend, around 2700 BC a Chinese emperor sat under a tea shrub and a few leaves fell into his cup of hot water.
Presto! Green tea was born.
Now, modern research has found that this type of tea contains one of the most promising anticancer compounds ever discovered.
Iron
A surprising number of Australians and New Zealanders get too little iron - and few realise that lack of this vital mineral can make them weak, unable to concentrate and more susceptible to infection. Too much iron, however, can be dangerous.
What it is
Selenium
Although researchers didn't discover the importance of this trace mineral until 1979, selenium quickly gained prominence as a potentially powerful cancer fighter. Many experts now believe it could prove to be one of the most important disease-fighting nutrients.
What it is
A trace mineral that is essential to many body processes, selenium is found in soil. Selenium is present in virtually every cell in the body, but it is most abundant in the kidneys, liver, spleen, pancreas and testes.
Chromium
The second best-selling mineral supplement after calcium, chromium has been hyped as a fat burner, a muscle builder, a treatment for diabetes and a weapon against heart disease. Though this mineral is essential for growth and health, its more spectacular claims remain controversial.
What it is
Chromium is a trace mineral that comes in several chemical forms. Supplements usually contain chromium picolinate or chromium GTF (glucose tolerance factor). Another type, called chromium dinicotinic acid glutathione, is found in brewer's yeast. Supplements may be worthwhile because many people today don't get enough chromium in their diet.
Iodine
Many people associate iodine with the topical antiseptic their mother swabbed on their childhood scrapes and bruises. But the real value of this trace mineral lies in the role it plays in thyroid health. Without iodine, the vitally important thyroid gland can't function properly.
What it is
Although the body needs only tiny amounts, iodine is so crucial to overall health that, beginning in the 1920s in New Zealand and in the 1930s in Australia, the government allowed manufacturers volutarily to add iodine to table salt, mainly as a safeguard against thyroid enlargement (goitre) and the severe form of mental retardation called cretinism, which is caused by iodine deficiency (although the condition was rare in these countries). Despire the recognised important of this vitamin mineral, however, about 1.6 billion people in the world, mostly in underdeveloped countries, still suffer from iodine deficiency.
Copper
Essential in preventing cardiovascular disease, maintaining good skin and hair colour and promoting fertility, copper is the third most abundant trace mineral in the body. Even so, some experts believe that many people may be marginally deficient in this important nutrient.
What it is
Copper, the reddish brown malleable metal commonly used in cookware and plumbing, is also found in at least 15 proteins in the human body. It's often included in multivitamin formulas, but an excess of copper can be a problem in Australia and New Zealand because many houses still have copper water pipes. Overnight, water standing in the pipes, especially if chlorine and fluoride have been added to the water supply, will dissolve copper into the water. Letting the water run for a minute or so before use will reduce the problem. Too much copper can lead to a zinc deficiency. Copper can be obtained from a wide variety of foods, though the foods that are the richest sources, such as oysters and liver, are not eaten frequently.
Coenzyme Q10
Touted as a wonder supplement, coenzyme Q10 is said to enhance stamina, aid weight loss, combat cancer and AIDS, and even stave off ageing.
Although these claims may be extravagant, this nutrient does show promise for heart disease, weak gums and other ailments.
What it is
Wild Yam
Misconceptions about the active ingredients in wild yam have led to much marketing hype. The herb has been hailed as a natural alternative to hormone replacement therapy for menopause. Even though it's not been proved effective for this purpose, wild yam does have other benefits.
What it is
Native to North and Central America, the wild yam was first used medicinally by the Aztecs and Mayans because of its pain-relieving qualities. Later, European settlers took advantage of wild yam's therapeutic properties and used it to treat joint pain and colic. The root is the part of the plantthat has medicinal value. It is available as a dried herb for use in tea, and is also sold in capsule, tablet and tincture forms.
Vitamin K
Doctors have long used vitamin K, which promotes blood clotting, to help heal incisions in surgical patients and to prevent bleeding problems in newborns. This vitamin also helps to build strong bones and may be useful for combating the threat of osteoporosis.
What it is
In the 1930s Danish researchers noted that baby chickens fed a fat-free diet developed bleeding problems. The problem was solved with an alfalfa-based compound that was named vitamin K, for Koagulation. Scientists now know that most of the body's vitamin K needs are met by bacteria in the intestines that produce this vitamin, and only about 20% comes from foods. Deficiencies are rare in healthy people, even though the body doesn't store vitamin K in large amounts. Natural forms of vitamin K come from chlorophyll - the same substance that gives plants such as alfalfa their green colour. Synthetic supplements are also available on prescription. Other names for vitamin K are phytonadione and menadione.
Psyllium
These tiny seeds and their husks are so rich in fibre that they've been prescribed for constipation and a wide range of other digestive ailments for more than 500 years. New research has found that psyllium offers an added benefit: it lowers blood cholesterol safely and effectively.
