76 Unit 2 Nutrition and Food Choices Copyright Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. Water-soluble vitamins dissolve in water, pass into the bloodstream during digestion, and are either used immediately by the body or are re- moved by the kidneys during urination. For this reason, these vitamins should be included in your meals every day. There are nine water-soluble vitamins—vitamin C and the B vitamins. Fat-soluble F vitamins dissolve in the body’s fats and are stored in the body for later use. Because fat-soluble vitamins are stored by the body for longer periods, excessive intake may result in toxic levels. There are four fat-soluble vitamins—vitamins A, D, E, and K. Sources of Vitamins Where should you get your vitamins? Can’t you just pop a multivita- min pill? Eating a balanced diet that contains a variety of foods can easily provide you with the appropriate amounts of all the vitamins you need. Obtaining vitamins from your daily diet is preferable to taking vita- min supplements for several reasons. First, vitamin supplements do not contain all of the nutrients and other substances that your body needs and which are contained in foods. Some of these substances contained in food, but not in supplements, may even help your body better utilize the vita- mins. Furthermore, some supplements provide larger-than-needed doses of vitamins, which may cause unhealthy levels in the body. A lesser prob- lem with large doses of vitamins is waste—the unneeded amounts do not stay in the body and are simply excreted in the urine. When deciding whether or not to take a vitamin supplement, you should consult your healthcare provider. People at certain life stages—such as pregnant women, infants, and older adults—and individuals who are ill may benefit from vitamin supplements. However, their healthcare pro- fi viders should recommend the amount and type of supplements to take. Minerals Minerals M are inorganic elements that come from the earth, and which are found in soil and water. Minerals are absorbed by plants from the soil and water. You then absorb minerals from the plants you eat, the water you drink, or from animal food sources that have absorbed the minerals. Your body needs a total of 20 different minerals (Figure 3.7). These minerals are divided into two distinct types—macrominerals and trace minerals. Macro- minerals are those minerals your body needs in quantities greater than 100 milli- grams a day to maintain good health. Trace minerals are those minerals your body needs in very small amounts—less than 100 milligrams daily—to stay healthy. Although only small amounts are needed, trace minerals are very important. Your body needs minerals to grow and develop normally. People who fail to take in enough of a particular mineral experience serious health con- sequences, such as • osteoporosis, p a condition in which bones become fragile and may break easily, which can be caused by a lack of calcium during childhood and adolescence water-soluble vitamin a type of vitamin that dissolves in water and passes into the bloodstream fat-soluble f vitamin a type of vitamin that dissolves in the body’s fat, where it is stored for later use mineral inorganic elements found in soil and water ingested by the body after being absorbed into plants osteoporosis a dangerous condition in which bones are fragile and may break easily can be caused by a lack of calcium during childhood and adolescence