Origin and history
The term vitamin comes from the Latin word vita (“life”), because these substances are essential for the proper functioning of the body. Discovered at the beginning of the 20th century, vitamins are essential micronutrients that the body cannot synthesize (or only very little), and which it must therefore obtain from food. Found in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, vegetable oils, and animal products, they play a role in many vital functions: immunity, energy, growth, skin, vision, nervous system , and more. Each vitamin has a specific and complementary role.