Vitamin Dictionary
Should I take a multi-vitamin? Can I get enough nutrients from the food I eat? These are some common questions people have. Your body needs lots of good food, containing vitamins, minerals, water, carbohydrates, fats and proteins. Ideally, you should get all of your nutrients from the food you eat - our body is meant to digest food. Our bodies need:
| Macro Nutrients We need these nutrients in large quantities |
Micronutrients We need these nutrients in smaller quantities: |
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| Carbohydrates | Typically sugars and starches | Minerals | Help the bones and teeth |
| Fats | Store energy from food and carry vitamins through your body. There are good (essential fatty acids or EFAs) & bad fats |
Vitamins | These are necessary to release the energy from fats, proteins and carbohydrates |
| Proteins | These are the building blocks for your body. They are used to repair and help your body grow. |
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This vitamin dictionary will examine the good essential fatty acids, minerals and vitamins our bodies need, and some food sources of each nutrient to consider incorporating into your diet.
The content of the Vitamin Dictionary is from: The Real Vitamin & Mineral Book- Using Supplements for Optimal Health (2nd Edition), by Dr. Shari Lieberman, PhD and Nancy Bruning. Published by Avery Publishing Group, New York in 1997. Dr. Lieberman published the third edition of this book in 2003. The Real Vitamin & Mineral Book contains a wealth of information. For each nutrient, it explains: the nutrient's functions and uses, recommended daily intake and classic deficiency symptoms, supplements, optimum daily intake and toxicity and adverse side effects. This book is available through Dr. Lieberman's website.
