Overview
Vitamins and minerals are essential nutrients that your body needs in small amounts to work properly.
Most people should be able to get all the nutrients they need by eating a varied and balanced diet. If you choose to take vitamin and mineral supplements, seek advice where appropriate.
Fat-soluble vitamins
Fat-soluble vitamins (vitamin A, D, E and K) are mainly found in:
- animal fats
- vegetable oils
- dairy foods
- liver
- oily fish
While your body needs these vitamins to work properly, you don't need to eat foods containing them every day.
Water-soluble vitamins
Water-soluble vitamins (vitamin C, the B vitamins and folic acid) are mainly found in:
- fruit and vegetables
- grains
- milk and dairy foods
These vitamins aren't stored in the body, so you need to have them more frequently.
If you have more than you need, your body gets rid of the extra vitamins when you urinate.
More about vitamins
Minerals
Minerals include calcium and iron amongst many others and are found in:
- meat
- cereals
- fish
- milk and dairy foods
- fruit and vegetables
- nuts
Minerals are necessary for three (3) main reasons:
- building strong bones and teeth
- controlling body fluids inside and outside cells
- turning the food you eat into energy
Trace elements
Trace elements are also essential nutrients that your body needs to work properly, but in much smaller amounts than vitamins and minerals. They include iodine and fluorine.
Trace elements are found in small amounts in a variety of foods such as meat, fish, cereals, milk and dairy foods, vegetables and nuts.
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