Description of Nutrients
List of general nutrient descriptions and functions.
Minerals, Vitamins & Other Essential Nutrients
Calcium
Calcium is a naturally occurring mineral that is an essential component of the
human body. It's involved in bone, hair and nail health. Found in sesame seeds, figs, tahini, green leafy vegetables.
Coenzyme Q10 (CoQIO)
A protein and powerful antioxidant. Converts food into energy, neutralising free radical which degrade skin by stimulating cell activity. Good sources: fish and brown rice.
DHEA (Dehydroepiandrosterone)
DHEA is a hormone that is naturally made by the human body. DHEA is used for slowing or reversing aging, improving thinking skills in older people, and slowing the progress of Alzheimer’s disease. Athletes and other people use DHEA to increase muscle mass, strength, and energy.
Enzymes
Enzymes are biological molecules (proteins) that are very efficient catalysts for biochemical reactions that help complex reactions occur everywhere in life. Enzymes are known to catalyse more than 5,000 biochemical reaction types.
Electrolytes
Electrolytes are minerals in your blood and other body fluids that carry an electric charge. Electrolytes affect the amount of water in your body, the acidity of your blood pH, muscle function, and other important processes.
Folic Acid
Water-soluble B vitamin, essential to cellular growth and has roles in DNA synthesis. Found in dark green leafy vegetables, citrus fruits and legumes.
Iron
Iron is crucial for red blood cell production and oxygen transport in the blood. Deficiency can cause anemia, fatigue, muscle weakness, and impaired cognitive function.
Iodine
Iodine is necessary for the synthesis of thyroid hormones, which regulate metabolism, energy production, and overall growth. Deficiency can lead to goiter, hypothyroidism, and developmental issues.
Selenium
Trace mineral, antioxidant (regenerates Vitamin E & C), supports tissue elasticity and prevents free radical damage to cells and damage from excessive ultraviolet light.
Silica
Strengthens the body's connective tissues like muscles and bones, essential to skin health. Deficiencies include slow wound healing, brittle nails and hair.
Magnesium
Magnesium is an essential cofactor in over 300 biochemical reactions in the body, which help to support energy, protein synthesis, balance electrolytes, relax muscles and the nerve system, and healthy teeth and strong bones.
Found in nuts like almonds, seaweed (kelp) and raw cacao.
Zinc
Zinc is essential for wound healing, helping to prevent scar tissue forming, proper functioning of the immune system, and it plays a large role in supporting healthy skin.
Vitamin A
Vitamin A includes retinol, retinal, and retinoic acid, which play roles in vision, immune function, and cell growth. Main sources include: meat, fish, and from plants with beta-cartoene (green leafy vege). Fat soluble.
Vitamin B1
Thiamine is essential to skin health, helps to increase blood flow to cells. Water Soluble.
Vitamin B2
Riboflavin
Vitamin B3
Niacinamide, Niacin. Essential nutrient. Necessary for preventing deficiency disease, if deficient it will cause dermatitis, rashes, headache, fatigue. Deficiency can lead to pellagra, characterized by dermatitis, diarrhea, and dementia.
Sources: animal protein, milk, eggs.
Vitamin B5
Pantothenic acid. Helps maintain optimum adrenal function and plays a critical role in the utilisation of fats and carbohydrates in energy production and in the manufacture of adrenal hormones and red blood cells.
Vitamin B6
Pyridoxine
Vitamin B12
Cobalamin is an essential factor in the production of red blood cells. People who do not have enough B12 in their systems suffer from anemia. B12 is also necessary for the production of other blood cells, as well as normal neurologic function.
Vitamin C
Ascorbic acid; water soluble; antioxidant; treatment for colds; slows aging; aids skins healing and strengthens blood vessels and capillaries; aids absorption of iron; found in citrus fruits, kiwifruit, papaya, broccoli. Essential for production of collagen. We need constant, daily supply of vitamin C for normal growth and development.
Vitamin D
Sunshine vitamin (D2 & D3); promotes absorption of minerals (calcium, phosphorus) and helps with Vitamin A assimilation; maintains a healthy nervous system and immune system; best natural source is sunlight.
Vitamin E
Strong antioxidant, prevents against free radical damage; sources include fruit, vege, wholegrains, nuts and seeds.
Vitamin K
Fat soluble; naturally produced by bacteria in the intestines and helps protect against blood clotting; best natural sources are kale, greentea, spinach, yogurt, fish.
Bioflavonoids
Found in fruits and veges, including apples, celery, kale, parsley. They have anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant properties, and support the immune system.
Antioxidants
Antioxidants protect the integrity of cell membranes which are composed of lipids (fats) by neutralising free radicals. Antioxidants are formed from food metabolism, by pollutants, smoking and radiation Lipids can be damaged by free radicals through oxidation which can harden the membrane wall and hinder absorption of nutrients necessary for the life of the cell.Free radicals unless neutralised can damage body cells, distort DNA, and cause degenerative diseases. Vitamin E is an excellent antioxidant found in wheatgerm, sunflower, sesame, avocado, hazel nut oils, and in our skincare range.
Amino acids
Amino acids build up many forms of proteins in the body and governed by DNA and RNA.
Essential amino acids: lecuine, isoleucine, valine, methionine, threonine, lysine, phenylalanine and trytophan - essential as they are all needed in the right proportions for a complete protein. The human body does not produce these acids, hence they must be obtained from food sources.
Almond: Vitamin E, calcium, magnesium, potassium, iron and zinc. Excellent source of mono and poly unsaturated oils
Essential Fatty Acids
Omega 6
Linoleic acid, body converts to gamma lionlenic acid (GLA). Abundant in Western processed diets, conversley lacking in omega-3 acids. Good source: evening primrose oil (eczema).
Omega 3
Polyunsaturated fatty acids, important for good health, best source in fish and vegetable oils. Omega-3s include three fatty acids called alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA).