1. MINERALS
Minerals are inorganic elements needed by the body. They make up 5% of your body weight but are critical to your mental and physical health.

2. Functions of Minerals Minerals serve 4 roles:
They provide structure in forming bones and teeth
They help the heart to keep in rhythm, muscles to contract, and nerves to function properly
They keep a healthy balance of the body’s acidity levels, which is necessary for you to fight disease
They help cells do their job of becoming enzymes and hormones that function throughout the body
Minerals further chemical reactions in the body and often work with vitamins as a team; for example, vitamin C boosts iron absorption, zinc helps the liver release vitamin A.
Functions of Minerals
Minerals serve 4 roles:

3. Minerals form 3 groups:
Major Minerals
Electrolytes
Trace Minerals

4. Major Minerals About 17 minerals are considered essential to humans.
The major minerals, otherwise known as Macrominerals, are needed in relatively large amounts, 0.1grams or more daily. These are:
Sodium
Potassium
Calcium
Phosphorus
Chloride
Sulfur
Magnesium

5. -maintains body’s fluid balance
Calcium -builds bones and teeth -used by blood vessels to help transport blood -used by muscles and nerves
Phosphorus -works with calcium to build bones and teeth
Your body contains more calcium than any other mineral, 99% of it in the bones and teeth. There, it combines with phosphorus to form the compound calcium phosphate, providing strength and structure.
Sodium -helps control blood pressure -is necessary for muscle and nerve function
Potassium
-maintains body’s fluid balance
-helps with muscular function and digestion
Sodium and potassium work together to help balance the flow of water in and out of cells.

6. Chloride -is a component of hydrochloric acid secreted by the stomach -helps maintain correct acidity of the body, blood pH -helps maintain proper water balance in the body
Sulfur -as part of several amino acids, sulfur lends strength to the skin, nails, and hair -helps body digest carbs, fats, and some vitamins -used to make the hormone insulin, the keratin that makes up your hair and the collagen that holds your body together
Magnesium -builds bones and teeth -necessary in fuctioning of nervous, muscular, and circulatory systems
Macrominerals

7. Electrolytes
Electrolytes work together to maintain the body’s fluid balance. They include:
Potassium
Sodium
Chloride.

8. Trace Minerals Trace minerals are required in small quantities, a few milligrams per day. The tiny amounts you need contradict their great importance to your health.
Iron -an important part of hemoglobin in the blood -needed for oxygen transfer in the bloodstream Iodine -part of thyroid hormones that help control metabolism Zinc -helps in healing wounds -helps keep eyes, hair, and nails healthy -is a component of insulin and enzymes Copper -helps release energy and make collagen -helps metabolize iron to make red blood cells
Manganese -aids enzymes that metabolize protein and release energy -needed for bone growth and nervous system functions Fluoride -helps keep teeth and bones healthy -mineralization of bones and teeth happens when it acts with phosphorus and calcium to form large crystals that strengthen bones and help resist cavities Selenium -needed in thyroid hormone production -acts as an antioxidant

9. Phytochemicals Phytochemicals are chemical compounds found in most edible plants– including vegetables, fruits, grains, legumes, and nuts—that may provide health benefits. Phytochemicals are sometimes called plant chemicals and research on their benefits is ongoing.
Phytochemicals give plants their colour, flavour, and odour, and provide us with benefits beyond basic nutrients.
Known phytochemicals have a broad range of protective benefits, from reducing inflammation to speeding healing, preventing infection, and curbing cancer.

10. Phytochemicals Food Source Phytochemical Garlic, onions, leeks, chives
allicin
Deep pigmented fruits and vegetables like carrots, pumpkin and spinach
Carotenoids such as beta carotene and lycopene
Grapes
Ellagic acid
Brocolli, cauliflower, cabbage
Indoles and sulforaphane
Soy and legumes
Isoflavones and phytosterols
Flaxseed
Lignans
Tomatoes
Lycopene

11. Deficiency Diseases
Calcium is also critical in the blood– it’s role is so crucial that calcium may be drawn from the bones if not supplied in the diet. The result over time may be a condition called osteoporosis, a loss of bone density due to a prolonged deficiency in calcium.
Iron deficiency is the most common nutrient deficiency in Canada and around the world. Iron deficiency can cause anemia and is usually due to blood loss, infections, diets low in iron, or diets high in iron inhibitors.

