Back • Return Home

Full Title: The Complete Guide to Natural Vitamins from Food and Supplements
Author(s): Lizzie Streit, M.S., R.D.N., L.D.
Publishing / Edition: New Burlington Books, 2021
Purchase; Read: For some reason (probably due to its relatively recent publication), there is scant information on this book out there. Amazon UK has a "Look Inside" preview though.

Content Review

The author is a "dietitian" (i.e.: a person who treats malnutrition and carries out nutrition therapy). She also runs a fantastic website dedicated to vegetable recipies.

This is a slim volume of 160 pages, many of which are covered in photos of food. While these photos are aesthetically pleasing, it is the text that pleases me most. It is reassuring to have such a clear and concise book about most of the vitamins and minerals that are necessary for human health. With the ubiquity of food and the significant impact that diet can have on our lives, one would think that this type of basic information would be well-known.

For example, did you know that there are generally two categories of vitamin?

• "Fat Soluble" - These are stored in fat. There is a higher potential for overdose with these, especially when they are supplemented.

• "Water Soluble" - These are released in urine. A more frequent intake of these is necessary.

In a similar manner, there are generally two categories of mineral.

• "Major", which are needed in larger quantities
• "Trace", which are needed in smaller quantities

This book covers all of the following...

Vitamins
General Name Chemical Name Solubility
A Retinol Fat
B1 Thiamin Water
B2 Riboflavin Water
B3 Niacin Water
B5 Pantothenic Acid Water
B6 Pyridoxine Water
B9 Folate Water
B12 Cobalamin Water
B Biotin Water
* Choline Water
C Ascorbic Acid Water
D Calciferol Fat
E Tocopherols (Alpha, in particular) Fat
K Phylloquinones (K1), Menaquinones (K2), etc. Fat

[Note: Choline is technically not a "vitamin", but it is an important "vitamin-like compound" that usually appears with the B vitamins.]

Minerals
Name Type
Calcium Major
Chloride Trace
Chromium Trace
Copper Trace
Fluoride Trace
Iodine Trace
Iron Trace
Magnesium Major
Manganese Trace
Molybdenum Trace
Phosphorus Major
Potassium Major
Selenium Trace
Sodium Major
Sulfur Trace
Zinc Trace

[Note: This list does not include all of the Trace Minerals, but it focuses in on some of the most important ones.]

A couple of pages are dedicated to each one, briefly covering the following pieces of information:

• Dietary Reference Intakes (or "DRIs") - How much of it you should get
• Food sources that contain it
• If and when someone should take a supplement of it
• Notes on its role within the human body
• Symptoms of deficiency and groups that are at risk

One thing that I really appreciate is that it consistently touches upon how one's nutritional needs can change (e.g.: when a person is pregnant). Miscellaneous scientific facts, diet tips, and some simple recipies are spread throughout. The last part of the book also contains a few short sections dedicated to particular subjects (such as how vitamins and minerals work together, other nutrients beyond vitamins and minerals, some special types of diets, etc.).

While its length might indicate that it is not the most comprehensive book on nutrition out there, it is an incredibly useful and informative book all-around.

Related Resources