Dietary Minerals And Human Nutrition

Although only 1 percent of the calcium in the human body is found in the blood and soft tissues it is here that it performs the most critical functions.

Dietary minerals and human nutrition. Vitamins and minerals are essential nutrients that your body needs in small amounts to work properly. Minerals are found in plants and animals. The recommended dietary allowance of minerals rda is usually greater than 200 mg day whilst that for trace elements is less than 200 mg day and this can be used to classify the difference between. Calcium is the most abundant mineral in the body and greater than 99 percent of it is stored in bone tissue.

In the context of nutrition a mineral is a chemical element required as an essential nutrient by organisms to perform functions necessary for life. The term mineral is a misnomer. However the four major structural elements in the human body by weight oxygen hydrogen carbon and nitrogen are usually not included in lists of major nutrient minerals nitrogen is considered a mineral for plants as it often is included. Calcium phosphorus potassium iron sodium sulphur chlorine and magnesium are important for health.

The four most common elements hydrogen carbon nitrogen and oxygen serve organic functions. In the past 20 years micronutrients have assumed great public health importance. As a consequence considerable research has been carried out to better understand their physiological role and the health consequences of micronutrient deficient diets to establish criteria for defining the degree of public health severity of micronutrient malnutrition and to develop prevention and. If you eat a varied well balanced diet full of vegetables and fruits and have a normal and healthy functioning digestive tract you likely don t need to take vitamin supplements.

Vi fao who expert consultation on human vitamin and mineral requirements chapter 5 vitamin b12 65 role of vitamin b12 in human metabolic processes 65 dietary sources and availability 65 absorption 65 populations at risk for and consequences of vitamin b12 deficiency 66 vitamin b12 interaction with folate or folic acid 67 assessment of vitamin b12 status 68. Foods supply nutrients that are critical for human growth. Most people should be able to get all the nutrients they need by eating a varied and balanced diet. Other elements known to be necessary for humans include sodium magnesium phosphorus sulfur chloride potassium and calcium.

Learn about essential nutrients food groups and dietary requirements. If you choose to take vitamin and mineral supplements seek advice where appropriate. These elements promote chemical reactions and may form part of many tissues. Jennifer doley in nutrition and functional foods for healthy aging 2017.