The minerals in our diet are essential for a variety of bodily functions. They are important for building strong bones and teeth, blood, skin, hair, nerve function, muscle and for metabolic processessuch as those that turn the food we eat into energy.
Minerals in the Diet. Minerals are commonly found in many of the foods you eat. They're even found in many vitamin pills. Despite actually not being vitamins at all, they're still in there. Here you'll learn how minerals are different from vitamins, what some important ones do for you, and where you can find them in a natural diet. Calcium is found in milk, milk products, and many fortified foods, such as orange juice. Milk, as well as meat and many vegetables, also contains an important macromineral called potassium. Potassium is necessary for healthy nerve function. Your nerves are like the electric circuit and power cable in your home. Food minerals are those minerals that begin in the soil or sea and are tiny enough for microorganisms to eat as food. In the soil, plant roots take in the microorganisms as food. This is where our nutrient dense food comes from. Other important sources of foods containing lots of minerals are found in super food that have become more widely known in the last ten years. And minerals from the sea. The real beginning of our food minerals source. Vitamins & minerals. Vitamin means ‘vital for life’. Vitamins and minerals are compounds necessary for the healthy functioning of our bodies. We need vitamins and minerals to help us grow, to see properly, to make bones, muscles, skin and organs, as well as to help us battle infections. Deficiencies in certain vitamins and minerals can lead to serious problems.  The list below will help you out. It covers all the vitamins and minerals you should get, preferably from food. Calcium. Foods that have it: Milk, fortified nondairy alternatives like soy milk, yogurt, hard cheeses, fortified cereals, kale. How much you need: 1  Adults ages 19-50: 1,000 milligrams per day. 2  Women age 51 and older: 1,200 milligrams per day.  The Different Types of Minerals. A mineral, from a dietary sense, is an inorganic compound that's needed in small amounts for the regulation of your body's processes and health. Minerals are inorganic, unlike vitamins (which are organic nutrients). Calcium is found in milk, milk products, and many fortified foods, such as orange juice. Milk, as well as meat and many vegetables, also contains an important macromineral called potassium. Potassium is necessary for healthy nerve function. Your nerves are like the electric circuit and power cable in your home. Minerals are elements that originate in the soil and cannot be created by living things, such as plants and animals. Yet plants, animals and humans need minerals in order to be healthy. Plants absorb minerals from the soil, and animals get their minerals from the plants or other animals they eat. Most of the minerals in the human diet come directly from plants, such as fruits and vegetables, or indirectly from animal sources. If the word mineral makes you think of rocks, you're right! Minerals are substances like calcium, phosphorus, iron, and zinc that are found in rocks and the soil. They also are needed for optimal nutrition. There are 16 different minerals that are known to be needed in our diets. Several other minerals may be needed in very small amounts. Certain minerals, such as iron and zinc, tend to be better absorbed by the body from animal foods than from plant foods. Phytate and oxalate, which are found mainly in whole grains, vegetables, and legumes, reduce absorption of some minerals (2). All of the food groups have foods rich in minerals. For example, milk is a good source of calcium, and red meat is rich in iron and zinc. Fruits and vegetables are good sources of potassium. Whole grains are rich in magnesium, selenium, and chromium. Nuts and seeds are sources of copper and manganese. Certain minerals, such as iron and zinc, tend to be better absorbed by the body from animal foods than from plant foods. Phytate and oxalate, which are found mainly in whole grains, vegetables, and legumes, reduce absorption of some minerals (2). We obtain minerals when they eat plants, as well as from water. The minerals in our diet are essential for a variety of bodily functions. They are important for building strong bones and teeth, blood, skin, hair, nerve function, muscle and for metabolic processes such as those that turn the food we eat into energy. Minerals are inorganic substances, which occur naturally in non-living things such as water, rocks and soil, as well as in plants and animals. Some minerals are for our cells to function properly, so they are actively taken into plants from the soil and water.
http://study.com/academy/lesson/minerals-in-our-food-what-theyre-for-where-to-find-them.html http://www.natural-healthy-eating.com/food-minerals.html http://healthy-kids.com.au/food-nutrition/nutrients-in-food/vitamins-minerals/ http://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/guide/vitamins-and-minerals-good-food-sources http://study.com/academy/lesson/minerals-in-our-food-what-theyre-for-where-to-find-them.html http://www.health-alternatives.com/minerals-nutrition-chart.html http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fy891 http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fy891 http://www.eatbalanced.com/why-eat-balanced/why-do-we-need-minerals/
what are the minerals in our food for