Minerals and their role in the body
One of the key elements of the diet that many people completely overlook is minerals. Minerals aren't given as much attention as they don't contain a specific number of calories themselves and in a world where everyone seems to be concerned with calorie counting, that's all most people think about.
The macronutrients in the diet include carbohydrates, proteins, and dietary fats, but the micronutrients are the ones that contain all the vitamins and minerals. These are found in the carbohydrates, proteins, and fats that you consume and each will play a number of different roles in the body.
Let's take a closer peak at the main roles that minerals have.
Proper Heart Function
The very first role that minerals provide is maintaining a healthy heart rhythm. Getting a proper mineral intake is vital to ensure that the heart is beating regularly and carrying oxygen to all areas of the body.
When there is not a regular heartbeat, major problems will occur as certain parts of the body and vital organs may go without their respective nutrients and this can quickly lead to cell death.
Formation Of Bones And Teeth
The next important role that minerals will provide in the body is with the formation of bones and teeth. Your minerals will form the structure of your bones and help to ward off stress fractures and osteoporosis.
If you aren't getting the right amount of minerals in your daily diet you may see your total bone density start to decrease and this is what commonly leads to many series joint problems down the road.
Metabolic Regulation
The third thing that minerals will help the body do is regulate your metabolism. If weight control is a concern of yours, this is a very important thing that you'll want to consider.
Specific minerals that you take in through the diet will help ensure that your thyroid gland stays functioning strong and this will in turn help you burn off more calories each and every day.
Those who don't have strong metabolisms due to mineral related deficiencies very often experience weight gain, fatigue, dry and brittle hair and nails, and may even find that their immune system is weakened and they become ill more frequently.
Energy Production
Finally the last major role that minerals will have is with energy production. By getting in enough minerals on a daily basis you'll be able to maintain high red blood cells, which are the cells that transport oxygen to the working muscles.
When your red blood cell count starts to fall, that's when fatigue typically sets in and you're more likely to suffer from low exercise endurance ability.
So as you can see, minerals do play a number of different roles in the body and cannot be overlooked. They're found in all the foods that you eat and it's best to try and take them in through food sources over supplementation whenever you can.
By eating a mixed and varied diet you can do this quite easily and ensure that you sustain optimal health.
Closer look at minerals -
Let's continue with a brief overview of various minerals...
Boron
Boron is considered an ultra-trace element, meaning that although it is not necessarily toxic in larger quantities, it is believed that only the most miniscule amounts are believed to be needed to maintain human health.
Boron - Boron is a mineral that can be found in soil, drinking water and some fruits and vegetables. It works by affecting how our body interacts with other minerals (e.g. magnesium, phosphorus) and is used to build muscles and bones, increase testosterone levels and improve coordination of muscles.
Chromium - Chromium is a hard metal that is widely available in nature. It is required in the human body only in trace amounts.
There are two forms of chromium. Trivalent chromium 3+ also known as dietary chromium is found in food and is biologically active. However, hexavalent chromium 6+ is toxic and usually is found in industrially polluted places.
Fluorine - Elemental fluorine under normal circumstances is a gas that is dangerous and toxic to human health. However, in small amounts fluorine containing salts can be used to protect teeth from decay. As it is not required to survive, it is considered a non- essential element for humans.
Iron - Iron is one of the most abundant metals; it is essential to almost all living organisms, especially humans. Many proteins and enzymes in our bodies contain iron. It is an especially important component of the protein that is used for transportation of oxygen through blood - hemoglobin also known as red blood cells.
Phosphorus - Phosphorus is the second most abundant mineral in the human body after calcium. It can make up as much as 1% of our body weight. Although highest concentrations of phosphorus are found in teeth and bones, it is also present in each and every cell.
Meat and milk and other protein rich foods are the best phosphorus sources.
Zinc - Zinc is a metal that is considered an essential trace element meaning that it is needed for human health in very small amounts. It is a natural component present in soil, rock, water and air, so most animals and plants contain zinc.
Good sources for zinc are oysters and some other seafood, poultry and red meat as well as wholegrains, nuts, beans and dairy.
