Question 1: What are essential vitamins and minerals?
Essential nutrients are those that must be supplied in the diet to maintain health and life.

VITAMINS - Vitamins are natural substances essential for specific health promoting functions in the body. Cells cannot make them from readily available building blocks. The body can make Vitamin A and niacin if specific nutrients called pro-vitamins are provided in the diet. Friendly bacteria in the intestinal tract produce Vitamin K, biotin, folacin and B12. Upon exposure to sunlight ,Vitamin D is made in the skin from a type of cholesterol, however, in winter dietary sources are required to provide adequate amounts. The term vitamin was coined in the early 1900´s and means "accessory food factors essential for life" these are further classified as the fat soluble (A,D E and K) and the water soluble (B-complex and C ).

MINERALS - Minerals make up about 4 to 5% of bodyweight and are classified as macrominerals - those required in amounts over 100mg/day, and microminerals - (trace minerals) - those required in tiny amounts. Half the requirement is calcium and a quarter is phosphorus. The five other macrominerals are magnesium, sodium, chloride, potassium and sulphur. The 14 microminerals are selenium, copper, chromium, iron, zinc, iodide, manganese, fluoride, molybdenum, cobalt, tin, nickel, vanadium and silicon. All their functions have not been defined but they are essential for health. Minerals have many roles. They regulate enzyme activity, maintain acid-base balance, nerve and muscle function. They are structural components of many tissues, and are involved with growth and immune processes.

Question 2: What diseases do each of them prevent if you take the RDA (Recommended Daily Allowance)?
When you understand the body is not just a machine, then regarding vitamins and minerals in a "cause and effect" fashion is too simple. Scientists discovered vitamins through chance finding of individuals with severe deficiency symptoms that were alleviated by "vital amines". The classic tale of English sailors or "limeys" who suffered from scurvy until it was found eating limes (Vitamin C) prevented the disease.

Question 3: Why have you chosen these vitamins and minerals?
1. Modern eating habits:
* Highly processed fast foods have plenty of energy as calories but are lacking in vitamin and mineral density.
* Convenience has become as important as nutritional value in many homes and the percentage of heavily processed food grows steadily. Beware you don´t sacrifice too much nutritional value for the sake of convenience.

2. Stress:
* Stress of any kind increases the need for many vitamins and minerals, especially the essential antioxidant nutrients which are stress fighters.

Consider This

How Vitamins and Minerals Keep You Healthy

Research suggests that the supplements featured in this guide improve your health in the following ways.