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Vitamins and Minerals

✨ Body's Small Workers

Vitamins and minerals are essential nutrients that the body needs in small amounts to stay healthy and function properly. Unlike carbohydrates, fats and proteins, they do not provide energy, but they help regulate many important processes. Vitamins are organic substances involved in functions such as immune defense, vision, cell growth and energy metabolism.

Minerals are inorganic elements that contribute to roles such as building bones, transporting oxygen in the blood and maintaining the balance of fluids in the body. Both come mainly from food and are best obtained through a varied and balanced diet. Each vitamin and mineral has specific functions and different food sources.

Calcium helps maintain strong bones and teeth, iron is needed to produce hemoglobin, which carries oxygen in the blood, and potassium contributes to the normal function of muscles and nerves. Vitamins such as vitamin C support the immune system, while vitamin D helps the body absorb calcium.

A healthy diet that includes fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole grains, nuts, seeds, dairy products or suitable alternatives can usually provide these nutrients. However, some people may need supplements because of specific health conditions, life stages or dietary restrictions, and excessive intake of certain supplements can be harmful.

💡 Did you know?

The clear-seeing carrot. It's often said that eating carrots helps you see better at night. It's partly true! Carrots contain vitamin A which helps your eyes transform light into images. Without it, your vision would be very blurry when it's dark.

Pirate's lemon. Formerly, sailors who went to sea for long times fell sick because they didn't eat fresh fruit. They caught scurvy. It was discovered that a simple little lemon juice (full of vitamin C) each day was enough to cure them. This is how vitamins began to be famous!

Your body, a vitamin factory. Did you know your body can make a vitamin by itself? It's vitamin D! For this, it needs a special ingredient: sun rays on your skin. This is why it's very important to go play outside regularly!