What it is
Odouless and nearly tasteless, psyllium comes from the small, reddish brown to black seeds of the Plantago psyllium plant. Also known as the plantin, it should not be confused with the edible, banana-like fruit of the same name (Musa paradisiaca) or with the herb plantain (P.lanceolata) sometimes used for coughs. Plantago grows as a weed in numerous places around the world and is commercially cultivated in Spain, France, India, Pakistant and other countries. Various species of the plant are used in herbal medicine, most commonly the seeds of P.psyllium and P.ovata. The tiny seeds are generally dried and ground, and sold in the form of powders, capsules or chewable tablets. Psyllium is sometimes added to breakfast cereals.
Dong Quai
Found in many herbal 'women's supplements', dong quai, or angelica, is a tonic traditionally used in Asia to boost the function of the female reproduction system. Its popularity is second only to ginseng's in China and Japan, but Western experts continue to debate its effectiveness.
What it is
Although dong quai grows wild in Asia, it's also widely cultivated for medicinal purposes in China (the Angelica sinensis variety) and in Japan (A. acutiloba), where many women take it daily to maintain overall good health. The most widely available therapeutic form is derived from the root of A. sinensis, a plant with hollow stems that grows up to 2.5 metres tall and has clusters of white flowers. When in bloom, angelica resembles Queen Anne's lace, its botanical relative. Other names for dong quai include dang gui, tang kuie and Chinese angelica.
St John’s Wort
The ancient Greeks and Romans believed that this herb could deter evil spirits. Today, St John's wort has found new and widespread popularity as a natural antidepressant - a gentle alternative to conventional medications, with far fewer side effects.
What it is
A shrubby perennial bearing bright yellow flowers, St John's wort is cultivated worldwide. It was named for Saint John the Baptist because it blooms around June 24, the day celebrated as his birthday. 'Wort' is an old English world for plant. For centuries, St John's wort was used to soothe the nerves and to heal wounds, burns and snakebites. Supplements are made from dried flowers, which contain a number of therapeutic substances, including a healing pigment called hypericin.
Carotenoids
The pigments that give some fruits and vegetables their rich red, orange and yellow colours are called carotenoids. These natural compounds are also potent disease fighters. If your diet doesn't contain enough of them, supplements are a handy option.
What they are
Although more than 600 carotenoid pigments have been identified in foods, it appears that only six are used in significant ways by the blood or tissues of the body. Besides beta-carotene, which is probably the best-known carotenoid, these include alpha-carotene, lycopene, lutein, zeaxanthin and cryptoxanthin.
Pau D’Arco
Rumoured to have been prescribed by the Incasto treat serious ailments, the herb pau d'arco has recently been investigated as a remedy for infectious diseases and cancer. Though its anticancer properties are debatable, it may indeed combat a variety of infections.
What it is
Pau d'arco is obtained from the inner bark of a tree - Tabebuia impetiginosa - indigenous to the rainforests of South America. Native tribes have taken advantage of its healing powers for centuries. Pau d'arco is also known as lapacho, taheebo or ipe roxo. In Australia and New Zealand, however, it's always sold as pau d'arco or taheebo.
Ginger
From ancient India and China to Greece and Rome, ginger was revered as both a medicinal and a culinary spice. Medieval Europeans traced this herb to the Garden of Eden, and it has long been valued by traditional healers. Today it's used to quell nausea, and much more.
What it is
Renowned for its stomach-settling properties, ginger is native to parts of India and China, as well as Jamaica and other tropical areas. This warm-climate perennial is closely related to turmeric, and its roots are used for culinary and therapeutic purposes. As a spice, ginger adds a hot, lemony flavour for foods as disparate as roast pork and gingernut biscuits. Medicinally, it continues to play a major role in traditional healing.
Grape Seed Extract
With antioxidant properties many times more powerful than those of vitamin C or vitamin E, grape seed extract is a heart-smart and cancer-smart botanical. It also has the power to improve vascular health and increase your well-being in myriad ways.
What it is
This extract from the tiny seeds of red grapes of the species Vitis vinifera is a flavonoid, and is one of Europe's leading natural treatments. Plant substances with potent antioxidant potential, flavonoids protect body cells from damage by unstable oxygen molecules called free radicals. Grape seed extract contains procyanidolic oligomers (PCOs), also called oligomeric proanthocyanidins (OPCs). PCOs are believed to play an important role in preventing heart disease and cancer. 'Pycnogenol' with a capital P is the trade name for a specific PCO derived from maritime pine bark or grape seed.
Flaxseed
A rich source of healing oil, flaxseed has been cultivated for more than 7000 years. Among the oil's most important uses are the prevention and treatment of cancer, heart disease, and a variety of inflammatory disorders and hormone-related problems.
What it is
It began as a fibre for weaving - and it remains the basis of natural linen fabric. However, the medicinal properties of flaxseed quickly became legendary. A slender annual that grows up to a metre high and bears blue flowers from late winter to early spring, the flax plant was first grown in Europe, then taken to North America. Flaxseeds (also known as linseeds) are now grown commercially in Australia and New Zealand. Both the oil and the seeds themselves are used for therapeutic purposes.
