Vitamins and minerals are micronutrients required by the body to carry out a range of normal functions. However, these micronutrients are not produced in our bodies and must be derived from the food we eat. Vitamins are organic substances that are generally classified as either fat soluble or water soluble.

Understanding the Context

Psychology Today: Why Eating Beets Is Good for the Body and the Brain Yahoo: Um, Eating Beets Might Make It Look Like You're Peeing Blood That vat of hot pink hummus in the supermarket aisle? You've got the current beet craze to thank for that. No longer relegated to Grandma's borscht or the sad corner of the salad bar, beets are packed ... Even for vegetable lovers, beets can be a hard sell.

Key Insights

Beets are one of those love-โ€˜em-or-hate-โ€˜em vegetables, with strong opinions on both sides. As beets come into their peak season from late summer ... Vitamins have diverse biochemical functions. Vitamin A acts as a regulator of cell and tissue growth and differentiation. Vitamin D provides a hormone-like function, regulating mineral metabolism for bones and other organs.

Final Thoughts

The B complex vitamins function as enzyme cofactors (coenzymes) or the precursors for them. One type comes from animal sources of food. It helps you see at night, make red blood cells, and fight off infections. The other type is in plant foods. It helps prevent damage to cells and an eye... All vertebrates, including humans, require dietary sources of vitamin A, vitamin D, thiamin, riboflavin, vitamin B 6, and pantothenic acid; some vertebrates, particularly the more highly evolved ones, have additional requirements for other vitamins.