What Are Vitamins And Minerals And What Do They Do?

Vitamins and minerals are essential substances that the human body requires in order to exist and survive and plays a vital role in maintaining health. Vitamins and minerals have important roles in keeping the body functioning properly and maintaining good health, particularly in this modern society where most foods are either processed or over-cooked and contains lots of saturated fats while lacking in important nutrients.

Vitamins and minerals can be found abundantly in natural and non-processed foods, which include vegetables, fruits and grains. Since these nutritional necessities are often overlooked in the way the modern diet is prepared, people take these nutrients as supplements in tablet or capsule form or these can be consumed in the form of liquid vitamins and minerals. People, who want to lose, gain or maintain their weight should consume a healthy diet regularly, as this would play a vital role in building the body and maintaining health.

What are Vitamins and What Are They For?

Vitamins and minerals are important nutritional substances that the body should have on a regular basis. Within our bodies are a series of organs that have specific functions in our bodies. These organs require the chemical reactions caused by a special protein called enzyme and the corresponding coenzyme. Vitamins act as coenzymes, which allow these chemical reactions in our bodies to take place.

There are basically two types of vitamins that are required and consumed by the body and this includes the following:

* Fat Soluble Vitamins

Vitamins and minerals can be effective and beneficial to the body if they are circulated throughout the body through the blood stream. However, fat-soluble vitamins require special fat and protein molecules to aid them in entering the blood and carried through the blood vessels.

* Water Soluble Vitamins

Unlike the other type of vitamins, water-soluble vitamins can move freely within the bloodstream and requires no aids from special protein or fat molecules. Excess vitamins are secreted through feces or urine to avoid possible toxic build-up.

What are Minerals and What Are They For?

The second half of the vitamins and minerals tandem, unlike vitamins is inorganic and does not originate from plants, animals, and other living beings. These minerals, like potassium, calcium, sodium and magnesium, are required by various body parts in order to function properly. These include the buildup and strengthening of bones and teeth, the balancing of fluids in the body as well as facilitate the proper transmission of signals from the nerves and muscles.

Vitamins and minerals facilitate the essential chemical reactions that occur within the body to keep it functioning properly and in good health. They can be obtained naturally through foods or through supplements.