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Vitamins: how they keep you healthy
Vitamin A: Maintains healthy skin and mucous membranes. Necessary for proper vision, especially at night. Needed for correct bone development and growth.
Vitamin D: Helps the body utilize calcium and phosphorus for strong bones and teeth.
Vitamin E: Protective antioxidant vitamin, that is, it mops up substances called "free radicals". Needed for the health of the heart and circulation, nerves, muscles and red blood cells.
Beta carotene: An antioxidant which mops up "free radicals" which, in excess, can cause damage to cells and tissues. Beta carotene can also be converted into vitamin A in the body.
Thiamin (01): Needed for the release of energy from carbohydrate. Aids in functioning of the nervous system.
Riboflavin (02): Needed for converting proteins, fats and carbohydrates into energy. Also important for skin and eye health.
Niacin (03): Vital for energy release in tissues and cells. Helps to maintain healthy nervous and digestive systems.
Vitamin B6: Important in protein metabolism. Vital for maintaining a healthy nervous system, skin, muscles and blood.
Folic acid: Essential for growth and reproduction of cells, particularly red blood cells. Particularly important as a supplement for women of childbearing age.
Vitamin B12: Needed for red blood cell production and maintenance of the protective sheath around nerves. Vegans in particular may require additional amounts of this vitamin.
Biotin: Involved in the metabolism of carbohydrates, proteins and fats. Needed for healthy skin and hair.
Pantothenic acid: Plays a vital role in the release of energy from foods, Needed for healthy growth and the production of antibodies.
Vitamin C: An antioxidant which helps white blood cells fight infection. Also needed for healthy skin, and enhances absorption of iron from non-meat sources.
Minerals: how they keep you healthy
Calcium: Needed for healthy, strong bones and teeth, and for the functioning of nerves and muscles.
Phosphorus: Needed for a strong skeleton. A component of ATP — the immediate source of energy in muscle tissue.
Magnesium: Plays a role in bone structure; central to energy release and the functioning of nerves and muscles. Also important for cardiovascular health.
Copper: Component (with zinc and manganese) of an antioxidant enzyme system. Needed for melanin (skin pigment) formation and iron metabolism.
Chromium: Required for normal glucose (blood sugar) metabolism; may also have a role in controlling blood fat levels.
Iodine: Needed for the production of thyroid hormones that regulate metabolic rate.
I ron: Carries vital oxygen around the the body as part of the blood pigment hemoglobin,
Manganese: Component (with copper and zinc) of an antioxidant enzyme system. Needed for sex hormone formations, healthy bones, joints and nervous system.
Molybdenum: Involved in iron metabolism and in the production of uric acid (a waste product found in urine). Necessary for normal sexual functioning in males.
Selenium: Antioxidant mineral which helps protect the delicate fatty parts of cells from going rancid. Needed for healthy liver tissue.
Zinc: Needed for healthy reproductive and immune systems. Also required for tissue repair and renewal and for sense of taste and smell. | 
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