Tag: Accessory food factors

The term 'micronutrients' describes vitamins and minerals that the body needs in tiny amounts to function properly. This historical context sheds light on what is another name for vitamin, reflecting early scientific understandings of their importance for preventing disease. These small but potent organic compounds are not a source of energy but are indispensable for various biological processes.

While the word 'vitamin' is derived from 'vitamine,' a term coined in 1912 by biochemist Casimir Funk, there are numerous other terms used to describe these essential organic compounds. In fact, the scientific community and general public use several synonyms and related terms to describe vitamins, their functions, and the wider class of nutrients they belong to, such as 'micronutrients,' 'nutriments,' and 'essential nutrients'.