Vitamins and Minerals
The two substances every human body needs are vitamins and minerals. Many people
think the substances are the same, but they are different, though both are necessary to
keep the body functioning properly, strong, and healthy.
Vitamins are organic substances, meaning they are made by plants and animals.
Minerals are inorganic, which come from the soil and water and are absorbed by plants
and eaten by animals.
Both vitamins and minerals come from the foods, but some foods have more vitamins or
minerals than other foods. For example, a mineral called calcium is needed in larger
amounts than another mineral, iron, which is a trace mineral because you only need
small amounts of it each day. In addition, there are some vitamins found in certain foods
though not in other foods, such as Vitamin A, which comes from eating carrots, it is not
found in milk, which contains Vitamin D.
All vitamins and minerals support and boost the body's immune system, which protects
the body from foreign substances. They also support normal growth and development
and help cells and organs do their jobs. Eating the right foods is important to receive the
needed vitamins and minerals for the body.
In addition to the proper amount of vitamins and minerals (micronutrients), the body
also needs the right balance of carbohydrates, protein, fats, and calories
(macronutrients). Some vitamins turn the macronutrients in the body into the energy
the body needs. The macronutrients and the micronutrients work together to keep the
body strong and healthy. All vitamins and minerals have specific functions and can be
found in a wide variety of food products such as vegetables, fruits, meats, fish, and more.
Vitamins are divided into two categories- fat soluble or water soluble depending on
whether they dissolve best in either lipids (another term for fats) or water. The fat-
soluble vitamins can be stored in the body, but the water-soluble vitamins need to
dissolve in water before they are absorbed by the body, and they cannot be stored. The
water-soluble vitamins can pass through your system and be lost when a person pees. A
fresh supply of water-soluble vitamins is needed each day.
In all, there are about 13 essential vitamins needed for the human body, four are fat-
soluble and nine are water-soluble. There are different scientific names for vitamins, but
most are referred to by using the letters of the alphabet and numbers such as Vitamin C,
several different Vitamin B types, and Vitamins A, D, E, and K. There are guidelines that
have been determined by special medical groups that recommend specific amounts of
vitamins for people based on their age and needs.
The two types of minerals can be divided into macrominerals or microminerals (trace
minerals). Minerals cannot be broken down or changed by your body and can form part
of the structure of bones, teeth, nails, muscles, and red blood cells. There are several
minerals the body needs including calcium, potassium, salt, iron, zinc, phosphorous,
magnesium, copper, chromium, fluoride, iodine, selenium, manganese, sulfur, and
molybdenum. As with vitamins, the amount a body needs may depend on many
conditions such as age, health, and other conditions.
In summary, the body needs the correct amount and combination of all vitamins and
nutrients.
1) Which of the following come from soil and water and are absorbed by plants and
eaten by animals?
A: Lipids
B: Vitamins
C: Minerals
D: Nutrients
2) All the following are macronutrients EXCEPT:
A: Vitamins
B: Carbohydrates
C: Protein
D: Fats
3) Which of the following shows the number of essential vitamins needed for the body?
A: 13
B: 9
C: 4
D: 17
4) All the following are types of vitamins EXCEPT:
A: Vitamin G
B: Vitamin A
C: Vitamin K
D: Vitamin D
5) Which of the following is another term for fats?
A: Micronutrients
B: Lipids
C: Carbohydrates
D: Protein
6) All the following are examples of minerals EXCEPT:
A: Copper
B: Iron
C: Calcium
D: Coal
Translate the reading passage above into Bahasa Indonesia, so it makes easier
for the readers to comprehend the text
Find out several new words to describe along with their phonetic transcriptions
and word classes explanation then display in a table below;
Nb. Words Phonetic Transcription Word Classes
1 Substance |ˈsʌbst(ə)ns| Noun
2
3