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Healthy Diet Plans >>  Minerals >>  Vitamins minerals

Vitamins minerals

 The consumption of food is one of the most basic activities of the human body. During this process, the body will gain access to a range of different nutrients. The human body is made up of many different organs, tissues and body systems. This makes feeding the body an extremely complicated matter. The reason for the complication in feeding the body is that each part of the body has some specific requirements when it comes to nutrition.

It is good to divide the nutritional requirements of the body into categories based on the requirements of the body. Proteins, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins and minerals are the important food groups of the human body. When compared to protein, carbohydrates and fats, the quantity of vitamins and minerals required by the human body is quite small. However, this should not be used as a reason to underestimate the importance of these nutrients. Vitamins and minerals are, themselves, further complicated by the various different divisions and subdivisions. There are a whole range of vitamins and minerals that are needed by the human body. It is best to gain vitamins and minerals in food that has these substances within it. Therefore, a good, healthy diet is needed to ensure that the body is properly fed. 

The importance of vitamins and minerals for health cannot be understated. Several vital functions such as bone development and energy production are dependent on the presence of the right quantities and types of vitamins and minerals in the blood. A balanced diet is the only way that an individual can gain access to all these important nutrients needed by the human body. 

A balanced diet is one that contains plenty of foods from all the food groups. The food groups include meats, dairy products, fruits, vegetables and grains. These food groups all provide the body with different nutrients and also with different vitamins and minerals. An individual who wishes to be healthy should consume plenty of fresh fruits and freshly prepared vegetables fresh fruits are the greatest source of vitamins and minerals for the human body. Most fruits have a collection of vitamins and minerals present within them. This means that the consumption of a single fruit will help to provide the body with many different vitamins and minerals. The quantities of these provided vitamins and minerals depend on the fruit and also on the parts of the fruit that are consumed by the individual. 

At the outset, the development of a child depends heavily on the right amounts of vitamin and minerals being found in the diet of the child. This is one of the key responsibilities of parents, that is, the provision of a diet that is rich in important nutrients. Children who suffer from vitamin and mineral deficiencies may end up with problems later in life due to poor development during their childhood. For adults, the deficiencies may be sorted out easily if they provide the missing substances to their bodies. However, in the case of children, a deficiency of vitamins and minerals can cause long term problems because it can hinder the normal development of the body. Parents may therefore seek to give their children liquid vitamin and mineral supplements. One of the reasons for this is that it helps the parents keep a good control on the actual quantity of vitamins and minerals being fed to the child. The other aspect of the use of liquid vitamin and mineral supplements is the fact that most vitamins and minerals are found in fruits and vegetables. Many children do not like the taste of such foods and it may be difficult to feed children with these important foods. Children who do not consume enough fruits and vegetables are likely to suffer from the consequences of vitamin and mineral deficiencies. It is therefore pragmatic for parents to try and use liquid vitamin and mineral supplements to ensure that their child is being properly fed with these important nutrients. 

It is important to visit a doctor before one seeks to use such vitamin and mineral supplements. Doctors are qualified to understand the nutritional requirements of an adult and of a child as well. Parents who feel that their child is not being supplied with adequate quantities of vitamins and minerals may seek the opinion of the doctor who is in charge of the general healthcare of the child. In some cases, the parents will be instructed by the doctor directly to begin a program of vitamin and mineral supplements. This is done if the doctor discovers some sign that suggests that there is a vitamin or mineral deficiency in the child concerned. 

For adults, the best way to ensure that the body is being properly supplied with vitamins and minerals is to follow a balanced healthy diet. A balanced healthy diet is one that includes all the important food groups that are needed by the human body. In many cases, a switch from a normal diet to a healthy diet may even be a pleasurable event. The reason for this is that a healthy diet is one that is extremely varied in the nutrients that it contains. The individual may therefore suddenly have access to a whole range of different foods. This variety is essential from the point of view of providing the body with all the vitamins and minerals that it needs for it to be healthy. From the point of view of the palate, variety is never a bad thing. Therefore, it may be easy for an adult to switch from an unhealthy diet to one that is rich in vitamins and minerals. 

A healthy, balanced diet is an essential requirement for the health of an individual. Over the long term, individuals who consume healthy balanced diets are likely to be far less prone to illnesses and medical conditions. Such individuals may be healthier than they used to be just by following a diet that is rich in vitamins and minerals. On the other hand, long periods of avoiding such nutrients will lead to long term health problems. 


Submitted on February 2, 2011