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Vitamins are natural and essential nutrients, which plays a major role in growth and development of the human body. For proper growth ,for strong bones and good development needs the right quantity of vitamins in our body. These vitamins are organic substances which work in groups for normal and smooth functioning of our body cells.
| Table of Contents |
Key Terms: Bones, vitamins, food components, human body, soluble vitamins, deficiency of vitamins, organic substances, Cells
What are Vitamins?
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There are hundreds of roles of vitamins , like healing wounds, to boost our immune system and it helps to shore up bones. These vitamins extract the important components of food which we intake, and convert it into energy and provide it to each and every part of our body. Vitamins help to function our body normally and keep our body healthy.
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| Cellulose | Glucose and Fructose | Sucrose |
Types of Vitamins
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There are two main types of vitamins.
- Fat soluble Vitamins
- Water soluble Vitamins
Types of Vitamins
Fat Soluble Vitamins
As the name suggests ,fat soluble vitamins are stored in fatty tissues and these vitamins can be stored for a long time in the body. The examples of these vitamins are vitamin A, vitamin D, vitamin E, vitamin K.
- Vitamin A :- Vitamin A is very important for an improved immune system .It is also important for a better eyesight. By good consumption of vitamin A in the body promotes healthy skin, skin becomes fresh and free from skin disorder. This vitamin maintains the healthy growth of muscle tissue and healthy reproductive system.
We can get vitamin A from milk, meat, fish, vegetables like carrots, sweet potatoes .
Disorder of vitamin A:- deficiency of vitamin can cause blindness , it is responsible for dry skin and serious fatal infections.
- Vitamin D :- We can get this vitamin D from sunlight. It is very essential for growth of bone tissues. Mornings 7 to 10 are really efficient for getting vitamin D.
We can get this vitamin D from food items like milk,yoghurt,cheese and from fish oil.
Disorder of vitamin D :- deficiency of vitamin d can cause osteoporosis (loss of bone density). Deficiency of vitamin D in children can cause rickets. According to research, deficiency of vitamin D can cause high blood pressure, diabetes.
Fat Soluble Vitamins
- Vitamin E :- Vitamin E works as an important type of antioxidant for the body. It produces better defence against diseases. Vitamin E is providing protection to body cells. It helps cells to fight with bacteria to remove infection. Vitamin E also provides better immunity. Vitamin E also helps to reduce oxidative stress (related to hair loss).
Sources from which we get this vitamin E are almonds, peanuts, vegetable oil like sunflower oil, soybean oil and from vegetables like pumpkin are rich with vitamin E.
Disorder of vitamin E:- Deficiency of vitamin E can cause Neuropathy and breakdown of RBCs (Red Blood Cells) in the human body. Deficiency of vitamin E can lead to muscle weakness. It may cause vision problems.
- Vitamin K :- Vitamin K is best known for its main factor that it helps in the coagulation of blood. Vitamin K helps to make various Proteins which are needed for blood clotting and the building bones.
There are two types of vitamin K:-
- Phylloquinone :- It is mainly found in green leafy vegetables like collard greens, kale ,cabbage, spinach etc.
- Menaquinones :- It is found in animal food and fermented food.
Deficiency of vitamin K:- Deficiency of vitamin K can cause internal bleeding and internal clot formation. Deficiency of vitamin k mainly causes in newborn babies .
Antibiotic medicine may destroy vitamin K producing bacteria.
Water Soluble Vitamins
These types of vitamins are water soluble. These water soluble vitamins cannot be stored in the body for a long time. These vitamins are excreted out in the urine by the excretory system. The example of these types of vitamins are vitamin B and vitamin C.
Water Soluble Vitamins
Vitamin B :- Vitamin B takes care for proper functioning of body cells. There are viral roles of vitamin B in maintaining good health and well being. Vitamin B has a direct impact on our energy level, brain function and cell metabolism and synthesis of RBCs. It is important in maintaining nerve cell function. There are eight types of vitamin B and these vitamins helps various Enzymes to do their jobs.:-
- B1 it is known as thiamine.
- B2 it is known as riboflavin.
- B3 it is known as niacin
- B5 it is known as pantothenic acid
- B6 it is known as pyridoxine
- B7 it is known as biotin
- B9 it is known as folate(folic acid)
- B12 it is known as cobalamin.
We can get vitamin B from fruits, eggs, beans, nuts, fish, cereals , etc. Deficiency of vitamin B :- The deficiency of the vitamin B causes weakness, disturbance in the gastrointestinal tract, fatigue, nausea, dermatitis.Deficiency of vitamin B6 and B12 leads to anemia.
