About minerals
Minerals (from the composition of food) are calorie-free trophins (zero kcal) and play an important role in the growth and development of the body, particularly by taking part in enzymatic reactions.
The nutritional value of a food is closely linked to the amount of minerals it contains, and this can change during heat preparation. Cooking causes many minerals to be lost, and it is therefore recommended that fruit and vegetables be eaten in their natural state.
Animal products are important suppliers of minerals. In meat we find phosphorus, iron, potassium and sodium; milk contains representative amounts of calcium and phosphorus; egg yolk is rich in sulphur, phosphorus, iron, potassium, calcium, iodine, manganese and copper.
Many minerals such as phosphorus, potassium, magnesium and calcium are found in the outer layers of cereals as well as in their embryo. Refining removes many of them while increasing the glycaemic load (which is why white flour contains a lot of starch and few vitamins).
Vegetables and fruit contain important minerals: potassium (carrots, radishes, potatoes, tomatoes, lettuce, cucumbers), calcium (spinach, chard, turnips), iron (beans, green peas, dandelion, parsley, nettles, spinach), phosphorus (especially in seeds).
Any excessive intake or lack of minerals can set off chain reactions and throw the body out of balance. That is why, in maintaining the balance, it is important to take into account the degree to which the minerals are absorbed, which differs from person to person.
A balanced diet should supply the body with all the minerals it needs, with the exception of sodium chloride, which should be supplied every day in the form of table salt.
Mineral salts are necessary for the body so that all the components our body is made of work properly.
The daily mineral requirement of an adult is as follows:
- Chloride: 6g a day
- Sodium: 4g a day
- Potassium: 3.2 g a day
- Sulphur: 1.2 g a day
- Phosphorus: 1.2 g a day
- Calcium: 0.84 g a day
- Magnesium: 0.32 g a day
Some minerals play an important role in the functioning of some endocrine glands, others play an important role in the growth and multiplication of cells, and others support the functioning of some enzymes or take part in their make-up, thereby taking part in the body's metabolic processes.
Sodium is necessary for the body in order to maintain the osmotic balance at cell level.
Calcium takes part in the phenomena of blood clotting, enters into the make-up of the skeleton and, among other things
For the teeth, it takes part in the proper functioning of the muscles and the nerves.
Phosphorus, together with calcium, with which it has a clearly defined relationship, enters into the structure of the skeleton and takes part in the metabolism of the nervous system and the cellular environment.
Potassium takes part in the metabolism of the myocardium and influences its contractility.
Besides the minerals mentioned, there are other minerals that occur in very small amounts, which justifies their name as trace elements, and which in turn perform important functions in the body. The daily requirement is:
- Zinc – 20 mg a day
- Iron – 18 mg a day
- Copper – 2.5 mg a day
- Manganese – 3 mg a day
- Fluoride – 1 mg a day
- Iodine – 0.3 mg a day
Iron and copper take part in the synthesis of haemoglobin, the pigment of the red blood cells, which plays an important role in the respiration of the cells and acts as a carrier of oxygen to the tissues.
Fluoride is important for preventing tooth decay.
Iodine is necessary for the formation of thyroid hormones, and a lack of it leads to an enlargement of the thyroid gland and the appearance of goitre.
The presence of minerals in the daily ration is indispensable, since each of them plays an important role in the smooth functioning of the body.