Minerals:Minerals:Major and TraceMajor and Trace

Major MineralsMajor Minerals

• sodiumsodium

• chloridechloride

• potassiumpotassium

• calciumcalcium

• phosphorusphosphorus

• magnesiummagnesium

• sulfursulfur

Minerals in a 60-kilogram (132-pound) Human Body

TRACE MINERALSThere are more than a dozen trace minerals,although only six are shown here.

Amount (g)

MAJOR MINERALSThe major minerals are those present in amountslarger than 5 g (a teaspoon). A pound is about454 g; thus only calcium and phosphorus appearin amounts larger than a pound.

SodiumSodium• fluid volume regulator, electrolyte fluid volume regulator, electrolyte

balancerbalancer• sourcesource– mostly in processed foodsmostly in processed foods

• deficiencydeficiency– must be replaced with water if blood must be replaced with water if blood

sodium dropssodium drops• toxicitytoxicity– edema and hypertensionedema and hypertension

• diet moderate in sodium is diet moderate in sodium is recommendedrecommended

ChlorideChloride

• essential nutrientessential nutrient

• fluid and electrolyte balancefluid and electrolyte balance

• abundant in foods (especially processed)abundant in foods (especially processed)

– part of sodium chloridepart of sodium chloride

• rarely lackingrarely lacking

• dehydration due to water deficiencydehydration due to water deficiency

PotassiumPotassium• maintaining fluid and electrolyte balancemaintaining fluid and electrolyte balance– affects homeostasis, such as a steady affects homeostasis, such as a steady

heartbeatheartbeat• found in both plant and animal cellsfound in both plant and animal cells– less found in processed foodsless found in processed foods

• deficiencydeficiency– hypertensionhypertension– most common electrolyte imbalancemost common electrolyte imbalance– muscle weaknessmuscle weakness

• toxicitytoxicity– rare from foodrare from food– over consumption of supplementsover consumption of supplements

What Processing Does to Sodium and Potassium Contents of Foods

Milk (whole)

Unprocessed

Peach pie

Processed

Canned,cream corn

Instantpudding

Oat cereal

Fresh peaches

Milks

Chipped beef

Vegetables

Fresh corn

Meats

Roast beef

Fruits

Rolled oats

Grains

SodiumPotassium

Key:

CalciumCalcium• most abundant mineral in bodymost abundant mineral in body• bone structure, calcium bankbone structure, calcium bank• found primarily in milk and milk productsfound primarily in milk and milk products• deficiencydeficiency– limits mass & densitylimits mass & density

• growing yearsgrowing years• age relatedage related

– silent, no signalssilent, no signals

Label

Key:

Fruits

Milk and milk products

Legumes, nuts, seeds

Meats

Best sources per kcalorie

Breads and cereals

Vegetables

CALCIUMAs in the riboflavin figure, milk and milk products (white)dominate the calcium figure. Most people need at least threeselections from the milk group to meet recommendations.a Values based on products containing added calcium salts;the calcium in 1⁄2 c soybeans is about 1⁄3 as much as in1⁄2 c tofu. b If bones are discarded, calcium declines dramatically.

Food Serving size (kcalories)Milligrams

AI formen

19–50

AI formen51+

AI forwomen19–50

AI forwomen

51+

Calcium in Selected Foods

PhosphorusPhosphorus

• 22ndnd most abundant most abundant

• energy metabolism, transport lipids, cell energy metabolism, transport lipids, cell membranesmembranes

• foods rich in protein, supply phosphorusfoods rich in protein, supply phosphorus

Key:

Fruits

Milk and milk products

Legumes, nuts, seeds

Meats

Best sources per kcalorie

Breads and cereals

Vegetables

PHOSPHORUSProtein-rich sources, such asmilk (white), meats (red), andlegumes (brown), provideabundant phosphorus as well.

RDAfor

adults

Food Serving size (kcalories)Milligrams

Phosphorus in Selected Foods

MagnesiumMagnesium

• minute amount, but criticalminute amount, but critical

– energy metabolism, catalyst, ATP energy metabolism, catalyst, ATP productionproduction

• critical to heart functioncritical to heart function

• ingestion of hard water may reduce ingestion of hard water may reduce incidence of heart diseaseincidence of heart disease

• toxicity is rare, but can be fataltoxicity is rare, but can be fatal

Magnesium in Selected Foods

Key:

Fruits

Milk and milk products

Legumes, nuts, seeds

Meats

Best sources per kcalorie

Breads and cereals

Vegetables

MAGNESIUMLegumes (brown) are a richsource of magnesium.