Hawthorn
If your doctor confirms that you have any form of heart disease, you'll want to know all about hawthorn. This herb, historicallyused both as a diuretic and as a treatment for kidney and bladder stones, is presently one of the most widely prescribed heart remedies in Europe.
What it is
For centuries, hawthorn, a shrub that grows to about 9 metres, has been trimmed to hedge height and planted along the edges of fields or property lines in Europe and America. As a divider, it looks attractive and discourages trespassers. It produces pretty white flowers and vibrant red berries, but it also sports large thorns, and the flowers on some varieties smell like rotting meat. What's more, the plant has long been associated with bad luck and death, because the crown of thorns that Christ wore at the Crucifixion is widely held to have been woven from hawthorn twigs.
Peppermint
For centuries this powerfully aromatic herb has provided relief for indigestion, colds and headaches.
Today, medicinal peppermint is most prized for its ability to soothe the digestive tract, easing indigestion, irritable bowel syndrome and other complaints.
Probiotics
Our bodies contain billions of bacteria – and we need every singleone! So much emphasis is placed on looking after your body externally,but what about your insides?
How can you make sure your digestive system has good the bacteria it needs?
Methylsulfonylmethane (MSM)
MSM, short for methylsulfonylmethane, is an organic form of sulfur readily absorbed and utilised by our bodies. MSMis composed of 34% bio-available sulfur, making it the richest sourceof organic sulfur available. MSM is a safe, natural, assimilable food,which assists the body in maintaining adequate sulfur stores.
MSM may support the body in regulating insulin production, improvingskin smoothness and elasticity, regulating environmental and allergicsensitivities, enhancing bowel function and liver detoxification, andenhancing respiratory function.
Our bodies require the elementsulfur for many of its functions. Sulfur is a component of the proteinsnecessary for the formation of skin, hair, nails and muscle. Sulfur isalso a component of bones, teeth and collagen (connective tissue).
Chondroiton
Chondroitin is important for the lubrication and nutrition of joints and to help them cope with the weight and pressure that is placed on them every day.
Vitamin B12
Although this vitamin is plentiful in most people's diets, after the age of 50 some people are less able to absorb it from food. Supplements are usually recommended, because even mild deficiencies may increase the risk of heart disease, depression, and possibly Alzheimer's.
What it is
Also known as cobalamine, vitamin B12 was the last vitamin to be discovered. In the late 1940s, it was identified as the substance in calf's liver that cured pernicious anaemia, a potentially fatal type of anaemia primarily affecting older adults. Vitamin B12 is the only B-vitamin the body stores in large amounts, mostly in the liver. The body absorbs B12 through a very complicated process. Digestive enzymes in the presence of enough stomach acid separate B12 from the protein in foods. The vitamin then binds with a substance called intrinsic factor (a protein produced by cells in the stomach lining) before being carried to the small intestine, where it is absorbed. Low levels of stomach acid, an inadequate amount of intrinsic factor (both of which occur with age) and inflammation of the small intestine can lead to deficiencies. However, because the body has good reserves of B12, it can take several years for a shortfall to develop.
Zinc
It may be last in the alphabetical list but Zinc is a crucial nutrient for health.
In fact it has a role in all human living cells.
Zinc is involved in many biochemical reactions. It is required for the building of all new tissues, for normal immune responses, nerve function, reproduction and as part of the army of protective antioxidants.
Amino Acids
Amino acids are the buildings blocks used to make proteins. There areabout 80 amino acids in nature, but the human body needs only 20 ofthese for metabolism and growth. Essential amino acids are supplied bythe foods we eat. Nonessential amino acids are in foods, but they alsocan be produced by the body. Each protein consists of a different sequence of amino acids linked together according to the genetic information encoded in DNA.
Curcumin
The health benefits of curcumin as a herbal medicine is currently catching major attention. Curcumin is shaping up to be the next super anti-cancer substance.
Curcumin is recognized to have many extraordinary medicinal properties and has been used by ancient traditional medicine for centuries to treat a variety of diseases.
Recent research has revealed that curcumin is a natural wonder, proving beneficial in the treatment of many different health conditions from cancer to Alzheimer’s disease.
Krill Oil
Krill oil is a nutrient-dense substance extracted from a tiny, bottom-of-the-foood-chain crustacean that are collected far from pollution in the pristine seas surrounding Antarctica. So you don't have to worry about unsafe accumulations of mercury, PCBs, heavy metals or other toxins
Oil that is made from Krill contains similar to fish oil large amounts of the omega three fatty acids eicosapentanoic acid (EPA) and docosahexanoic acid (DHA).
In contrast to fish oil, that contains these fatty acids mostly in the triglyceride form, Krill oil contains mostly phospholipids, which, in addition to the fatty acid, also contain phosphatidylcholine.
