Vitamins and minerals

Published by Bupa Health Information Team, November 2010.

Vitamins and minerals are nutrients that you need in small amounts for your body to work properly. Different vitamins and minerals do different things, such as helping your body to digest food or build strong bones.

This article explains what vitamins and minerals are and how you can ensure that you get the right amounts.

What are vitamins?

There are two types of vitamins:

• water-soluble – these can’t be stored in your body so you need to get them from your diet
• fat-soluble – these can be stored in your body but should still be part of a healthy diet

Water-soluble vitamins (such as vitamins B6, B12, C and folic acid) are found in fresh fruit and green vegetables. It's best to eat the foods raw, steamed or grilled rather than boiled because these vitamins can easily be destroyed by cooking.

Fat-soluble vitamins (such as vitamins A, D and E) are mainly found in fatty foods, such as animal fats (including butter and lard), vegetable oils, dairy foods and oily fish.

What are minerals and trace elements?

Your body needs small amounts of minerals and trace elements to function properly. They are as essential as vitamins and your body has to get them from the food you eat. For example, you need:

• calcium to make strong bones
• sodium to balance the fluids in your body and to help nerves function
• iron to help your body transport oxygen in the blood and to break down and release energy from food

Minerals and trace elements are mainly found in meat, cereals, fish, dairy foods, vegetables, dried fruit and nuts.

How much do I need?

The amount of vitamins and minerals your body needs varies from person to person. It depends on many things, including your gender, age and activity levels.

The Department of Health gives guidance on the levels of nutrients to have in your diet, although these aren’t exact recommendations. They are called dietary reference values and you will usually find them listed on food and supplement packets. These values show how much of a particular nutrient a group of people of a certain age range (and sometimes gender) need for good health.

How can I get enough vitamins and minerals?

Most people are able to get most of the vitamins and minerals they need by eating a healthy, balanced diet. Aim to eat at least five servings of fruit and vegetables each day. It’s important to include starchy foods (such as bread, potatoes and pasta) and moderate amounts of protein-rich foods (such as meat, fish and pulses) in your meals.

Vitamin D is the one vitamin you can’t usually get from diet alone. It can be obtained from some foods, such as oily fish, but only in small amounts. Vitamin D is produced naturally by your body when your skin is exposed to sunlight. You may get enough during summer by spending frequent short spells in the sun without wearing sunscreen (the exact time you need is different for everyone, but is typically only a few minutes in the middle of the day). However, do not let your skin redden.

What about supplements?

If you’re eating a healthy, balanced diet, it will supply most of the vitamins you need and you will only need to take supplements if your GP recommends this. You may be advised to take supplements if you’re planning a pregnancy and need extra folic acid; if you’re at risk of osteoporosis and need vitamin D and calcium; or if you have age-related macular degeneration and need supplements of vitamins C, E and zinc. Some vitamin supplements (containing vitamins A and E) may be harmful.

If you don’t get much sun exposure and particularly during winter months, taking up to 25 micrograms of vitamin D a day (two high-strength 12.5 microgram capsules) can help to make sure you get enough. Talk to your GP before taking vitamin D supplements if you are taking diuretics for high blood pressure or have a history of kidney stones or kidney failure.

Always read the patient information leaflet that comes with your supplements and if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, ask your pharmacist or GP for advice first.

Adapting your diet

There will be times during your life that you need to adapt your diet to suit your changing needs. For example, if you become pregnant or simply as you get older. Likewise if you decide to become vegetarian or vegan you may have to rethink your diet to make sure you’re getting all the nutrients you need.

People over 50

As you get older it's especially important to eat plenty of iron-rich foods to stay healthy. This will lower your risk of developing iron-deficiency anaemia, which can make you feel tired and weaken your immune system. Iron can be found in a range of foods including red meat, sardines, eggs, pulses, fortified breakfast cereals and green leafy vegetables.

Caffeine interferes with your body's ability to absorb iron and other nutrients. So although you may feel you can’t function without your morning cup, if you think you’re not getting enough iron, try not to have tea or coffee with or immediately after your breakfast, or any other meal. Drink fruit juice instead as this will help your body to absorb iron. Aim to eat five servings of fruit and vegetables each day to keep your immune system healthy.

Osteoporosis is a major health issue for older people, particularly women, so it's vital to have plenty of calcium. Dairy products, such as milk, cheese and yoghurt, are excellent sources of calcium as is fish with bones, such as pilchards or sardines.

If you think you may need a vitamin or mineral supplement, talk to your GP. He or she will check that you’re getting the right dose and ensure the supplements don't affect any medicines you’re taking.

Pregnant women

There is a lot to think about when you get pregnant, but one key thing to remember is to eat properly. Eat a healthy, balanced diet and make sure you get enough iron as your body's supplies can drop during pregnancy. It's also important to eat plenty of folate-rich foods (folate is the natural form of folic acid). Good sources include broccoli, oranges and wholegrain foods. Eating plenty of dairy foods will provide lots of calcium for your baby's growing bones.

As well as eating a healthy diet, the UK Department of Health recommends that women take a 400-microgram folic acid supplement while trying for a baby and during the first three months of pregnancy. This helps to reduce your baby's risk of spina bifida and other neural tube defects. The Department of Health also suggests you take a 10-microgram vitamin D supplement while pregnant and if you’re breastfeeding.

Vegetarians and vegans

It's perfectly possible to get all the vitamins and minerals you need from a vegetarian diet. Aim to:

• eat five servings of fruit and vegetables every day
• eat plenty of iron-rich foods (such as green vegetables and fortified breakfast cereals)
• base your meals on starchy foods (such as bread, rice and pasta) and a good source of protein (such as dairy or soya products, pulses and nuts)
• keep up your level of calcium – if you don’t drink cows’ milk, choose soya, rice or oat drinks fortified with calcium

Roles and sources

There are many different vitamins and minerals that you need to try to include in your diet. They all do different things to keep your body healthy and functioning properly, and they are all found in different foods.

Action points

• Eat a healthy balanced diet – it provides all the vitamins and minerals most people need.
• Aim to eat at least five servings of fruit and vegetables each day.
• Don't take vitamin supplements that contain vitamins A, E or beta carotene, unless advised to by your GP.
• Speak to your GP or a registered dietitian for advice if you think you aren’t getting enough vitamins and minerals to stay healthy.

For sources and links to further information, see Resources.