Don’t let the prefix micro- in the word micronutrients diminish your idea of the importance of vitamins, minerals, fibers, and phytochemicals as food groups. Micro refers to the body’s minute requirement for them. They are very essential for the repair of cells, function of muscles and maintenance of immune system.
Vitamins come with a series of alphabetical letters: A, B, C, D, E and K. Most of them come from plants except for the B complex and A which occur in both animal tissue and plants. B and C vitamins are water-soluble and A, D, E and K are fat-soluble. Each one has a different function.
To maintain normal vision, eye functions, skin health, organ tissue and some metabolic reactions, you need vitamin A. It is found in fish-liver oils, liver, egg yolk and butter. Yellow, orange and red fruits and vegetables and dark leafy greens offer you carotenoids (precursors of vitamin A). The deep colored pigments in plants are important phytochemicals which have cancer-preventing properties. They are protective antioxidants that stop cell oxidation.
The B vitamins provide you with many benefits. B3, niacin, in high doses functions as a coenzyme to lower cholesterol but in excess it can damage liver function. Folic acid, another B found mostly in green leafy vegetables, is especially important for pregnant women. Deficiency in this vitamin causes defects in the fetus’ neural tube and other abnormalities. I urge all young women who are pregnant to eat plenty of leafy greens, beans and oranges or take a folic acid supplement. You can find B12 in eggs, dairy products and animal flesh. A deficiency — as in certain vegetarian diets — can cause anemia and nerve damage.
Vitamin C, another antioxidant, regulates your metabolic reactions and enhances your body’s defense system against oxidative stress. It is essential for connective tissue synthesis and vascular system maintenance. Eat fresh fruit and vegetables to get this vitamin.
Your body is capable of synthesizing vitamin D from exposure to sunlight. It is important for building bones. If you don’t have enough exposure to the sun, you are likely to suffer a vitamin D deficiency which can lead to brittle bones or osteoporosis, particularly in older women. Make sure you go out in the sun or take a supplement to avoid deficiency. Many foods — milk and others — are fortified with synthetic vitamin D.
Long ignored by the medical community, vitamin E is now accepted as a powerful antioxidant that boosts our immune defenses against cell damage by free radicals. It is also recommended for the quick healing of scars, reducing fibrocystic breasts, alleviating menstrual symptoms and making blood more fluid. Studies have shown reduction of heart disorders with E supplements. A recent study indicated that antioxidants protect against the onset of diabetes.
We shouldn’t disregard the effectiveness of antioxidants in spite of the controversy surrounding them. I suggest an increase in your intake of these protective vitamins, which are abundant in fresh fruits and even cooked vegetables. Carotenoids, in cooked tomatoes and deep-pigmented fruit and vegetables, are potent against prostate cancer and the effects of radiation and chemotherapy. So add them to your diet for their protective benefits against many age-related ailments.
Vitamin K, the last one in the group, helps in blood clotting during injury. Some people are genetically deficient in this vitamin or unable to synthesize it in their intestinal microflora (natural bacteria) resulting in an inability to produce the vitamin. It can be found in vegetables like broccoli and leafy greens that also replenish the normal gut microflora to minimize abnormality in such patients.
I hope I helped you understand the importance of these micronutrients which are responsible for enhancing immunity and warding off diseases. Next I will emphasize the importance of minerals and trace elements.