Vitamins and minerals are nutrients essential for a healthy body.  An organic chemical compound is called a vitamin when it cannot be produced in sufficient quantities by an organism, and must be obtained from food. For example, Vitamin C is a vitamin necessary for humans, but it cannot be produced in the body, it must be extracted from food.  Vitamin D can be synthesized in the body provided there is enough exposure to the sun, but without sufficient sunlight a deficiency soon occurs.  Vitamin D can also be extracted out of foods, the best source being raw liver. 

All minerals are essential.  The human body cannot produce minerals on its own; they must be absorbed into the system from digested foods.  Inorganic minerals, those from sources other than plants are not utilized by the body as nutrients.  They usually are stored wherever the body can find to put them until they can be broken down and eliminated.  Inorganic calicum can often be stored in the joints, building up deposits which hinder the function.

Essential amino acids and essential fatty acids also must be taken in as food and processed into usable form by the body.  These substances are needed in larger amounts than vitamins and minerals. 

No matter whether it be a vitamin, mineral, essential fatty acid or amino acid, all nutrients are needed in sufficient amounts for the body to function in a healthy way.  Any deficiency will over time cause deterioration of some kind in the human body.