**Answer:**

**Vitamins and minerals** are essential nutrients that protect us against diseases. They play a crucial role in maintaining our overall health and well-being. Here's how they help in protecting us against diseases:

**1. Vitamins:**
- Vitamins are organic compounds that are required in small amounts for various bodily functions.
- They act as cofactors for enzymes, which are essential for numerous biochemical reactions in the body.
- Different vitamins have different roles in protecting against diseases:
- Vitamin C: It helps boost the immune system, protecting against infections and promoting wound healing.
- Vitamin A: It plays a vital role in maintaining healthy skin, vision, and immune function.
- Vitamin D: It assists in the absorption of calcium and phosphorus, promoting bone health and preventing diseases like rickets and osteoporosis.
- Vitamin E: It acts as an antioxidant, protecting cells from damage caused by free radicals.
- Vitamin B complex: These vitamins (such as B1, B2, B3, B6, B9, and B12) are involved in energy production, nervous system function, red blood cell formation, and DNA synthesis.

**2. Minerals:**
- Minerals are inorganic substances that are required in small amounts for various bodily functions.
- They are necessary for proper growth, development, and maintenance of the body.
- Different minerals play different roles in protecting against diseases:
- Calcium: It is essential for strong bones and teeth, blood clotting, and muscle function.
- Iron: It is necessary for the production of hemoglobin, a protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen throughout the body.
- Zinc: It supports the immune system, wound healing, and normal growth and development.
- Magnesium: It is involved in over 300 biochemical reactions in the body, including energy production, muscle function, and DNA synthesis.
- Potassium: It helps maintain fluid balance, nerve function, and proper muscle contraction.

**Conclusion:**
Vitamins and minerals are crucial nutrients that protect us against diseases by boosting our immune system, promoting proper growth and development, supporting vital bodily functions, and acting as antioxidants. It is important to consume a balanced diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and dairy products to ensure an adequate intake of these essential nutrients for optimal health and disease prevention.

Example of nutrients that have been identified as critical for the growth and function of immune cells include Vitamin C, Vitamin D, zinc, Selenium, iron, and Protein(including the amino acid glutamine) They are found in a variety of plant and animal foods.