Minerals are the group of essential nutrients, needed to both regulate body processes and give the body structure. Minerals are inorganic elemental atoms or ions. Minerals are derived from food and beverages. Calcium, for instance, is present in milk and milk products as well as dark green vegetables.
Minerals play many essential roles in the body. Nutritionists, medical specialist and even people around the world talking all the time about the essential minerals which are crucial for human health.
Besides vitamins, minerals are more than a mere source of energy and wellbeing; they are a pure and extremely valuable source of health.
Minerals are needed for the proper composition of body fluids, the formation of blood and bone, the maintenance of healthy nerve function and the regulation of muscle tone, including that of the muscles of the cardiovascular system.
The dietary requirement for a mineral is defined as an intake level which meets a specified criteria for adequacy, thereby minimizing risk of nutrient deficit or excess.
The major minerals which also called macrominerals, keep human health intact and prevent from getting ill with a wide range of diseases are: calcium, magnesium, potassium and iron.
They all strengthen the natural defense shield of organism, namely immune system. They are necessary to keep the body running in top form. Moreover, they have tones of other benefits on the main organs and functions of human body.
Magnesium also participate in the catalytic activity of enzymes, while calcium and phosphorus are among the minerals that make human bones hard.
Once a mineral is absorbed, it must be carried by the blood to the cells and then transported across the cell membranes.
Like vitamins, minerals help trigger or regulate, a myriad of processes that continually take place in the body, so they are essential to human life. For example, they regulate fluid balance, muscle contractions and nerve impulses.
Minerals are categorized as a major or trace minerals based on the amount needed in the diet and the amount of the mineral in the body. Trace minerals including iron, zinc, and copper are only needed in small amounts. Other trace minerals include boron, chromium, germanium, iodine, manganese, molybdenum, selenium, silicon, sulfur, and vanadium.
The importance of minerals in nutrition
