Minerals are specific kinds of nutrients that the body needs in order to function properly. A mineral deficiency occurs when the body doesn’t obtain the required amount of a mineral. Minerals helps in building strong teeth and bones, skin, hair, proper function of nerves, muscle contraction, maintains heart functions, etc.
Some important Minerals necessary for Human Body are:
Minerals are important substances that help your body’s form and function on many different levels.
- Minerals are Inorganic Substances.
- At least 29 elements are found in our body.
- Minerals have No Energy value but imbalance may cause diseases
There are two different types of minerals required to human body
- Macro-Minerals (or) Macro-Nutrients: (RDA > 200 mg/day)
These are minerals your body needs in larger amounts. They include Calcium, Phosphorus, Magnesium, Sodium, Potassium, Chloride and Sulphur.
- Micro-minerals (or) Micro-Nutrients: (RDA < 200 mg/day)
Your body needs just small amounts of trace minerals. These include Iron, Manganese, Copper, Iodine, Zinc, Cobalt, Fluoride and Selenium.
Functions of Various Minerals in Human Body
|
Mineral |
Function |
Deficiency/ Diseases |
Sources |
|
Calcium |
Component of bones and teeth, helps in blood clotting, Muscle contraction, Conduction of nerve impulses etc. Acts as cofactor of Myosin ATPase. |
Defective bones and teeth, Tetany and rickets, Loss of muscle coordination |
Milk, dairy foods, cereals (Ragi), meat, vegetables, fruits (Sitaphals) |
|
Phosphorous |
Formation of bones and teeth, Component of nucleic acids, energy molecules and coenzymes |
Poor body growth, weak bones and teeth. |
Milk, dairy foods, Cereals, eggs, fish, meat etc. |
|
Sodium |
Maintains water balance, blood pressure and nervous system. |
Improper muscle contraction; nervous depression; loss of Na+ in urine, dehydration |
Table salt, vegetables |
|
Potassium |
Osmotic balance; muscle contraction; nerve impulse conduction |
Nervous disorder; poor muscle control leading to paralysis |
Vegetables, molasses, banana, date etc |
Nutrition and Deficiency Minerals in Human Body:
|
Vitamin |
Sources |
Disease Due to Deficiency |
|
A |
Carrots, Papaya, Milk, Cheese, Fish Liver Oil, Green Vegetables etc. |
Night Blindness |
|
B1 |
Fish, Meat, Nuts, Beans, Wheat etc. |
Beriberi |
|
C |
Amla, Citrus Fruits like Lemon, Tomato, Orange, Sprouted Grains, Guava etc. |
Scurvy, Swelling of Gums |
|
D |
Fish Liver Oil, Milk, Egg Yolk, Sunlight etc. |
Rickets |
|
E |
Nuts, Fish, Milk, Butter, Plant Oil etc. |
Reproductive Failure |
|
K |
Soybean, Green Vegetables, Tomato, Olive Oil etc. |
Non Clotting of Blood |
