Minerals belong to the group of nutrients. Our body needs all the necessary chemicals to function properly. One of them are the ingredients and minerals. Our body, however, cannot synthesize them on its own, so in order to avoid deficiencies, these ingredients should be supplied to it from the outside. What exactly are minerals, what are their food sources and why are they so important to our he alth?

Mineralsarechemical elementsthat are essential for the proper functioning of the whole organism. They usually occur in the body in the form of various chemical compounds, e.g. s alts. Although they are not a source of energy for us, they provide, inter alia, proper functioning of the immune system, bones, muscles and the nervous system.

There are about 60 elementsin the human body, which make up about 4% of the adult human body weight. Over 30 of them are considered essential to life.

Minerals - breakdown

Minerals can be divided into macronutrients and micronutrients. Macronutrients, or macronutrients, are minerals whose content in the human body is greater than 0.01%. Their daily requirement exceeds 100 mg / day.Macronutrients include :

  • calcium
  • phosphor
  • magnesium
  • potassium
  • sodium
  • chlorine
  • sulfur
  • nitrogen
  • hydrogen
  • oxygen
  • coal

Trace elements or micronutrients, these are minerals whose content in the human body is less than 0.01%. Their daily requirement is below 100 mg / day.The micronutrients include :

  • iron
  • zinc
  • copper
  • manganese
  • fluor
  • jod
  • selenium
  • chrome

Trace elements are sometimes broken down intoultra-trace elementswhich are present in amounts at the microgram level. They include, among others :

  • cob alt,
  • molybdenum,
  • nickel,
  • vanadium.

It is believed that all macronutrients are essential for the proper functioning of the body and must be supplied with food. However, not all of themmicronutrients are essential for the proper functioning of the body. In excess, they are eventoxic , e.g.

  • cob alt,
  • copper,
  • iron.

Minerals - Functions

  • are building materials for bones, teeth, skin and hair, e.g. calcium, magnesium, sulfur
  • are components of proteins with basic biological functions, such as enzymes, hormones, e.g. iron, iodine, phosphorus
  • maintain and stabilize the three-dimensional structure of molecules such as DNA, e.g. zinc, magnesium
  • maintain proper water and electrolyte balance, e.g. sodium, potassium, chlorine

Minerals - sources

Unfortunately, the body is not able to synthesize minerals on its own, so they must be supplied from the outside. The main sources of minerals are food products.

In addition, table s alt, mineral water and dietary supplements can be sources. It is worth knowing that the content of individual minerals in food depends on various factors.

For example, the content of minerals in plant products depends on their amount in soil, water, air and the amount of fertilization.

In addition, the use of various forms of food processing, e.g. peeling, grinding, cooking, defrosting affects the loss of minerals to a different extent.

Minerals - how to prevent deficiencies?

Specific consumption standards have been developed for most minerals to prevent deficiencies.

In order to prevent deficiencies of minerals, it is worth paying attention to the fact that the diet is varied. It should contain at least 0.5 kg of vegetables and fruit (with a predominance of vegetables) and whole grain cereal products. It is best that the consumed products are as little processed as possible.

Remember that the demand for minerals will be different in individual groups of people, e.g. for children, due to the period of intense growth, the demand will be greater.

  • Table of recommended amounts of vitamins and minerals in an adult diet
  • Vitamins - the role of vitamins, their sources, the body's needs
  • Cob alt allergy: symptoms and treatment
  • Nickel allergy. What to avoid if you are allergic to nickel?

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