What are vitamins and minerals, what do they do, and what happens if we lack them?
Micronutrients: the fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, K) and water-soluble vitamins (B group and C), and the key minerals (calcium, iron, sodium, fluoride, phosphorus, iodine): their functions, sources and the effects of deficiency.
A focused answer on micronutrients for Eduqas GCSE Food Preparation and Nutrition (C560), covering the fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K, the water-soluble B group and vitamin C, and the key minerals, with their functions, sources and the effects of deficiency.
Reviewed by: AI editorial process; not yet individually human-reviewed
Have a quick question? Jump to the Q&A page
Jump to a section
What this dot point is asking
Eduqas wants you to know the micronutrients: the vitamins (fat-soluble A, D, E, K and water-soluble B group and C) and the key minerals (calcium, iron, sodium, fluoride, phosphorus, iodine), with the function, sources and deficiency of each. These are needed in small amounts but are essential.
Fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, K)
- Vitamin A (retinol/beta-carotene): for vision (especially in dim light), healthy skin and immunity. Sources: liver, oily fish, dairy, and orange and dark green vegetables (carotene). Deficiency causes night blindness.
- Vitamin D: helps the body absorb calcium for strong bones and teeth. Sources: oily fish, eggs, fortified margarine and cereals, and sunlight on the skin. Deficiency causes rickets in children and osteoporosis later.
- Vitamin E: an antioxidant that protects cells. Sources: vegetable oils, nuts, seeds.
- Vitamin K: needed for blood clotting. Sources: green leafy vegetables.
Water-soluble vitamins (B group and C)
- B vitamins release energy from food, keep the nervous system healthy and help make red blood cells. Folic acid (B9) is recommended before and during early pregnancy to prevent neural tube defects such as spina bifida. Sources: wholegrains, meat, eggs, dairy, green vegetables.
- Vitamin C helps the body absorb iron, heal wounds, protect cells (antioxidant) and keep connective tissue healthy. Sources: citrus fruit, berries, peppers, potatoes. Deficiency causes scurvy (bleeding gums, slow healing).
Minerals
| Mineral | Main function | Sources | Deficiency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Calcium | Strong bones and teeth; blood clotting | Milk, cheese, yoghurt, tinned fish, fortified bread | Weak bones, osteoporosis |
| Iron | Makes haemoglobin to carry oxygen | Red meat, liver, eggs, dark green veg, pulses | Iron-deficiency anaemia |
| Sodium | Nerve function, fluid balance | Salt, processed foods | Cramps (deficiency rare); excess raises blood pressure |
| Fluoride | Strengthens tooth enamel | Fluoridated water, tea, fish | More tooth decay |
| Phosphorus | Works with calcium for bones and teeth | Dairy, meat, fish, eggs | Weak bones (rare) |
| Iodine | Makes thyroid hormones | Seafood, dairy, iodised salt | Goitre (swollen thyroid) |
Try this
Q1. Name the mineral needed to make haemoglobin and the deficiency disease caused by a lack of it. [2 marks]
- Cue. Iron; iron-deficiency anaemia.
Q2. Explain why vitamin C is lost when vegetables are boiled for a long time. [2 marks]
- Cue. Vitamin C is water-soluble (dissolves into the cooking water) and is destroyed by heat.
Exam-style practice questions
Practice questions written in the style of WJEC Eduqas exam questions on this dot point, with worked answer explainers. The year tag is the paper they imitate, not the source.
Eduqas 20196 marksExplain why calcium and vitamin D are both needed for healthy bones, and describe good food sources of each.Show worked answer →
A 6-mark extended-response question. Mark it for the link between the two nutrients plus correct sources.
Calcium is the mineral that makes bones and teeth hard and strong, and is needed for blood clotting and nerve and muscle function. Vitamin D is needed because it helps the body absorb calcium from food in the gut; without enough vitamin D, the body cannot use the calcium properly, so the bones do not form well.
Good sources of calcium are milk, cheese, yoghurt, tinned fish with bones, and fortified bread and cereals. Vitamin D comes from oily fish, eggs, fortified margarine and breakfast cereals, and is also made in the skin in summer sunlight.
Top-band answers (5 to 6 marks) explain that vitamin D is needed to absorb calcium, name the deficiency diseases (rickets/osteoporosis), and give correct sources of both.
Eduqas 20214 marksExplain why a teenage girl may be at risk of iron-deficiency anaemia, and name two foods that would help her meet her iron needs.Show worked answer →
A 4-mark structured question.
Iron is needed to make haemoglobin in red blood cells, which carries oxygen. A teenage girl loses iron through menstruation (monthly periods), so she has a higher iron requirement; if her diet does not replace it, she can develop iron-deficiency anaemia, with tiredness, paleness and breathlessness.
Good iron sources include red meat, liver, eggs, dark green vegetables, pulses and fortified cereals; vitamin C (for example a glass of orange juice with the meal) helps absorb iron. Markers reward the link from menstruation to higher iron needs and two correct iron-rich foods.
Related dot points
- Protein, fats and carbohydrates: their composition, functions, sources, biological and complementary value of protein, saturated and unsaturated fats, simple and complex carbohydrates, and the effects of excess or deficiency.
A focused answer on the three macronutrients for Eduqas GCSE Food Preparation and Nutrition (C560), covering the composition, functions, sources and deficiency or excess of protein, fats and carbohydrates, plus biological value, complementation and the energy each provides.
- The functions of water and the signs of dehydration, and the role of dietary fibre (NSP) in healthy digestion, with sources and recommended intakes.
A focused answer on water and dietary fibre for Eduqas GCSE Food Preparation and Nutrition (C560), covering the functions of water, the signs of dehydration, the role of dietary fibre (NSP) in healthy digestion, good sources and recommended intakes.
- Energy needs: sources of energy from food, basal metabolic rate (BMR) and physical activity level (PAL), how requirements vary with age, sex and activity, energy balance, and the proportion of energy from each macronutrient.
A focused answer on energy needs for Eduqas GCSE Food Preparation and Nutrition (C560), covering energy from macronutrients, basal metabolic rate (BMR), physical activity level (PAL), how needs vary with age, sex and activity, energy balance, and calculating total energy requirements.
- Nutritional needs through the life stages: babies and young children, teenagers, adults, older adults and pregnant women, the key nutrients each needs and why, and how to plan suitable meals.
A focused answer on nutritional needs through the life stages for Eduqas GCSE Food Preparation and Nutrition (C560), covering babies and children, teenagers, adults, older adults and pregnant women, the key nutrients each needs and why, and planning suitable meals.
- Diet-related health: obesity, cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, tooth decay, bone health (osteoporosis), iron-deficiency anaemia and bowel health, their links to diet, and the dietary changes that reduce the risk.
A focused answer on diet-related health for Eduqas GCSE Food Preparation and Nutrition (C560), covering obesity, cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, tooth decay, osteoporosis, anaemia and bowel health, how each is linked to diet, and the changes that lower the risk.
Sources & how we know this
- WJEC Eduqas GCSE Food Preparation and Nutrition specification (C560) — WJEC Eduqas (2016)