Many of you may have heard of the budget challenges facing U of I Extension over the past couple of months. As with so many things in life, every once in awhile, we have to change the way we are doing things. Starting this month we will be sending this Walk Club newsletter only via e-mail. If you know of someone who has been receiving the newsletter through the regular postal service that would like to continue receiving monthly newsletters, please ask them to call our office and update our records with a current e-mail address – 309-342-5108.

We all know that food is the fuel our bodies need for energy. It comes from the calories in the foods we eat. The parts of food that have calories are carbohydrates, protein, and fat. Food gives us more than calories; it gives us vitamins and minerals.

Vitamins are the essential nutrients found in foods. Requirements for vitamins vary and the amount we need is small, but each vitamin and mineral plays a part in keeping our bodies healthy.

Vitamins are classified according to the substance they will dissolve in. Water-soluble vitamins dissolve in water and are not stored in the body. Excess of these vitamins is excreted in the urine. Since our bodies do not store water-soluble vitamins, we need a continuous supply of them. Water-soluble vitamins are B-complex vitamins and vitamin C.

The other classification for vitamins is fat-soluble. These are vitamins A, D, E, and K.

B-complex Vitamins
There are eight water-soluble B-vitamins. They are found in many of the foods we eat every day.

B-complex vitamins help the body use the energy from food and are important for normal appetite, good vision, healthy skin, healthy nervous system and forming red blood cells. Here is a list of B-complex vitamins and how they affect our body:

• Thiamin (B1) is found in pork, liver, whole grains, enriched grain products, peas, meat, and legumes. Thiamin helps our body release energy from foods.
• Vitamin B2 or riboflavin is found in liver, milk, dark green vegetables, whole and enriched grain products, and eggs. This vitamin helps promote good vision and healthy skin.
• Niacin is found in liver, fish, poultry, meat, peanuts, and whole and enriched grain products. Niacin aids in digestion, promotes normal appetite, and promotes healthy skin and nerves.
• Vitamin B6 is found in pork, meats, whole grains and cereals, legumes, and green leafy vegetables. B6 helps in protein metabolism and absorption and aids in red blood cell formation. It also helps your body use fats.
• Folacin is found in liver, kidney, dark green leafy vegetables, meats, fish, whole grains, fortified grains and cereals, legumes, and citrus fruits. This vitamin is known for helping prevent birth defects of the spine. It also reduces risk of coronary heart disease.
• B12 is found only in animal foods. B12 helps in building genetic material and aids in the development of normal red blood cells.
• Pantothenic acid is found in liver, kidney, meats, egg yolk, whole grains and legumes. Pantothenic acid is involved in energy production and aids in the formation of hormones.
• Biotin is found in liver, kidney, egg yolk, milk, and most fresh vegetables. Biotin helps release energy from carbohydrates and aids in fat synthesis.

Vitamin C
Vitamin C is also known as ascorbic acid. It works to help hold body cells together and aids in wound healing. Vitamin C also assists in bone and tooth formation, strengthens blood vessel walls, helps in the immune system, and improves the absorption of iron.

Vitamin C cannot be made in the body; therefore we need to include good sources of vitamin C in the foods we eat. Citrus fruits are the best sources of vitamin C. One orange, a kiwi fruit, 6 ounces of grapefruit juice or 1/3 cup of chopped sweet red pepper contain enough vitamin C for your body for one day.

Vitamin C is also found in foods like broccoli, strawberries, melon, green pepper, tomatoes, dark green vegetables and potatoes.

Stand with hands against the wall, arms outstretched and elbows straight. Keeping you left knee slightly bent, toes of right food slightly turned inward, step back 1-2 feet with your right leg, heel and foot flat on floor. You should feel a stretch in you calf muscle, but you shouldn't feel uncomfortable. If you don't feel a stretch, move you foot farther back until you do. Hold position for 10-30 seconds. Bend knee of right leg, keep heel and foot flat on floor. Hold position for another 10–30 seconds. Repeat with left leg. Repeat 3-5 times for each leg.

Fat soluble vitamins dissolve in fat before they go into the blood stream. Excess fat-soluble vitamins are stored in the liver, therefore, they may not be needed in the diet every day.

Vitamin A is used by the body to help the eyes adjust to light changes. Moisture of the skin, eyes, and mucous membranes in the mouth, nose, throat, and lungs depend on Vitamin A. It also plays an important role in bone growth, tooth development, and other functions within the body.

To get enough Vitamin A, eat a variety of foods. Vitamin A is found in dairy products, fish, and liver. Another way for you to get Vitamin A is to consume plant foods rich in beta carotene. Beta carotene can be converted to Vitamin A by the body and is found in carrots, pumpkin, winter squash, dark green leafy vegetables, cantaloupe, and apricots.

Vitamin D is needed by the body in order for it to use the calcium and phosphorus in the foods we eat. Vitamin D increases the amount of calcium absorbed in the small intestine and helps with bone formation. Fortified milk is the primary source for Vitamin D in our diets. It is also found in oily fish like sardines, herring, and salmon, and in cod liver oil. Egg yolks also contain some Vitamin D.

We also get vitamin D through our skin which makes the vitamin in response to exposure to sunlight. Children who are exposed to 5 to 10 minutes of sunlight every day will produce sufficient Vitamin D for their bodies.

Vitamin E is an antioxidant that protects vitamins A and C, red blood cells, and essential fatty acids from destruction. Antioxidants are known to lower the risk for heart disease, cancer, and several other diseases.

We consume Vitamin E as vegetable oil or products which include vegetable oils and margarines. Green and leafy vegetables, wheat germ, whole grain products, nuts, egg yolk, and liver are also sources of Vitamin E.

Vitamin K is naturally produced by the bacteria in the intestines. Vitamin K is essential for normal blood clotting and helps promote bone health. In addition to being made by the body, Vitamin K is found in dark green leafy vegetables and liver.

Deficiencies are rare for the fat-soluble vitamins especially when individuals consume a variety of foods.

In addition to Vitamins, foods contain minerals and fiber that are essential for body functions. Again, the amounts of minerals our bodies need is small, so eating a variety of foods will help ensure that you are getting what you need from the foods you eat.

We have looked at fiber before in Your Health and You. Fiber is nature's "broomstick" and is needed to help keep food moving through our bodies. Fiber is found in lots of different foods including fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, nuts, and seeds.

Fiber helps reduce constipation and aids in the prevention of certain types of cancer. Fiber can also help lower blood glucose in those who have diabetes. Current recommendations are that we consume 14 grams of fiber for every 1,000 calories we eat. For women, that means consuming 20 to 30 grams of fiber every day and for men 25 to 35 grams of fiber every day.

Increase the fiber in your diet gradually and make sure to consume adequate fluids.

From Your Health and You, April & May 2008

Shirley Camp, MS RD
Extension Educator, Nutrition and Wellness

Serves 8

2 cups peeled, chopped tomatoes
1 small sweet onion, finely minced
1 jalapeno pepper, finely diced
1 tsp. oregano
2 tbsp. Vinegar
1 tbsp. Olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
1 clove garlic minced

Mix all ingredients together and serve with tortilla chips.

Nutrition information per serving: 30 calories, 2 g fat, 90 mg sodium, 3 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber. Also contains 10% of your daily need for vitamin A and 15% of vitamin C.

Note: omit the oil – you have 0 fat and only 15 calories per serving!