Our body is an amazing machine; has everything it needs to survive. But even this wonderful creation of nature also needs something to support its mechanism. Carbon, oxygen, hydrogen, nitrogen, sulphur and phosphorus are six elements which are essentially present in everything naturally. These are an important element for our survival, but our body doesn’t produce these naturally so it gets them from the diet we take every day. These inorganic compounds or as it generally called minerals are very essential for our body to complete life process.
These minerals are basically divided into two parts—macro minerals and micro minerals. Let us know more about Minerals and its importance in our lifestyle…
Macro- minerals
In a human body, macro minerals are present in high amount and the most important macro mineral is calcium. Most of the calcium in our body is in bones and teeth.
Micro minerals
Micro minerals we need in a small amount. Zinc, iodine, iron and many other minerals are needed in small amounts and need to be taken every day.
List of minerals essential for our body:
- Calcium: Calcium is important for bones and teeth maintenance and it regulates muscle functions and control blood pressure and heart beat. It is readily available in all dairy products such as milk, cheese, curd, green vegetables and nuts.
- Iron: Another important mineral for our body is iron; it transports oxygen to our body through the blood and necessary for the body to process. It is available in red meat, nuts, and liver and in seafood.
- Sodium and potassium: These two minerals work together to regulate and maintain the water level in our body cells and maintain pressure.
- Phosphorous: Phosphorous is important in energy, protein and fat metabolism in our body. It is found in fish, poultry, meat, nuts and different types of cereals.
- Iodine: Iodine is very important for our body growth and development. This mineral is not available in our diet; we need to get this in iodine enriched salt.
- Manganese: Manganese is important to regulate many enzymes in our body, including the production of sex hormones in our body and it also control sugar level in our body. Pulses, fruits and vegetables are a good source of manganese.
- Magnesium: It is important in developing enzymes and transfer energy in our body. Apples, citrus fruits and green vegetables are a good source of magnesium.
- Zinc: Many different types of enzymes depend on zinc for their development. Enzymes which regulate insulin, sex hormones, growth hormones etc. this mineral is available in fish, meat, nuts and eggs etc.
- Copper: Copper is important for the development of bones and other tissues. It is also important in blood clotting. Meat, nuts, fish are a good source of copper.
- Fluoride: It is important for bones and teeth health and development. Seaweed, fish, cereals etc. you can even get fluoride by brushing your teeth by fluoride toothpaste.
- Silicon: It is used with calcium to have strong bones. It is available in whole grains and root vegetables.
There are few more minerals also there which are required in our diet. By eating a variety of food and including those in our diet, fulfil our body’s daily requirement of these minerals.
