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Vitamin E The broad family of substances which share vitamin E characteristics, the tocopherols, is composed of viscous oils which are mainly light yellow in color. Vitamin E helps protect the unsaturated fatty acids in our bodies, and in our diets. Vitamin E acts as an inhibitor of oxidation processes in body tissues. It protects unsaturated fats in the body from oxidation by peroxides and other free radicals. The possibility that vitamin E may help prolong an active life-span by slowing the rate of oxidative destruction of biological membranes is increasingly real. Vitamin E protects vitamin A and essential fatty acids from oxidation in the body cells and prevents breakdown of body tissues. Vitamin A Vitamin A in itself is found only in animals, not in plants. Plants however contain vitamin A precursors that our bodies can convert to vitamin A. Thus we get vitamin A from food in two ways (eating vitamin A itself in animal foods or eating vitamin A precursors in plant foods. The vitamin A precursors in plants are among a group of pigments known as carotenoids. The carotenoids bring color to life. They are a group of several hundred bright yellow, orange, and red pigments that are made in plants. They are found in fruits, vegetables, flowers, and foliage; giving leaves their beautiful fall colors. About 20 of these carotenoids can be converted into vitamin A in the body. Beta Carotene is the most common and best known substance. Vitamin C Chemically, vitamin C (as ascorbic acid) is the simplest of vitamins. It is a close chemical relative of the simple sugar glucose. Humans are among the very few creatures that cannot make vitamin C. Albert Szent-Gyorgyi discovered that vitamin C was the substance which cured and prevented scurvy. For this he received the Nobel Prize in 1937. (ascorbic (anti-scorbutic) acid) The presence and influence of vitamin C are seen in a wide variety of body processes. This included the formation of connective tissue and the matrix of bone, the body’s use of calcium and iron, the integrity of the capillaries, and the prevention of hemorrhage, the immune response, the making of key hormones, and brain chemicals, and others. One of vitamin C functions is to serve as an antioxidant, both in the food and in the body. The iron in plant foods, for example, is more readily absorbed from the intestine when the iron is in an unoxidized form. Vitamin C enhances iron absorption by keeping iron in this form. Just because certain symptoms are associated with a vitamin deficiency, this does not mean that extra amounts of the vitamin will alleviate similar symptoms where there is no deficiency. The vitamin C content of the typical Canadian diet far exceeds the RDA (recommended daily allowance).
Petri Dish: A Petri Dish is a small, shallow circular dish made of thin glass or clear plastic with a loosely fitting, overlapping cover. It is used especially in microbiology for the growing of microorganisms on solid media. Fat Soluble Vitamins: Vitamin A, Vitamin D, Vitamin E, Vitamin K
Water
Soluble Vitamins:
Vitamin C, Thiamin,
Riboflavin, Niacin, Vitamin B6, Folate, Vitamin B12, Pantothenic Acid,
Biotin.
Source: US department of Agriculture. The Medical Post: Nutrition (Sept 21, 2004)
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