RDA forwomen19-31

RDA formen19-30

Food Serving size (kcalories)Milligrams

SulfurSulfur

• sulfur is not used by the bodysulfur is not used by the body

– found in thiamin and several found in thiamin and several amino acidsamino acids

• high sulfur content inhigh sulfur content in

– skin, hair, nailsskin, hair, nails

Trace MineralsTrace Minerals• ironiron• zinczinc• iodineiodine• seleniumselenium• coppercopper• manganesemanganese• fluoridefluoride• chromiumchromium• molybdenummolybdenum

Trace MineralsTrace Minerals

• small amounts found in the bodysmall amounts found in the body

• small amounts neededsmall amounts needed

• deficiency can be fatal, excess can be deficiency can be fatal, excess can be deadlydeadly

– TM are active in all body systemsTM are active in all body systems

• content is dependent on soil and water content is dependent on soil and water composition and processingcomposition and processing

IronIron• essential nutrientessential nutrient• mostly found in mostly found in – hemoglobin hemoglobin

• carrier of oxygencarrier of oxygen– myoglobin myoglobin

• protein in muscles, making oxygen protein in muscles, making oxygen availableavailable

• iron balance is criticaliron balance is critical• deficiencydeficiency– fatigue and anemiafatigue and anemia–

IronIron

• red meats, fish, red meats, fish, poultry, eggs, poultry, eggs, legumes are good legumes are good sources sources

Iron in Selected Foods

Key:

Fruits

Milk and milk products

Legumes, nuts, seeds

Meats

Best sources per kcalorie

Breads and cereals

Vegetables

IRONMeats (red), legumes (brown),and some vegetables (green)make the greatest contributionsof iron to the diet.

RDA forwomen

51+

RDA forwomen19–50

RDAfor

men

ZincZinc

• cofactor for many enzymes affecting cofactor for many enzymes affecting growth and digestiongrowth and digestion

• deficiencydeficiency

– growth retardationgrowth retardation

– sexual immaturitysexual immaturity

– impaired immune responseimpaired immune response

• protein containing foods are a good source protein containing foods are a good source of zincof zinc

Zinc in Selected Foods

Label

Key:

Fruits

Milk and milk products

Legumes, nuts, seeds

Meats

Best sources per kcalorie

Breads and cereals

Vegetables

ZINCMeat, fish, and poultry (red) areconcentrated sources of zinc.Milk (white) and legumes(brown) contain some zinc.

RDAfor

women

RDAfor

men

Micrograms RAEFood Serving size (kcalories)

IodineIodine• converted to iodide in GI tractconverted to iodide in GI tract• essential component of thyroid hormoneessential component of thyroid hormone– regulates temperature, reproduction, regulates temperature, reproduction,

growth, cell productiongrowth, cell production• deficiencydeficiency– goiter: enlarged thyroid glandgoiter: enlarged thyroid gland– cretinismcretinism

• during pregnancyduring pregnancy• irreversible mental and physical irreversible mental and physical

retardationretardation

IodineIodine• world’s ocean and iodized salt are best world’s ocean and iodized salt are best

sourcessources

SeleniumSelenium

• essential antioxidant nutrientessential antioxidant nutrient

• deficiency associated with heart diseasedeficiency associated with heart disease

• seafood, meats, whole grains, vegetablesseafood, meats, whole grains, vegetables

– dependent on soil contentdependent on soil content

• toxicitytoxicity

– loss and brittleness of hair and nailsloss and brittleness of hair and nails

CopperCopper

• important player in several enzyme important player in several enzyme reactionsreactions

• deficiency is raredeficiency is rare

• food sources are legumes, whole grains, food sources are legumes, whole grains, nuts, shellfish, seedsnuts, shellfish, seeds

ManganeseManganese

• cofactor for many enzymes that cofactor for many enzymes that metabolize carbs, lipids and amino acidsmetabolize carbs, lipids and amino acids

• deficiency is raredeficiency is rare

• too much can affect the nervous systemtoo much can affect the nervous system

• found in nuts, whole grains, leafy veggiesfound in nuts, whole grains, leafy veggies

FluorideFluoride• presence makes presence makes – bones strongerbones stronger– teeth more teeth more

resistant to tooth resistant to tooth decaydecay

• fluoridated water is fluoridated water is best sourcebest source– most bottled water most bottled water

is lackingis lacking• too much can too much can

damage teethdamage teeth

Key:< 49%

50% – 74%> 75%

U.S. Population with Access to Fluoridated Water through Public Water

Systems

ChromiumChromium

• essential nutrient involved in carb and lipid essential nutrient involved in carb and lipid metabolismmetabolism

– maintains glucose homeostasismaintains glucose homeostasis

• deficiencydeficiency

– creates diabetic like symptomscreates diabetic like symptoms

• sources include liver, whole grains, yeastsources include liver, whole grains, yeast

• cofactor for many enzymescofactor for many enzymes

• found in legumes, cereals, organ meatfound in legumes, cereals, organ meat

MolybdenumMolybdenum

Contaminant MineralsContaminant Minerals

• heavy metalsheavy metals

– leadlead

– mercurymercury

– cadmiumcadmium

• enter food through water, soil, air pollutionenter food through water, soil, air pollution

• interfere with nutrientsinterfere with nutrients

• bioaccumulationbioaccumulation

Remember to eat foods, not Remember to eat foods, not nutrientsnutrients