Vitamins, minerals and fibre
When you eat a meal the high-energy foods are used to give power to the body and the body-building foods are used for growth and repair of cuts and bruises. But what happens to the vitamins, minerals and fibre?

There are a number of different vitamins. Most of them are identified by a letter of the alphabet. Let us see what happens to vitamins A to D. When vitamin A enters the body it is carried in the blood to the nose and to airways in the chest. Here it helps to make a moist lining, which covers the inside of the nose and airways. This lining helps to keep out germs. Vitamin A also travels to the eye and helps it see more clearly in dim light.
There are a number of different B vitamins. You only have to look on the side of a packet of breakfast cereal to read about them. The different B vitamins are identified as vitamin B, B2 and so on. The B vitamins help the body in a variety of ways. They help the body release the energy from food and use it to keep the brain, nerves, heart and digestive systems healthy.

When vitamin C enters the body it helps to keep the tiny tubes which carry the blood healthy. There are a large number of these in the gums between the teeth and, as the blood flows through them, it gives the gums their red colour. If a diet lacked vitamin C the gums would bleed. Vitamin C also plays a part at the site of a cut or bruise. It helps the body repair itself. Germs have a tough time if the body is receiving enough vitamin C. The vitamin helps to fight against infection and illness.

Vitamin D is unusual because we can make it in our skins. It is made when the sun shines on our skin and has been called the sunshine vitamin. However, we get most of our vitamin D through our food and, when it enters our body, it gathers at teeth and bones. Here it helps the body take up the mineral called calcium. This makes the teeth and bones strong.

The body needs twenty different minerals to keep healthy. Some of the minerals are only needed in very small amounts but the body needs large amounts of calcium and iron. Calcium is used to make the hard parts of bones and teeth. It makes teeth strong to bite and grind food and makes bones strong to hold up the body without bending. Iron performs a very different task. It helps the blood carry oxygen round the body. The oxygen helps food release its energy for the body to use.

When food is digested high-energy foods, body-building foods, vitamins and minerals enter the blood and are carried round the body to do their work. Only one substance in the food remains behind in the digestive system. This is called fibre. It is made from the undigested parts of plants. A good example of fibre is the fibres you see when you bite into a celery stalk. They stick out at the end. Fibre helps the muscles in the digestive system move the food along so it can be digested and the other substances can enter the blood.

When we chose our foods for their energy and body building materials we must not forget the vitamins, minerals and fibre. They keep our bodies healthy just like oil keeps the parts of a machine working smoothly.

In which foods do you find vitamins?
You find vitamin A in liver, eggs and dairy products. Vitamin B is found in milk, meat, eggs and cereals. Vitamin C is found in oranges, lemons, blackcurrants, strawberries and tomatoes. Vitamin D is found in cod liver oil, oily fish such as mackerel, eggs and milk.

In which foods do you find minerals?
You find calcium in dairy products, bread and sardines. Iron is found in meat, liver, green vegetables and eggs.

People tell you to "eat your greens". What do they mean?
They mean that you should eat any green vegetables in the meal. Some children say they do not like green vegetables and try to leave them on the plate. Vitamin A is found in all green vegetables and orange ones, like carrots, too. Vitamin B, calcium and iron are found in leafy green vegetables such as cabbage and spinach.

What happens if a vitamin is missing from the diet?
The body becomes ill in some way. For example if vitamin A is missing from your diet, your body cannot protect itself well against germs and you may catch a cold. The lack of some vitamins and minerals can be much more serious. In the days when ships had sails so the wind could blow them along, many sailors caught a disease called scurvy. At the time, sea voyages were long so food was needed that could be stored easily and would not go bad. The best food for this was salted meat, dry biscuits and porridge. When the sailors ate this diet for many weeks they developed scurvy which made their gums and skin bleed and weakened the heart. In many cases a sailor who developed scurvy died.

When vitamin D is missing from the diet of young children, they fail to grow strong bones. When the children walk, the bones in their legs are too weak to support them. This results in the bending of the bones and legs. The disease is called rickets.

Can scurvy and rickets be cured?
Yes, they can. A Scottish surgeon called James Lind found that if sailors were given citrus fruits such as oranges, lemons and limes the scurvy was cured and they became healthy again. The citrus fruits contain large amounts of vitamin C. After his discovery ships carried limes on board for the sailors to eat and no one developed scurvy again. If young children are fed a diet rich in vitamin D their bones will become strong and the rickets will be cured.

Is celery the only food rich in fibre?
No. The following foods are rich in fibre ? breakfast cereals, bread, nuts, peas, beans, carrots, potatoes (especially jacket potatoes), cabbage, apples, pears, bananas and citrus fruits.

How is the body affected if there is not enough fibre in the diet?
The food cannot move as easily along the digestive system. The digestive system is a long tube with muscles in its walls. The fibre helps the muscles push on the food. If the fibre is missing the muscles have to push harder. It also makes it more difficult for the muscles to get rid of solid wastes at the toilet. This condition, where a person cannot get rid of solid wastes, is known as constipation.