Vitamins

Vitamins

Vitamin means life. The story of vitamins actually begins in 1911 when a Polish chemist by name of Kazimir Punk extracted from rice polishings a crystalline substance. This substance was capable to cure beri-beri. Analyses of these crystals revealed the presence of nitrogen in basic combination, i.e. the “amino”-nitrogen; Punk therefore called this substance “vita-mine”. The root “vita” indicates that the substance is essential to life and health. In this way, the word “vitamin” was born. For four years before Punk’s discovery a series of studies had begun in the USA to determine the value of cereals such as wheat, corn and oats as a cattle diet. Eventually it was found necessary to resort to rats to solve the problem of cereal differences.

Today the successful isolation and synthesis of many of the substances has proved that vitamins are organic chemical compounds to be present in the diet for the maintenance of growth and health.

Vitamins are substances to be found in certain foods which are necessary for the growth, development and general health of the body. There are several different kinds of these protective substances to be provided in the diet. To make sure our bodies get all the vitamins they need, it is best to include several different vitamin-containing foods in the diet. Such foods include milk and many of the products made from it, all the green leafy vegetables like spinach, cabbage, lettuce, other fresh vegetables, fruit and fruit juices, whole-grained cereals, eggs and a number of others.

When we plan a nutrition program for any person, young and old, well and ill, we must know certain foods are the best sources each body requires.

1. Vitamin A: fruits and vegetables, cream, butter or margarine, eggs and liver.

2. The B vitamins: yeast, liver, whole-grained breads and cereals, milk, meat.

3. Vitamin C: orange or grapefruit juice, any fresh raw fruit or vegetable, ascorbic acid tablets if needed.

4. Vitamin D: fish-liver oil or vitamin-D capsules.

5. Vitamin E: soy-bean oil, vegetables oils.

6. Vitamin K: is produced by intestinal bacteria. The diet must be adequate in milk and unsaturated fatty acids and low in refined carbohydrates; intestinal bacteria are increased by eating yogurt.

7. Vitamin P (rutin): citrus fruits, especially lemons.

8. Calcium: milk, yogurt.

9. Phosphorous: milk, eggs, cheese, meat.

10. Iron: liver, yeast, meat, bread and cereals.

11. Proteins: yeast, milk, yogurt, cheese, meat, fish, eggs.

12. Liquids: milk, fruit, juices, soup, water.

Experts in the study of foods are constantly conducting experiments. They are making their discoveries public from time to time for such knowledge enables us to select the proper foods in order to protect us against the diseases.

Task 1. Translate from English into Russian:

A crystalline substance; to be capable to cure diseases; to reveal the presence of nitrogen; the maintenance of growth; organic chemical compounds; vitamin-containing foods; the green leafy vegetables; whole-grained cereals; unsaturated fatty acids; refined carbohydrates; to protect people against the diseases; to extract from rice polishings; isolation and synthesis; to plan a nutrition program; to select the proper foods.

Task 2. Give English equivalents:

1. определить ценность злаковых 6) цельнозерновые каши

2. для поддержания здоровья 7) масло и маргарин; яйца и печень

3. органические химические соединения 8) принимать аскорбиновую кислоту

4. зеленые листовые овощи 9) производиться кишечными бактериями

5. включать витаминсодержащую 10) постоянно проводить эксперименты

еду в рацион

Task 3. Fill in the missing letters and translate the words:

1. cr.sta…ne 4) let..ce 7) l.ver 10) cer..l

2. s.nth..is 5) sp.na.h 8) y..st 11) grapefr..t

3. m..nten.nce 6) marg…ne 9) yog..t 12) as…bic a.id

Task 4. Group the following words according to the parts of speech:

Protective, growth, chemical, to extract, selection, maintenance, refined, to plan, substance

verb	noun	adjective

Task 5. Express the following definitions in one word. The answers are in the box below,

two of them are extra:

1. relating to or affecting the intestine –

2. intended to protect someone or something –

3. having the structure and form of a crystal –

4. any nutritious substance that people or animals eat or drink or that plants absorb in order to maintain life and growth -

5. a disease causing inflammation of the nerves and heart failure, ascribed to a deficiency of vitamin B 1 -

6. containing a large amount of fat –

7. the liquid obtained from or present in fruit or vegetables –

8. a butter substitute made from vegetable oils or animal fats -

food capsule intestinal phosphorous fatty protective margarine crystalline juice beri- beri

Task 6. Translate the sentences paying attention to the words in bold type:

1. Nitrogen is a colourless element that has no smell and is usually found as a gas. It forms about 78% of the earth's atmosphere, and is found in all living things.

2. Her speech was a synthesis of ideas put forward by various individuals.

3. John’s shirt was saturated with sweat.

4. Healthy people do not need vitamin supplements.

5. A good ear and memory are essential in studying foreign languages.

6. Fish was a major source of protein for the working man.

7. Calcium is a soft white element which is found in bones and teeth, and also in limestone, chalk, and marble.

8. Proteins are by far the most complex chemical compounds.

Task 7. Before you read the text about vitamins, mark the statements True (T) or False (F).

Then read the text and check your answers:

Did you know? There are a lot of vitamins in fruit and vegetables. But you can hardly find any useful vitamins in Coke, chips and other fast food. Each vitamin is responsible for different things in the human body. There are about ten major vitamins. They are usually named by a letter of the alphabet (A, B, C, D etc). Vitamin A is in green and yellow vegetables, milk and eggs. It’s necessary for seeing in the dark. Vitamin B1 is in meat, porridge and bread. B1 is responsible for the nervous system. Lack of this vitamin leads to serious illnesses and even death. Vitamin C is in every fruit and vegetable. You can find this vitamin in black currants, strawberries, oranges and grapefruits, onion, cabbages and green peppers. Vitamin C is important for building bones and teeth. It helps to prevent colds. Vitamin D is in eggs. People can also get it from sunlight. It makes our bones strong. Vitamin E is necessary for skin and body. It’s often called a “beauty vitamin”. It’s in the wheat and nuts. Vitamin B6 and K are necessary for human blood. You can find B6 in beans and milk; K – in potatoes, tomatoes and carrots. Vitamins make people healthy, optimistic and strong. Remember the proverb: “I eat to live, but I don’t live to eat.”

Task 8. Complete the sentences using the text:

1. If a person has some problems with her/his skin, he/she should have …

2. If you have got a bad cold, you need vitamin …, which is in…

3. To make your bones strong you should …

4. If you can hardly see in the dark, you should have … every day.

5. You should have … to make your nervous system work.

6. People need vitamins to …

Task 9. Answer the questions:

1. What does the word “vitamin” mean?

2. When and how dies the story of vitamins begin?

3. Why are vitamins essential for our health?

4. How can a person receive enough amount of vitamins?

5. What vitamins are fruits and vegetables rich in?

6. What vitamin is produced by intestinal bacteria?