Every day, our bodies work around the clock orchestrating thousands of different tasks that keep us alive and functioning well. This wouldn’t all be possible without micronutrients!
Micronutrients are commonly known as vitamins and minerals. They’re nutrients that our body needs in tiny amounts, mostly in milligrams or micrograms, to function properly. For example, they help our bodies produce energy, keep our immune system functioning well, and maintain the health of our skin, muscles, and bones. Because our bodies can’t produce most vitamins and minerals – or at least not in sufficient amounts to cover our needs – we need to get them regularly through our diets.
Vitamins are organic compounds produced by bacteria, plants, and animals, while minerals are inorganic compounds from non-living matter (e.g., rocks, water, and soil). Both vitamins and minerals can be divided into two categories each:
- Water-soluble vitamins (vitamin B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B12, C, folate & biotin): they’re present in the watery parts of the food we eat, are easily absorbed into our bodies, yet, can’t be stored in our bodies for long periods of time. Any water-soluble vitamins that we get in excess is removed through urine, except for vitamin B12.
- Fat-soluble vitamins (vitamin A, D, E & K): they dissolve in fats and oils, thus are abundant in foods rich in fats. Pairing them together with fat-rich foods aids their absorption. Our bodies can store some of these vitamins in the liver and fat tissue and use them as needed.
- Major minerals (calcium, phosphorus, sodium, potassium, magnesium & chloride): they’re needed in relatively large amounts to keep our health. They’re usually involved in structural and regulatory processes, such as helping to form and keep the structure of our bones and teeth, to balance our bodies’ fluids, and to help control the transport of compounds and nutrients in and out of cells.
- Trace minerals (manganese, copper, iodine, fluoride, zinc, selenium, molybdenum & iron): they’re needed in smaller amounts compared to the major minerals to keep our health. They help support the function of enzymes, our metabolism, and our immune system.
Each vitamin and mineral has their own specified dietary reference value (DRV), which is the estimate of how much of each nutrient, on average, is needed daily. Most people can get this recommended amount by having a varied and balanced diet rich in nutrient-dense foods, including fruits, vegetables, nuts, pulses, whole grains, vegetable oils, fish, meat, and dairy. No single food contains all the micronutrients our bodies needs, so it is important to ensure a good balance and a variety of these foods on a regular basis.
If the recommendation for a micronutrient is not met over a long period of time, a deficiency occurs. This usually results in health problems, related to the specific micronutrient that is deficient, but can often be solved by restoring the levels of the micronutrient in the body.
