Natural Sources of Micronutrients_Dr. Madhavan Nair

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Micronutrient rich natural products for

health

Natural Sources of Micronutrients

K. Madhavan Nair, PhDScientist E

Micronutrient research group

Department of Biophysics

National Institute of Nutrition (ICMR)

Conference on Micronutrient Fortification of Foods:

Science, Application & Management

7-8 January 2011



BALANCED DIET

Contain different types of food in such

quantities and proportions that the

need for energy, protein, minerals and

vitamin is not only met, but a small

provision is made for extra nutrients

to withstand short duration of leanness.



CEREALS & MILLETS (400g)

FATS & OILS (30g)

PULSES & LEGUMES (80g)

VEGETABLES & FRUITS (400g)

MEAT, FISH AND POULTRY (60g)

MILK AND MILK PRODUCTS (300ml)

Food groups and balanced diet and RDA of

micronutrients for a reference man

Micronutrients RDA

Iron (mg) 17.0

Zinc (mg) 12

Iodine (g) 150

Vitamin A (µg) 600

-Carotene (µg) 4800

Thiamine (mg) 1.7

Riboflavin (mg) 1.6

Niacin (mg) 18

Vitamin B6 (mg) 2.0

Vitamin C (mg) 40

Folate (µg) 200

Vitamin B12 (µg) 1.0

(ICMR Nutrient requirement and recommended dietary allowance for Indians, Edition 2010)



Natural Sources of Micronutrients

Food Non Food

Plant source Animal Source

Primary SourcesContains the micronutrients

Secondary Source

Enhances utilization of the micronutrient

Animal foods like red meat also improve absorption of micronutrients from plant sources



Whole-Grains

Fe, Zn, Mn, Se,Cu, I

B vitamins, folicacid, vitamin E

Vegetables

Fe, Zn

folic acid, totalbeta-carotene,vitamin C

Fruits

many water solublevitamins:

Folic acid, vitamin C, -carotene

Dairy

Ca,

I, Vitamin A

Meat

vitamin B-12,

Vitamin A, D

Fatty Fish

Vitamin A, D, omega-3fatty acids

(eicosapentaenoic acid[EPA] & docosahexaenoicacid [DHA])

Nuts

vitamin E

Sun light

Vitamin D

Primary source of micronutrients



IRON VITAMIN C

ZINCFOLATE

25%

28%12%

23%

12%

CEREALS PULSES GLV OTHER VEGETABLES MEAT

80%

20%

VEGETABLES FRUITS

60%18%

12%

6% 4%

CEREALS PULSES VEGETABLES FRUITS MEAT

52%

20%

8%

10%

10%

CEREALS

PULSES

VEGETABLES

NUTS & OILSEEDS

FLESH FOODS



The Complexities Of Bioavailability In Human Nutriture

• Welch R M , Graham R D J. Exp. Bot. 2004;55:353-364



Processing to Improve Mineral

Bioavailability

Enzymatic Methods

Germination , fermentation , Malting involveenzymatic hydrolysis of phytic acid .

Non Enzymatic Methods

Thermal processing , soaking , milling can reducephytic acid content of certain plant based staples.

.



Secondary Sources of

Micronutrients

These improve nutrient availability and/or

utilization

Dietary modifications

Functional foods (Prebiotics and Probiotics)



Dietary modifications: Examples of food sources that

promote micronutrient bioavailability

Major dietary sources Nutrient Substance

Fresh fruits and

vegetables

Fe , Zn

Certain organic acids (e.g.

ascorbic acid, fumarate,

malate, citrate)

Green and orange

vegetables β-carotene

Flesh foods

Certain amino acids (e.g.

methionine, cysteine,

histidine, and lysine)

Animal and vegetable

fats

vitamin A,

β-carotene

Fatty acids, Micellarization,



Natural sources and non-heme iron

absorption

The potency of 100g of cooked meat in enhancing

iron absorption has been graded as equal to that of

100mg ascorbic acid.

A 30 g addition of most fruits that are moderate to

high in ascorbic acid is effective in increasing the ironavailability in typical wheat based meals. Exceptions

are the ones, which have high levels of polyphenols.



