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Vitamin and Minerals Facts for Kids

Vitamin and Minerals Facts for Kids

Reviewed by:

Nafeez Khan

Facts About Vitamins and Minerals

Before learning about vitamins and minerals, let's understand nutrients.

Nutrients provide nourishment to our bodies which is essential for development, growth, and good health. There are six types of basic nutrients- carbohydrates, proteins, fat, vitamins, minerals, and water. But the main focus is on Vitamins and Minerals.

Vitamins are nutrients found in foods such as vegetables that are needed for physical and mental development. They are what keep us healthy!

Minerals are substances found in the earth or absorbed by animals or plants that humans eat to develop the body properly.

Vegetables - High in Vitamins

Types of Vitamins

Our body requires several different kinds of vitamins to function well and fully develop. Each vitamin has a different role and comes from a different food source.

Vitamins are divided into two categories- water-soluble and fat-soluble.

Fat-Soluble Vitamins are dissolved in the fat and stored in the body for later use. These are Vitamins A, D, E, and K.

Water Soluble Vitamins are dissolved in the water present in the body and they help to provide energy. These are Vitamins B and C.

Types of Vitamins, Sources, and Functions

Vitamin name	Food source	Functions
Vitamin A	Tomatoes, Carrots, Milk, Eggs	Healthy eye vision, good skin, strong bones
Vitamin B	Green vegetables, Meat, Eggs, Cheese	Maintain energy, and improves memory
Vitamin C	Orange, Lemon, Strawberry	Improves eyesight, makes skin healthy
Vitamin D	Eggs, Cheese, Mushrooms	Growth of bones, helps with concentration and memory, improves heart health
Vitamin E	Hazelnuts, Almonds, Pumpkin	Maintains hair health, repairs damaged skin
Vitamin K	Green vegetables, Fish, Pomegranate	Strong bones, heart health, and brain function

Types of vitamins and their Food Sources

Why Do We Need Vitamins?

Vitamins are essential for the human body, and they have several benefits.

Benefits or Uses of Vitamins :

Maintains skin and hair health.
Reduces stress.
Improves heart health.
Improves eyesight.
Keeps the bones strong.
It helps in brain function (memory, concentration).
It helps to avoid diseases and infections.

Deficiency of Vitamins

It is not just important to eat vitamin-rich foods but also to eat them correctly.

When the body doesn't get enough of the right vitamins, it fails to function correctly.

Such diseases caused due to the lack of vitamins in the body are called deficiency diseases.

The lack of each vitamin causes a specific deficiency disease. Let’s learn about the diseases and their symptoms.

Deficiency Diseases of Vitamins

Vitamin	Deficiency disease	Symptoms
A	Night blindness	Loss of vision
B	Beriberi	Weak muscles and bones
C	Scurvy	Bleeding gums in teeth, extreme muscle pain, and weakness
D	Rickets	Bones become soft and bent
E	Anaemia	Weakness, chest pain, headaches, and pale skin
K	Deficiency bleeding	Lack of blood in the body to repair wounds.

Vitamins keep a Healthy Body

Types of Minerals

Just like vitamins, minerals are also needed for the functioning and development of muscles, bones, heart, and brain.

It is essential to consume minerals from different food sources.

Minerals are of two types- Macro minerals & Minor or Trace minerals.

Macro minerals are needed in large amounts. They are - Sodium, Phosphorus, Magnesium, Calcium, Potassium, and Chloride.

One of the essential minerals is calcium. It plays a significant role in developing bones, muscles, brain function, circulation of blood, and much more. Calcium should be consumed in the right amount from its respective food sources.

Food Source of Calcium

Minor minerals are necessary for small quantities. They are - Iron, Copper, Zinc, Iodine, and Fluorine.

Minerals Make up a Healthy Body

Types of Minerals, Sources, and Functions

Mineral Name	Food Source	Functions
Sodium	Salt, Cheese, Milk	Maintains body-water balance and strong muscles
Phosphorus	Fish, Beans, Mushrooms, Almonds	Maintains energy in the body
Calcium	Milk, Cashews, Almonds	Strong, healthy bones and muscles
Magnesium	Honey, Chocolates, Green vegetables	Provides energy and strengthens the body’s muscles and bones
Potassium	Fruits, Spinach, Rice, Mushrooms	Proper functioning of muscles
Chloride	Salt, Milk, Peanuts	Maintains balance of liquids in the body
Iron	Beans, Eggs, Green vegetables, Meat	Provides energy and helps in brain function
Copper	Fish, Nuts, Seeds, Chocolate	Bone strength, heart health, and repair of wounds
Iodine	Milk, Cheese, Salt, Fish, Eggs	Promotes physical growth and brain functioning
Zinc	Peanuts, Chicken, Almonds	Repair of injuries and strong bones

Deficiency of Minerals

Just like vitamins, the lack of minerals also causes problems in the body.

These are caused as we do not consume enough minerals required for proper body development.

Each mineral has its specific deficiency: calcium deficiency, Zinc deficiency, Iron deficiency, and more.

Interesting Facts

Sunlight is the critical source of Vitamin D.
The very first vitamin, Vitamin A, was discovered in 1913.
Kiwis and Strawberries contain twice as much Vitamin C as Oranges.
Milk is a universal food containing all nutrients, including minerals and vitamins.
Vitamins D and K are the only vitamins the body can make.
Iron deficiency is the most common mineral deficiency seen in the world.

Conclusion

Vitamins and minerals should be included in our food every day. Without these nutrients, we could face several physical problems or diseases in the body.

They are essential for bodily functions like developing strong bones and muscles, healthy skin and hair, proper eyesight, repairing wounds, and many more.

Each type of mineral and vitamin should be equally essential and consumed correctly.

FAQs on Vitamin and Minerals Facts for Kids

1. Which is a crucial vitamin?

Vitamin D is the essential vitamin that is needed. It performs many functions in the body and is the most important one overall.

2. Is it possible to have an excess quantity of vitamins and minerals?

Yes! Vitamins and minerals need to be consumed in just the right amount, not less, not more. It is even possible to have an over quantity of these nutrients which can cause problems in the body.

3. Is there a best time of the day to eat vitamins?

Yes! The morning time! This is why breakfast is the most important meal of the day and should be full of healthy foods rich in vitamins and minerals.