This document provides information about various vitamins. It discusses that vitamins are organic compounds found in food or made in a lab that are essential micronutrients for the diet. It then classifies vitamins as either fat-soluble or water-soluble and provides details on specific vitamins like A, D, E, K, and B group. For each vitamin, it outlines their properties, food sources, functions in the body, and potential deficiency diseases.

1. VITAMINSVITAMINS
© PDST Home Economics© PDST Home Economics

2. INTRODUCTIONINTRODUCTION
 Organic CompoundsOrganic Compounds
 Found in food or made in lab.Found in food or made in lab.
 MicronutrientsMicronutrients
 Essential in diet, most cannot be made in body.Essential in diet, most cannot be made in body.
 Deficiency causes disease.Deficiency causes disease.
 Varied, healthy diet will supply enough vitamins,Varied, healthy diet will supply enough vitamins,
occasionally supplements may be necessary.occasionally supplements may be necessary.
 Amount of a vitamin in a food is hard to estimate:Amount of a vitamin in a food is hard to estimate:
depends on freshness, storage, preparation and cookingdepends on freshness, storage, preparation and cooking
method.method.
 Smoking, alcohol abuse and prescribed medicines canSmoking, alcohol abuse and prescribed medicines can
effect the amount of vitamins absorbedeffect the amount of vitamins absorbed

3. Classification of VitaminsClassification of Vitamins
Fat Soluble VitaminsFat Soluble Vitamins
 E.g. A, D, E, K.E.g. A, D, E, K.
 Excess stored in liverExcess stored in liver
 Can cause hypervitaminosisCan cause hypervitaminosis
A or hypervitaminosis D,A or hypervitaminosis D,
rare.rare.
 Symptoms of Hyp A: boneSymptoms of Hyp A: bone
pain, enlarged liver, hairpain, enlarged liver, hair
loss, death.loss, death.
 Symptoms Hyp D: vomiting,Symptoms Hyp D: vomiting,
weight loss, kidney damage.weight loss, kidney damage.
 Most likely to occur inMost likely to occur in
children from over use ofchildren from over use of
supplements.supplements.
Water Soluble VitaminWater Soluble Vitamin
 E.g. B group, C.E.g. B group, C.
 Cannot be stored in bodyCannot be stored in body
 Excess excreted in urine.Excess excreted in urine.
 Must be eaten regularly.Must be eaten regularly.

4. Vitamin A -Vitamin A -
 2 forms2 forms
 Pure Vitamin A called Retinol – animal foods.Pure Vitamin A called Retinol – animal foods.
 Pro-vitamin A called Beta-Carotene – plant foods,Pro-vitamin A called Beta-Carotene – plant foods,
yellow/orange/red pigment, changed into vitamin A inyellow/orange/red pigment, changed into vitamin A in
the intestine.the intestine.

5. Vitamin A: RetinolVitamin A: Retinol
PropertiesProperties SourcesSources FunctionsFunctions DeficiencyDeficiency
Yellow fat sol.Yellow fat sol.
Alcohol.Alcohol.
Insoluble inInsoluble in
water.water.
Heat stableHeat stable
except inexcept in
prolongedprolonged
high temp.high temp.
Fish liver oilsFish liver oils
Oily fishOily fish
MilkMilk
EggsEggs
ButterButter
MargarineMargarine
GrowthGrowth
MakingMaking
rhodopsin inrhodopsin in
retina ofretina of
eye.eye.
HealthyHealthy
lininglining
membranesmembranes
whichwhich
preventprevent
infectioninfection
Healthy skinHealthy skin
RetardedRetarded
growthgrowth
XerophthalmiaXerophthalmia
IncreasedIncreased
infectioninfection
Rough dry skinRough dry skin