Vitamin B
- Vitamin C:- Vitamin c works as an anti- oxidant. It is the most effective nutrient. It is responsible for the healing of injuries. Vitamin C gives protection to the immune system. It is also responsible for formation of iron which is an essential component in driving the oxygen into different parts of the body.
We can get vitamin C from citrus fruits like orange, leamon. Vegetables like tomatoes,potatoes, spinach ,etc are rich in vitamin C.
Deficiency of vitamin C:- deficiency of vitamin C can lead to scurvy and anemia, hair loss, dry and damaged skin ,slowly healing of wounds.
Vitamins are really very essential for proper functioning of our body. It is really important for the healthy and well being of the human body.
Also Read:
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| Fats and Oils | Glycogen | Food Chemistry |
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| Hormones | Saturated and Unsaturated Fats | Peptide Bond |
Sample Questions
Ques. What are the two major categories of vitamins? Name the vitamins that fall under those categories. (2 marks)
Ans. Vitamins can broadly be divided into two categories-
Fat Soluble Vitamins and Water Soluble Vitamins.
Vitamin A,D,K, and E are the Fat Soluble Vitamins.
Vitamin B- 1,2,3,5,6,7,9,12 and Vitamin C are the Water Soluble Vitamins.
Ques. How are amino acids classified? (2 marks)
Ans. Amino acids are classified as essential and non – essential amino acids.
The amino acids which can be synthesized in the body are known as non – essential amino acids e.g. Asparetic acid, Glycine etc.
The amino acids which cannot be synthesized in the body and must be obtained through diet are known as essential amino acids. E.g. Histidine, lysine.
Ques. Name a water soluble vitamin which is a powerful antioxidant. Give its one natural source. (Delhi 2012) Name one oil soluble vitamin which is a powerful antioxidant and give its one natural source. (2 marks)
Ans. The water soluble vitamin that is also a powerful antioxidant is : Vitamin C
That’s natural source is Amla. While an Oil soluble Vitamin is Vitamin D. The natural sources of Vitamin D are fish liver oil, butter, milk, eggs etc.
Ques. Give all the names of Vitamin B in detail. (4 marks)
Ans. Vitamin B are of many types namely-
- B1 also termed as Thiamin
- B2 also termed as Riboflavin
- B3 also termed as Niacin
- B5 also termed as Pantothenic Acid
- B6 also termed as Pyridoxine
- B7 also termed as Biotin
- B9 also termed as Folate or Folic Acid when included in supplements
- B12 also termed as Cyanocobalamin
Ques. Name the two types of Vitamin K and mention its function in brief. (4 marks)
Ans. The two types of Vitamin K are - Phylloquinone and Menaquinones
Vitamin K benefits the body in various ways.
Bone health- There appears to be a correlation between low intake of vitamin K and osteoporosis. Several studies have suggested that vitamin K supports the maintenance of strong bones, improves bone density and decreases the risk of fractures. However, research has not confirmed this.
Cognitive health- Increased blood levels of vitamin K improved episodic memory in older adults. In one study, healthy individuals over the age of 70 years with the highest blood levels of vitamin K1 had the highest verbal episodic memory performance.
Heart health- Vitamin K may help keep blood pressure lower by preventing mineralization, where minerals build up in the arteries. This enables the heart to pump blood freely through the body.Mineralization naturally occurs with age, and it is a major risk factor for heart disease. Adequate intake of vitamin K has also been shown to lower the risk of stroke.
Ques. (i) Which one of the following is a polysaccharide: starch, Maltose, fructose, glucose
(ii) What is the difference between native protein and denatured protein?
(iii) Write the name of the vitamin responsible for the coagulation of blood. (3 marks 2015)
Ans. (i) Starch is a Polysaccharides.
(ii) The difference between native protein and denatured protein is that native protein is biologically active, whereas denatured protein loses biological activity and its secondary and tertiary structures are ruptured.
(iii) Vitamin K.
Ques. (i) Deficiency of which vitamin causes scurvy?
(ii) What type of linkage is responsible for the formation of proteins?
(iii) Write the product formed when glucose is treated with HI. (3 marks 2014)
Ans. (i) Vitamin C
(ii) Peptide linkage
(iii) On prolonged heating with HI, glucose gives n-hexane.
Ques. Define the following terms as related to proteins:
(i) Peptide linkage
(ii) Primary structure
(iii) Denaturation
Ans. 
(ii) Primary linkage: The sequences of amino acids in proteins and polypeptides is called primary structure. It involves peptide bonds.
(iii) Denaturation: When proteins are heated or pH is changed, their tertiary structure is ruptured and it loses biological activity. This process is called denaturation.
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