Minerals in milk

Minerals represent a small portion of milk (about 8-9 g/L) and they occur in different chemical forms: inorganic ions and salts or as parts of proteins, nucleic acids, fats and carbohydrates. Minerals are constituents of the bones, teeth, soft tissue, muscle, blood, and nerve cells. They are vital to overall mental and physical well-being.

When milk is dried and the residue is burned, a white powder is obtained which is known as ash or mineral part of the milk. The major portion of ash is composed of the chlorides and oxides of potassium, calcium and phosphorus. It is of interest to note that these three elements are in greater concentration in milk than in blood, thus the mammary gland exerts a selective action to concentrate these elements.

The mineral content in milk is influenced by many factors ranging from environmental conditions during pasture, feeding, breeding, stage of lactation and climate to post-milking handling, transportation and processing.

The chemical form of mineral elements found in milk and dairy products is very important due to their absorption in the intestine and biological utilization (transport, assimilation in cells and conversion into biologically active form).

Milk contains more calcium than most foods because of the distribution of calcium in milk. About two thirds of the total calcium in milk is in colloidal form as calcium caseinate, citrate and phosphate; the remaining third is in true solution.

Phosphorus in milk is involved in the stabilization of caseins and is present in two forms: organic and inorganic. Organic P is bound to molecules such as proteins, organic acids, phospholipids and nucleotides, mainly in colloidal phase, and inorganic ionic P is mainly present in soluble fraction.
Minerals in milk

Fruits and vegetables: a source of minerals

Fruits and vegetables are consumed as sources of water, carbohydrates and essential nutrients such as vitamins, minerals and fibers.

Minerals all have several roles in human biochemistry and physiology and all the minerals mentioned above are essential in the diet of humans. Many are co-factors for different enzymes and human are dependent on them for energy efficiency, fertility, mental stability and immunity.

Fresh fruits and vegetables contribute about 26% of the magnesium and 19% of the iron to the U.S diet

The following fruits are important contributors to the supply of indicated minerals in the U.S diet;
Potassium: banana, peach, orange, apple, dried fruits such as apricot and prune
Phosphorus: banana, orange, peach, fig, raisin
Calcium: tangerine, grapefruit, orange, citrus, cabbages
Iron: strawberry, banana, apple, orange
Copper: leafy vegetables
Sulfur: cabbage, onions, garlic, leeks, turnips, radishes

Fruits and vegetables furnish more than one-fifth the intake of copper and manganese and almost three-fifths of the total boron intake. Fruits and vegetables can furnish about one-fifth of the total dietary intake of chromium and arsenic and one-third of the supply of nickel.
Fruits and vegetables: a source of minerals

Nutrition of onion

The onion is a biennial (a plant that lives for 2 years); it stores food in the bulb during the first year, and it flowers in the second year. Onion when cut gives a characteristics strong odour.

Onions are low in calories and in most nutrients. However, they not only provide flavor in cooking, but also are a source of health promoting phytochemicals such as quercetin and alluim, both considered to be helpful in preventing cardiovascular disease and cancer.

Onion is an important spice as well as well commercial vegetable. The nutritive value of onion bulbs varies from variety to variety.

Average composition per 100 g of bulb is as follows:
*Moisture 86.0 g
*Carbohydrate 10.9 g
*Protein 1.4 g
*Fiber 0.8 g
*Potassium 180 mg
*Sulfur 70.0 mg
*Phosphorus 44.0 mg
*Calcium 32.0 g
*Chlorine 25 mg
*Magnesium 16 mg
*Sodium 7 mg
*Iron 9.7 mg
*Thiamine 0.06 mg
*Riboflavin 0.01 mg
*Niacin 0.4 mg
*Vitamin C 28 mg,
*Carotene 660 ug

A serving contains 60 calories and has no fat and cholesterol. Onion is a source of energy and acts as a stimulant, increases vigor and vitality.

It also acts as an expectorant and diuretic, normalizes the heart beat prevents flatulence and dyspepsia. Eating at least half an onion a day is reported to reduce the risk of stomach cancer by 50%.
Nutrition of onion

Food minerals: classification and functions

Most foods contain mineral.  When burned, they leave a residue – a gray or whitish ash. Minerals are heat stable and classified into:
Main elements
Trace elements
Ultra trace elements

The main elements or major minerals include Na, K, Ca, Mg, Cl, P are essential for human beings in amounts >50 mg/day. Sulfur also belongs to this group.

Trace elements include Fe, I, F, Zn, Se, Cu, Mn, Cr, Mo, Co, and Ni are essential in concentrations of <50 mg/day: their biochemical actions have been elucidated

Although trace minerals are present in minute amounts, they play very important roles in the diet, and modern analytical methods are extremely sensitive to accurately measure them in foods.

Ultra – trace element (Al, As, Ba, Bi, B, Br, Cd, Cs, Ge, Hg, Li, Pb, Rb, Sb, Si, Sm, Sn, Sr, TI, Ti, W) are elements whose essentially has been tested in animal experiments over several generations and deficiency symptoms have been found these extreme conditions.

Minerals elements are used by the body in a great variety of ways. They may present in the cell fluids (potassium is particularly important) or like sodium, in extracellular fluids. Main and trace elements have very varied functions, e.g., as electrolytes, as enzymes constituents and a building materials, e.g., in bones and teeth.

The importance of minerals as food ingredients depends not only on their nutritional and physiological roles. They contribute to food flavor, texture and when digested provide the cofactors for enzymes that assists digestion.

Minerals are also responsible for food spoilage while in storage and must be viewed in the context of shelf life and food safety.
Food minerals: classification and functions

The importance of minerals in nutrition

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