This week on Ask a Instructor, we reply a query from Minnie in China. She says:
Query:
Hiya expensive VOA, I am a fan from China. I am confused about “vitamin” and “nutrient.” [Is there] any distinction between them? What do they every refer to?
-Minnie, China
Reply:
Hiya Minnie,
If you happen to learn so much about wholesome dwelling, you in all probability come throughout the phrases “nutrient” and “vitamin” usually.
The brief reply to your query is that “vitamins” are particular whereas “vitamin” is rather more common.
Give it some thought this manner: A number of vitamins collectively in your meals make up your vitamin. Nonetheless, one nutrient by itself just isn’t vitamin.
Nutrient
Vitamins are the person substances in meals that people and animals have to dwell and develop. Nutritional vitamins, minerals, proteins and carbohydrates are examples of vitamins.
Vitamins are measurable. As an illustration, for those who learn the packaging on a meals product, you possibly can see precisely which vitamins it incorporates, and in what quantities.
Crops, too, want vitamins to dwell and develop. Plant vitamins are present in (or added to) soil. The soil incorporates substances like phosphorus and nitrogen.
Diet
Diet is the method of consuming the precise sorts of vitamins over time with a view to assist development and keep wholesome. So it’s a extra common time period for an individual’s general meals consumption.
Diet can be the phrase for the research of vitamins in meals, how the physique makes use of them, and the connection between eating regimen and well being.
As a result of individuals have totally different dietary wants, some may want extra of some sort of vitamins, whereas others want much less. So, vitamin is measured otherwise than vitamins are. Discovering out whether or not somebody is getting the precise vitamin for his or her physique includes analyzing an individual’s particular person wants and eating regimen over time.
That’s Ask a Instructor for this week.
I’m Alice Bryant.
Alice Bryant wrote this story for Studying English. Bryan Lynn was the editor.
Do you’ve got a query for the trainer? We wish to hear from you. Write to us within the Feedback Part under or e-mail us at learningenglish@voanews.com.
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Phrases in This Story
confuse – v. to make somebody unsure or unable to know one thing
discuss with – v. to have a direct connection or relationship to one thing
particular – adj. particular or explicit
packaging – n. supplies used to wrap or shield merchandise
eating regimen – n. the meals that an individual or animal eats
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