Dietary mineral

Dietary minerals are the chemical elements required by living organisms, other than the four elements carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, and oxygen present in common organic molecules. The term "dietary mineral" is archaic, as it suggests certain nutrients are inorganic. All nutrients, such as vitamins, proteins, enzymes, amino acids, carbohydrates, fats, sugars, oils, etc., are organic.

Essential Minerals

Essential minerals, also known as dietary elements, are the chemical elements required by living organisms, other than the four elements carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, and oxygen that are present in nearly all organic molecules. The term "mineral" is archaic, since the intent is to describe simply the less common elements in the diet. Some are heavier than the four just mentioned, including several metals, which often occur as ions in the body. Some dietitians recommend that these be supplied from foods in which they are naturally occurring, or at least as complex compounds, or sometimes even from natural inorganic sources (such as clay).

Classification

Dietary minerals are classified into two categories:

1. Macrominerals - These are required in larger amounts and include calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, sodium, potassium, chloride, and sulfur.

2. Trace minerals - These are required in smaller quantities and include iron, manganese, copper, iodine, zinc, cobalt, fluoride, and selenium.

Functions

Dietary minerals serve a variety of roles in the body. They are important for building strong bones and teeth, blood, skin, hair, nerve function, muscle and for metabolic processes such as those that turn the food we eat into energy.

Deficiency and Toxicity

Both deficiency and toxicity can lead to disease states. Deficiency diseases can result from insufficient intake or absorption of a necessary mineral, while toxicity can result from excessive intake of a mineral.

Sources

Dietary minerals are obtained from a wide variety of foods, with specific types of foods being particularly rich in certain types of minerals. For example, dairy products are a good source of calcium, while meat, poultry, and fish are good sources of iron.

See Also

• Vitamins
• Nutrition
• Diet (nutrition)
• Food groups
• Food pyramid (nutrition)