Minerals are
important substances that help your body's form and function on many
different levels.
·
Minerals
are Inorganic Substances.
·
At
least 29 elements are found
in our body.
·
Minerals
have No Energy value but imbalance may cause diseases
There
are two different types of minerals required to human body
1. Macro-Minerals
(or) Macro-Nutrients: (RDA > 200 mg/day)
These
are minerals your body needs in larger amounts. They include Calcium, Phosphorus, Magnesium, Sodium, Potassium, Chloride and Sulphur.
2. Micro-minerals
(or) Micro-Nutrients: (RDA < 200 mg/day)
Your
body needs just small amounts of trace minerals. These include Iron, Manganese, Copper, Iodine, Zinc,
Cobalt, Fluoride and Selenium.
List of Minerals their Functions and Sources-
Mineral
|
Function
|
Deficiency/ Diseases
|
Sources
|
Calcium
|
Component
of bones and teeth, helps in blood clotting, Muscle contraction, Conduction
of nerve impulses etc. Acts as cofactor of Myosin ATPase.
|
Defective
bones and teeth, Tetany and rickets, Loss of muscle coordination
|
Milk,
dairy foods, cereals (Ragi), meat, vegetables, fruits (Sitaphals)
|
Phosphorous
|
Formation
of bones and teeth, Component of nucleic acids, energy molecules and coenzymes
|
Poor
body growth, weak bones and teeth.
|
Milk,
dairy foods, Cereals, eggs, fish, meat etc.
|
Sodium
|
Maintains
water balance, blood pressure and nervous system.
|
Improper
muscle contraction; nervous depression; loss of Na+ in urine, dehydration
|
Table
salt, vegetables
|
Potassium
|
Osmotic
balance; muscle contraction; nerve impulse conduction
|
Nervous
disorder; poor muscle control leading to paralysis
|
Vegetables,
molasses, banana, date etc
|
Magnesium
|
Cofactor
for enzymes e.g. of hexokinase
|
Heart
and vascular irregularities; dilated blood vessels, loss of muscle
coordination.
|
Green
leafy vegetables, soyabean etc
|
Chlorine
|
Main
anion of ECF, Acid- base balance
|
Vomiting
and hypochloremic alkalosis
|
Common
salt
|
Iron
|
Formation
of Hb so help in O2 transport, Component of cytochromes of ETS, Cofactor of
catalase enzyme.
|
Anaemia;
skin problems
|
Liver,
eggs, molasses, cereals, pulses, leafy vegetables, apple, guava etc.
|
Iodine
|
Normal
functioning of thyroid; component of thyroxin so controls BMR
|
Goiter,
Cretinism, Myxoedema
|
Sea
foods, leafy vegetables, water, iodized salt etc.
|
Zinc
|
Cofactor
of carbonic anhydrase so helps in CO2 transport, Vitamin A metabolism
|
Reduced
respiration
|
Beef,
cheese
|
Copper
|
Cofactor
for enzymes e.g. oxidases and tyrosinase, Component of haemocyanin.
|
Anaemia
|
Liver,
spleen, kidneys, peanuts, beet etc
|
Fluorine
|
Maintains
enamel and prevents dental caries.
|
Dental
caries.
|
Water,
sea fish,
|