12. A number of changes have been made to food and water supplies in
Canada in response to vitamin and mineral deficiencies:
Flour was fortified with calcium, iron, and B-vitamins in
the 1940s
In 1949, in order to decrease the incidence of goiters—abnormal
enlargement of the thyroid gland—it became mandatory to fortify
table salt with iodine
Due to incidence of rickets, in 1965, it became mandatory to
fortify cow’s milk with vitamin D for better calcium absorption

13. Summary of Macrominerals
Function
Deficiency
Toxicity
Sources
Calcium
-builds bones, teeth -used by blood vessels to help transport blood -used by muscles and nerves
-osteoporosis -stunted growth
-constipation
-kidney stones
-inhibits zinc absorption
-milk, milk products
-broccoli
-legumes
-fish with edible bones – sardines
Phosphorus
-works with calcium to build bones and teeth
-loss of appetite
-fragile bones
-weakness
-nausea
-diarrhea
-muscle spasms
-beef, poultry, pork
-eggs
-fish
-milk products
Magnesium
-builds bones and teeth
-necessary in functioning of nervous, muscular, circulatory systems
-stunted growth in children
-dehydration
-whole grain cereal
Sodium
-helps control blood pressure
-necessary for muscle and nerve function
-muscle cramps
-fatigue
-high blood pressure
-kidney disease
-irregular heartbeat
-naturally occurs in many foods
-table and sea salt
Potassium
-maintains body’s fluid balance
-helps with muscular function and digestion
-paralysis
-potatoes
-bananas
-dried fruits
-beans, lentils
-milk

14. Summary of Macrominerals continued..
Function
Deficiency
Toxicity
Sources
Chloride
-component of hydrochloric acid secreted by stomach
-helps maintain correct acidity of body
-helps maintain proper water balance in body
-muscle cramps
-poor appetite
-vomiting
-increased blood pressure
-naturally occurs in many foods
-rye, tomatoes, olives, seaweed
-table and sea salt
-foods processed with salt
Sulfur
-lends strength to the skin, nails, and hair -helps body digest carbs, fats, and some vitamins -used to make the hormone insulin, the keratin that makes up your hair and the collagen that holds your body together
-reduced protein synthesis
-cell damage
-joint pain or disease
-digestive disturbance
-can suppress calcium &potassium
-can aggravate Crohn’s and Lou-Gehrig diseases
-broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, kale, brussels sprouts, bok choy, turnips
-fish, poultry, meats
-nuts and legumes
-onions, shallots, garlic, leeks

15. Chart Summary of Trace Minerals
Function
Deficiency
Toxicity
Sources
Iron
-important part of hemoglobin in blood
-needed for oxygen transfer in bloodstream
-anemia
-weakness
-fatigue
-pale complexion
-vomiting
-abdominal pain
-blue colour to skin
-decreased zinc absorption
-increased risk for heart disease
-beef, poultry, pork, fish
-legumes, spinach, prunes, raisins, fortified flour & pasta
Zinc
-helps in healing wounds
-helps keep eyes, hair, nails healthy
-a component of insulin and enzymes
-stunted growth
-slow wound healing
-loss of hair, appetite, and sense of taste
-nausea
-metallic taste in mouth
-beef, pork, poultry
-grains
-nuts, oysters
-milk, milk products
-bread
Iodine
-part of thyroid hormones that help control metabolism
-goiter
-thyroid disease
-cretinism in children
-decreased thyroid function/thyroid disease
-iodized salt
-seaweed, kelp
-seafood
Fluoride
-helps keep teeth and bones healthy
-tooth decay
-dental disease
-skeletal fluorosis- brittle bones, pain/stiffness in joints
-dental fluorosis- mottled teeth
-fluoridated water
-tea
-shrimp
Selenium
-needed in thyroid hormone production
-acts as an antioxidant
-muscle pain
-hair and fingernail loss; weakness
-garlic/metallic breath
Liver, pork, fish
-eggs
-whole grains
-nuts

16. Chart Summary of Trace Minerals cont’d
Function
Deficiency
Toxicity
Sources
Manganese
-aids enzymes that metabolize protein and release energy -needed for bone growth and nervous system functions
-impaired growth
-impaired reproductive function
-skeletal abnormalities
-neurologic symptoms
-leafy green vegetables
-fruits, nuts
-whole grains
-cinnamon
Copper
-helps release energy and make collagen -helps metabolize iron to make red blood cells
-fatigue, pale skin
-osteoporosis, arthritis, anemia
-low body temperature
-frequent illness
-gastroenteritis
-nausea, vomiting, diarrhea
-liver, oysters, wild seafood and fish
-sunflower seeds, dried apricot, almonds
-whole grains, lentils
-leafy greens, turnip greens, spinach, swiss chard, kale, mustard greens
-asparagus, summer squash

17. Bioavailability is the degree to which the amount of an ingested nutrient is absorbed and available to the body
Some body processes require several minerals to work together; for example, calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus are all important for formation and maintenance of bones. In some cases, minerals compete with each other for absorption and interact with other nutrients, affecting their bioavailability
The body can absorb iron from animal sources much better than the iron found in plant food, showing the bioavailability of iron in plants foods as lower than in animal foods
Vegetarians need to consume almost twice the amount of iron as non-vegetarians since iron from plants is absorbed less well
Calcium from green leafy vegetables can often be absorbed better in the presence of Vitamin D
Milk contains equal amounts of calcium and phosphorus as well as lactose and vitamin D– all of these factors aid in calcium absorption
Since sodium and potassium are both found in the body as positive ions, with this electrical charge they help to balance the flow of water in and out of cells
Bioavailability

18. End of Minerals