Discovery of Vitamins

Vitamins and their connection to health were discovered in the early twentieth century.

English scientist, Dr William Fletcher was researching the causes of beri-beri when he discovered that eating unprocessed rice prevented the disease, while processed rice did not. Dr Fletcher realised that special nutrients (or vitamins) could be found in the husks of rice grains.

However, it wasn't until 1912 that Polish scientist Cashmir Funk named those special nutrients "vitamines" after "vita" meaning life and "amine" from the vitamin thiamine. Later on the word was shortened to "vitamin."