The Difference Between Vitamins and Minerals

Vitamins and minerals are usually mentioned in the same breath, and they share shelf space in every pharmacy. Both are micronutrients: needed in small amounts, essential for health and mostly obtained from food. But they are chemically different, behave differently in cooking and storage, and do different jobs in the body.

What vitamins are

Vitamins are organic compounds, meaning they contain carbon and are made by living things. Plants and animals produce them, and we obtain them by eating those plants and animals. The body can make a few itself: vitamin D in sunlight, and small amounts of vitamin K from gut bacteria.

Because they are complex molecules, vitamins are relatively fragile. Heat, light, air and long storage can break them down, which is why overcooked vegetables contain less vitamin C than fresh ones.

There are 13 vitamins, grouped as fat-soluble (A, D, E and K) or water-soluble (vitamin C and the eight B vitamins).

What minerals are

Minerals are inorganic elements that come from the earth. Plants absorb them from soil and water, and animals get them by eating plants or other animals. Minerals hold on to their chemical structure, so they are not destroyed by cooking, although some can be lost into cooking water.

Minerals are divided by the amount the body needs.

Macrominerals

Needed in larger amounts: calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, sodium, potassium, chloride and sulfur.

Trace minerals

Needed in very small amounts: iron, manganese, copper, iodine, zinc, cobalt, fluoride and selenium.

How their jobs differ

Vitamins largely act as helpers in chemical reactions. They help release energy from food, support the immune system, enable blood to clot and keep skin, eyes and nerves working.

Minerals often have structural and regulatory roles. Examples include:

• calcium and phosphorus, which form bones and teeth;
• iron, which carries oxygen in the blood;
• sodium and potassium, which control fluid balance and nerve signals;
• zinc, which supports the immune system and wound healing;
• iodine, which is needed to make thyroid hormones.

How they work together

The two groups depend on each other. Vitamin D helps the body absorb calcium. Vitamin C improves the absorption of iron from plant foods. Some minerals compete: large doses of zinc reduce copper absorption, and calcium can reduce iron absorption when taken together.

Comparing the two

• Origin: vitamins come from living things; minerals come from soil and water.
• Chemistry: vitamins are organic; minerals are inorganic.
• Stability: vitamins are sensitive to heat, light and air; minerals are stable.
• Storage in the body: fat-soluble vitamins and many minerals are stored; most water-soluble vitamins are not.
• Number: 13 vitamins; about 15 minerals considered essential.

Getting enough of both

A diet with a variety of vegetables, fruit, whole grains, dairy or fortified alternatives, beans, nuts, fish, eggs and lean meat supplies both. Supplements can help particular groups, such as people with limited diets. A combined product like our Daily Multivitamin includes both vitamins and minerals.

Too much of either can harm

Because fat-soluble vitamins and many minerals are stored, high-dose supplements can build up. Too much iron, selenium, zinc or vitamin A, for example, can cause real harm. Follow label directions and ask a pharmacist before combining products.

The bottom line

Vitamins are fragile organic compounds; minerals are stable elements. You need both, they often work together, and food is the best source. See both groups in our vitamins and nutrition range.

Sources

1. MedlinePlus. Vitamins.
2. MedlinePlus. Minerals.
3. NHS. Vitamins and minerals.