GLOSSARY

Vitamin Loss During Food Processing Table

Retention is specific to food, nutrient and cooking method; a single universal percentage loss is misleading.

Vitamin Loss During Food Processing is reduction of selected vitamins during milling, heating or storage, with effects varying across processing methods.

Processing can remove vitamins or increase selected amounts through fortification; grain refining, freezing and enrichment are not one process. Assess the actual final composition. Packaged or frozen foods may help travelling athletes, and processed alone neither means vitamin-free nor guarantees overall quality. Added vitamins should be considered alongside energy, other nutrients and actual servings.

Vitamins differ in sensitivity to light, oxygen, heat and water; losses depend on time and storage. Cooking can reduce some amounts while improving access to certain compounds or food safety. Raw is therefore not always best, nor cooked vitamin-free. Suitable storage and gentler preparation are more useful than a blanket judgement about every food.

Enriched refined grain may regain selected vitamins; judge its actual composition and the overall food quality.

Some water-soluble vitamin loss comes from leaching into cooking water, not only molecular destruction by heat. Keeping broth in soup differs from discarding it. Shorter cooking, less water and suitable storage can help, but outcomes depend on vitamin and food. A single universal percentage for all vitamins under every method is not a scientifically sound assumption.

Whole or enriched grains, pulses, some seeds and meats supply thiamine, with refining and cooking affecting content. Relatively limited stores make regular provision important. Prolonged restriction, certain illnesses and heavy alcohol use alter risk. Weakness or tingling is not specific to B1; significant symptoms require assessment of causes rather than an assumption based on diet alone.

Dairy, eggs, meat and some fortified or plant foods provide riboflavin; check fortification of dairy alternatives. Riboflavin is light-sensitive, making suitable milk packaging relevant. Bright yellow urine after some supplements can reflect this pigment's excretion and alone does not show previous deficiency, superior absorption or improved performance; colour is not a validated adequacy test.

A varied food pattern is more useful than reliance on one food or capsule. Fruit, vegetables, grains, pulses, dairy or fortified alternatives and protein foods make different contributions. Long-term exclusions, very low energy intake, travel and restricted access can create gaps in sports diets; food records help identify which sources are actually missing.

Table references: Health Canada · 1