VITAMINS AND MINERALS

HOW DOES THE BODY ABSORB VITAMINS?

Depends on the type of vitamin!

Fat-soluble Watersoluble

OVERALL DIGESTION

1. MOUTH

OVERALL DIGESTION
Saliva
is a watery tasteless liquid mixture that moistens chewed food and begins chemical digestion.

OVERALL DIGESTION
Saliva
contains an enzyme that begins the breakdown of starches into sugars.

OVERALL DIGESTION
Amylase
is an enzyme of the saliva that begins the chemical digestion of complex carbohydrates

OVERALL DIGESTION
Tongue
rolls it into a ball or bolus and then pushes the bolus to the throat to be swallowed.

OVERALL DIGESTION
Epiglottis
prevents food from entering the windpipe.

OVERALL DIGESTION

2. ESOPHAGUS

OVERALL DIGESTION
Esophagus
Moves the food to the stomach by a series of muscular contractions called peristalsis.

OVERALL DIGESTION
Peristalsis
Is the wavelike contraction of muscles that move food through the digestive system.

OVERALL DIGESTION

3. STOMACH

OVERALL DIGESTION
Mechanical digestion
Muscle contractions begin to twist, turn, and churn the food.

OVERALL DIGESTION
Stomach
Produces gastric juice and mixes it with the food.

OVERALL DIGESTION
Gastric juice
Contains enzymes that begin the digestion of proteins.

OVERALL DIGESTION
Chyme
Food mixed with stomach until

thick paste is formed

OVERALL DIGESTION

4. SMALL INTESTINE

OVERALL DIGESTION
Small Intestine
Digestion is completed in the small intestine. The liver releases bile into the small intestine.

OVERALL DIGESTION
Pancreatic Juice
Contains enzymes that digest carbohydrates and fats.

Contains enzymes that continue the digestion of proteins.

OVERALL DIGESTION
Walls of SI
release enzymes that complete the digestion of all three basic nutrients.

OVERALL DIGESTION
Villi
Small projections that contain many small blood vessels.

Digested food is absorbed into these blood vessels and carried to all body cells.

OVERALL DIGESTION

4. LARGE INTESTINE

OVERALL DIGESTION
Large Intestine
water and salts are absorbed, and the remaining solid waste goes out of the body through the anus.

VITAMINS

VITAMIN DIGESTION
WATERSOLUBLE
Vitamin C Vitamin B Complex (B6, B12, niacin, riboflavin, and etc.)
FAT-SOLUBLE Vitamin A,D,E,K

WATERSOLUBLE

WATER-SOLUBLE
Vitamin C
have "active transports" for absorption -- molecules that pick them up in the small intestine, in a section called the jejunum

WATER-SOLUBLE
Vitamin C
These transports carry the vitamin molecules through the intestine's cell walls and deposit them in the body, where they can enter the bloodstream.

WATER-SOLUBLE
Vitamin C
Because they dissolve in water, they don't require stomach acids to enable absorption

WATER-SOLUBLE
Vitamin C
They leave the body every day in your urine, so you need to consume these vitamins every day in order to maintain a full supply.

WATER-SOLUBLE
Citrus Fruits

WATER-SOLUBLE
Tomato

WATER-SOLUBLE
Broccoli

WATER-SOLUBLE
Vitamin B
bound to proteins and therefore require a protein breakdown triggered by stomach acids.

WATER-SOLUBLE
Vitamin B
Absorption of most of the B vitamins happens further down in the small intestine, in the ileum.

WATER-SOLUBLE

Avocado and Mushrooms are sources of Vitamin B

FAT-SOLUBLE

FAT-SOLUBLE
Vitamins A,D,E,K
Need to dissolve in fat before they can make it into the body.

FAT-SOLUBLE
The process requires fatdigesting bile acids that come from the liver and live in the small intestine.

FAT-SOLUBLE
When the bile acids break down the fat the vitamins are dissolved in, the vitamins move with the fat through the intestinal wall, into the body, and end up in the liver and in body fat, where they're stored until they're needed.

FAT-SOLUBLE
Vitamin A
Orange fruits and veggies are full of substances called carotenoids that your body converts into vitamin A, which helps prevent eye problems.

FAT-SOLUBLE
Vitamin D
aids in calcium, phosphorous and magnesium digestion. Mushrooms are the only source of Vitamin D among the glow foods

Mushroom

FAT-SOLUBLE
Vitamin E

is an antioxidant that protects body tissue from damage caused by substances called free radicals. Avocado, spinach and collard greens

Spinach Avocado and Orange salad

FAT-SOLUBLE
Vitamin K
helps blood to clot (so cuts and

scrapes stop bleeding quickly). vegetables, broccoli, and soybeans.

FAT-SOLUBLE
Vitamin K
to have strong bones, you need

to eat foods such as green leafy vegetables, which are also rich in the mineral calcium.

Leafy vegetables like spinach, lettuce, arugula, and etc.

MINERALS

Bioavailability
The rate of absorption by the

body. The measure of how much of each mineral your body is able to process.

 Some minerals compete against

each other for your bodys digestive resources. Large amounts of zinc in your diet will lower the absorption rate of iron and copper. Calcium, phosphorus and magnesium combine to give rigidity to your teeth and bones.

Calcium
Passive, paracellular

absorption occurs in the jejunum and ileum, and to a much lesser extent, in the colon when dietary calcium levels are moderate or high.

Calcium
Active, transcellular absorption

occurs only in the duodenum when calcium intake is low. Ex. Spinach, and other green leafy vegetables

Iron
Iron is absorbed by villus

enterocytes in the proximal duodenum.

Vitamin C helps your body

absorb iron efficiently.

Fiber

Insoluble Fiber
Those fibers that cannot by

digested. Adds bulk to the diet by attracting water. Speeds up digestion. Ex. Whole wheat, skin of vegetables and fruits

Soluble Fiber
Those fibers which could be

dissolved very slowly Attracts water and forms a gel which slows down digestion.

BIBLIOGRAPHY
http://health.howstuffworks.com/wellness/food-

nutrition/vitamin-supplements/body-absorbvitamins.htm http://www.essortment.com/process-digestion48566.html http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/0 02406.htm http://kidshealth.org/teen/food_fitness/nutrition/vit amins_minerals.html# http://www.netdoctor.co.uk/health_advice/facts/vit http://www.netdoctor.co.uk/health_advice/facts/vit amins_which.htm