Water-soluble Vitamins
Water-soluble vitamins come from various foods such as fruit, vegetables, milk, dairy, and grains. These vitamins can be destroyed easily by heat and exposure to air. The vitamins can also get lost in the water while cooking, especially when boiling food. Moreover, steaming or grilling while using cooking water to add flavor to soups and stews are some of the excellent ways to preserve water-soluble vitamins.
Keep in mind that water-soluble vitamins are not stored in the body; there is a need to eat them often. However, if we take in more than the requirement, then we get rid of any extra through urine.
Water-soluble vitamins are known as vitamin C and the B vitamins that are:
- Thiamin (vitamin B1)
- Riboflavin (vitamin B2)
- Niacin (vitamin B3)
- Vitamin B6
- Folic acid (vitamin B9)
- Vitamin B12
There are many minerals, but some of them are necessary for optimal health. Minerals are divided into two groups that are major and trace. Major ones are not more important than a trace, but there are vast amounts in your body.
Minerals are required to do three main things:
- Build healthy teeth and bones
- Control body fluids inside and outside cells in the body
- Turn the food we eat into energy
However, it is crucial to keep in mind that minerals are required in more amounts than others. For example, the body needs more calcium, potassium, magnesium, sodium, phosphorus, and chloride rather than iron, iodine, zinc, selenium, and copper.