• Vitamin and minerals are essential for bodily functions such as helping to fight infection, aid wound healing, make our bones strong and regulate hormones.
• Eating plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains and cereals, lean meats and reduced fat dairy products will give your body the vitamins and minerals it needs, at the right level and in the right balance.
• But today’s modern lifestyle is full of stress causing various health problems owing to deficiency in vitamins and minerals due to poor diet. Most of us get all the vitamins and minerals we need by eating a healthy balanced diet. Sometimes people need to supplement their diet with added vitamins and minerals.

ABSORPTION OF VITAMINS AND MINERALS

• Vitamins are absorbed primarily in the small intestine and their bioavailability is dependent on the food composition of the diet.
• Fat-soluble vitamins are absorbed along with dietary fat.
• Once fat-soluble vitamins have been absorbed in the small intestine, they are packaged and incorporated into chylomicrons along with other fatty acids and transported in the lymphatic system to the liver.
• Water-soluble vitamins on the other hand are absorbed in the small intestine but are transported to the liver through blood vessels.

Source:

1. Introduction to vitamins. Available from:https://pressbooks.bccampus.ca/nutr1100/chapter/introduction/. Accessed Feb 14, 2022.