Hemoglobin repletion in anemic

adolescent girls

The experimental group

100 g guava fruit with the lunch and dinner meals,

ascorbic acid of 212 mg per meal, molar ratio of 25:1.

Impact

19 g/L increase in hemoglobin from initial 107g/L tofinal 129g/L

3 g/L in control group from 110 to 113 L.

Seshadri J Human Nutr Appl Nutr 39A: 151-54, 1985.



What is striking is that natural foods have the capacity to

increase iron absorption several fold especially in iron

deplete subjects.

Ascorbic acid intake can be improved by :

• Inclusion of fresh fruits and vegetables

• Minimal processing

• Processing which may improve ascorbic acid

content , eg germination

Nair KM and Iyengar V . Iron content, bioavailability & factors affecting iron status of Indians. Indian J Med Res 130, November 2009, pp 634-645



Vitamin A and pro carotenoids

Bio availability

Preformed vitamin A 70-90%.

Pro carotenoids varies with fat intake, type of food and itspreparation.

Bio conversion:

Purified beta carotene in oil – 2 g will yields 1 g of retinol

(2:1 ratio)

In food 6:1 – 12:1, 8:1.IOM, 2000, ICMR 2010



Red Palm Oil

Red palm oil (RPO), derived from the mesocarp of the oil palm

(Elaeis guineensis), is rich source of β-carotene .

Ingredient Content

Total Carotene

(μg/g)

550

β-Carotene (μg/g) 375

Tocopherols and

tocotrienols (ng/L)

4680

0.5

1

1.5

2

2.5

3

RPO Vit A

After

Before

Serum retinol concentrations in schoolchildren before and

after supplementation with red palm oil or vitamin A

Rukmini C. Red palm oil to combat vitamin A deficiency in developing countries. Food Nutr Bull 1994;15:126 –9.



Underutilized Plant Food Sources Rich In β-

Carotene (mg/100g)

Gaju kura1 (Solanum nigrum) 14.0

Dela kura1 (Ficus religiosa) 12.6

Drumstick leaves2 6.6

Sweet gourd2 8.5

1. Rajyalakshmi P, Venkatalakshmi K and Venkatalakshmamma K . Total carotenoid and beta-carotene contents of forest green leafy vegetables consumed by tribals of south India .

Plant Foods for Human Nutrition 56: 225 –238, 2001.

2. Kidmose U et al. Content of carotenoids in commonly consumed Asian vegetables and stability and extractability during frying. Journal of Food Composition and Analysis 19

(2006) 562 –571



The International Potato Center , South West and Central Asia

Orange-fleshed sweetpotatoes(OFSP)

Improving Micronutrient Content In Plant Foods :

Biotechnical Approaches



Spirulina : The Edible Microorganism

Spirulina - food produced primarily from two species of cyan bacteria: arthrospira platensis, and arthrospiramaxima .

Spirulina

62% amino acid content

70-170mg/100g a good source of β-carotene

127 –244 µg / 100 g exceptionally high vitamin B-12content, though its bioavailability is debated .

Non Food Sources



Essential vitamins produced by intestinal bacteria in humans and/or animals

Vitamin SourceVitamin K Synthesized by bacteria in the large intestine

Vitamin CMost animals' microbiota can synthesize ascorbic acid,

with the exception of primates (including humans), guinea

pigs and Mongolian fruit batsNiacin Synthesized by intestinal bacteria

Pantothenic

acidSynthesized by intestinal bacteria

Biotin Synthesized by intestinal bacteriaVitamin B12 Microbial synthesis is only source in nature

Folic acid Synthesized by intestinal bacteria



Pre and probiotics May Contribute To

Improved Mineral Utilization

Prebiotics Probiotics

Increased solubility of minerals Degradation of mineral

complexing phytic acid

Enlargement of the absorption surface

Melioration of gut health

Stabilization of the intestinal flora

Impact of modulating growth factors



Conclusions

Natural sources of micronutrients are

abundant.

Great potential for converting them into

products either to increase the

micronutrient intake or their bioavailability



Documents

Natural Sources of Micronutrients_Dr. Madhavan Nair