6. Beta Carotene – pro Vitamin ABeta Carotene – pro Vitamin A
PropertiesProperties SourcesSources FunctionsFunctions DeficiencyDeficiency
BrightBright
yellow/orangeyellow/orange
oil.oil.
Fat solubleFat soluble
InsolubleInsoluble
WaterWater
Heat stableHeat stable
antioxidantantioxidant
CarrotsCarrots
SpinachSpinach
TomatoesTomatoes
KaleKale
CabbageCabbage
ApricotsApricots
Used toUsed to
colour foodscolour foods
e.g. marge.g. marg
Changed toChanged to
Vit. A inVit. A in
Same asSame as
retinolretinol
Antioxidant,Antioxidant,
protectsprotects
body frombody from
freefree
radicals, thisradicals, this
reduces riskreduces risk
of CHD andof CHD and
cancerscancers
None as itsNone as its
not essentialnot essential

7. Vitamin D - CholecalciferolVitamin D - Cholecalciferol
PropertiesProperties SourcesSources FunctionsFunctions DeficiencyDeficiency
WhiteWhite
crystallinecrystalline
solidsolid
Fat solubleFat soluble
Insoluble inInsoluble in
WaterWater
Most stableMost stable
vitamin.vitamin.
Fish liver oilsFish liver oils
Oily fishOily fish
LiverLiver
ButterButter
Marg.Marg.
EggsEggs
Fortified milkFortified milk
sunlightsunlight
AbsorptionAbsorption
of calciumof calcium
andand
phosphorusphosphorus
to formto form
strong bonesstrong bones
and teeth.and teeth.
RegulatesRegulates
balance ofbalance of
calciumcalcium
betweenbetween
RicketsRickets
OsteomalaciaOsteomalacia
OsteoporosisOsteoporosis
Tooth decayTooth decay
RDARDA
Children /Children /
adults 10adults 10µgµg
Teens 15Teens 15µgµg

8. Vitamin DVitamin D
 Vitamin D3 cholecalciferol, found in animal foods andVitamin D3 cholecalciferol, found in animal foods and
formed when UV sunlight converts 7formed when UV sunlight converts 7
dehydrocholesterol in the skin.dehydrocholesterol in the skin.
 Vitamin D2, ergocalciferol, made when fungi or yeastVitamin D2, ergocalciferol, made when fungi or yeast
are exposed to UV light. This is what is used forare exposed to UV light. This is what is used for
vitamin supplements.vitamin supplements.

9. Vitamin E- TocopherolVitamin E- Tocopherol
PropertiesProperties SourcesSources FunctionsFunctions DeficiencyDeficiency
Yellow fatYellow fat
solublesoluble
Insoluble inInsoluble in
waterwater
Heat & acidHeat & acid
stablestable
Damaged byDamaged by
alkalis and UValkalis and UV
lightlight
AntioxidantAntioxidant
Veg. oilsVeg. oils
NutsNuts
EggsEggs
MargarineMargarine
CerealsCereals
Wheat germWheat germ
AvocadosAvocados
Antioxidant,Antioxidant,
stops otherstops other
nutrientsnutrients
(e.g. Vit A)(e.g. Vit A)
fromfrom
oxidation.oxidation.
By removingBy removing
freefree
radicalsradicals
helpshelps
preventprevent
CHD,CHD,
Rare as itsRare as its
found in manyfound in many
foodsfoods

10. Vitamin K - Naphtho - QuinonesVitamin K - Naphtho - Quinones
PropertiesProperties SourcesSources FunctionsFunctions DeficiencyDeficiency
Fat solubleFat soluble
Insoluble inInsoluble in
WaterWater
Heat stableHeat stable
Damaged byDamaged by
lightlight
LiverLiver
FishFish
Fish liverFish liver
CerealsCereals
Green vegGreen veg
Made byMade by
bacteria inbacteria in
gutgut
Essential forEssential for
normal bloodnormal blood
clottingclotting
Blood takesBlood takes
longer to clotlonger to clot
Very rare:Very rare:
haemorrhaginghaemorrhaging
in new bornin new born
babiesbabies

11. DeficiencyDeficiency
DiseasesDiseases
 XerophthalmiaXerophthalmia
 RicketsRickets
 OsteoporosisOsteoporosis