But just because you only need a little doesn't mean they don't pack a punch. Without them you couldn't get the energy out of carbohydrates and fats, or transform the protein you eat into your own lean body mass. Micronutrients have, of course, been in the food supply since the beginning of time. Vitamins and minerals, and their importance in disease prevention, were discovered in the early years of this century. Antioxidants and phytochemicals are only now being recognized as nutritional stars in the battle against cancer and in the nutritional management of HIV and other chronic diseases.
Vitamins frequently have antioxidant properties, and minerals are part of antioxidant enzymes.
And you will see that phytochemicals are food too. What used to be called the RDA, or Recommended Daily Allowance, is now called the DV, or Daily Value. All of these foods contain the micronutrients discussed in this article. A well-balanced diet based on the Food Guide Pyramid provides 100 to 200 percent of the DV for some of the vitamins and minerals. Early research in nutrition and HIV showed that people who took a multivitamin with mineral supplement that provided 100 percent of the RDA did better than those who didn't take a supplement.