Important food sources of chromium

Sources of Chromium
Chromium is found in the following food sources: beef, beer, brewer’s yeast, brown rice, cheese, turkey, fish and whole grains.

It may also be found in dried beans, black strap molasses, broccoli, calf liver, chicken, corn and corn oil, dairy products, dried liver, dulse, eggs, green beans, mushrooms and potatoes.

Herbs that contain chromium include catnip, horsetail, licorice, nettle, oat straw, red clover, sarsaparilla, wild yam and yarrow.
Important food sources of chromium

Chromium-rich foods

The chromium content of the body is approximately 4 to 6 milligrams, mostly in the liver, spleen and bone; the remainder is widely dispersed at very low concentrations.

Significant dietary sources of trivalent chromium are available in various food sources. Group by rank of some common food sources of chromium:

*Rich sources: blackstrap molasses, cheese, eggs, liver
*Good sources: apple cider, banana, beef, beer, bread, brown sugar, butter or margarine, cornflakes, cornmeal, flour, oysters, potatoes, vegetable oils, wheat bran, whole wheat
*Fair sources: carrots, green beans, oranges, spinach, strawberries

One of the best food secures of the metal is brewer’s yeast, which can contain up to 5 mg/kg, though levels in different samples can be vary widely. Chromium-enriched yeast is widely used as a nutritional supplement for humans as well as animals.

Chromium is also found in many mineral or multivitamin supplements. Cooking acidic foods in stainless steel container leaches some chromium into the food.

It is estimated that as many as 90 percent do all American diets are low in chromium. Eating a lot of highly processed foods may contribute to this problem because foods lose chromium during the refining process.
Chromium-rich foods

Food sources of germanium

Germanium improves cellular oxygenation. This helps to fight pain, keep the immune system functioning properly and rid the body of toxins and poisons.

Germanium is found in all organic material, of both plant and animal origin. Tiny amounts of Germanium are found in many foods: broccoli, celery, garlic, shitake mushrooms, milk, chlorella, onions, pearl barley, rhubarb sauerkraut, tomato juice and the herbs aloe vera, comfrey, ginseng and suma.

Canned tuna may contain 3 ppm, and tomato juice and baked beans may contain 5 ppm.

Typically daily intake is 0.4 to 1.5 mg (5.5 to 20.7 μmol). In the United Kingdom daily intake is about 367 ug.

A Japanese scientist, Kazuhiko Asai, found that an intake of 100 to 300 milligrams of germanium per day improved much illness, including rheumatoid arthritis, food allergies, elevated cholesterol, candidiasis, chronic viral infections, cancer and AIDS.

Although it is rare, some individuals may develop kidney problems or have a toxic reaction to this mineral if they take it in excessive amounts.
Food sources of germanium

Toxicity of zinc

In humans, most of the body’s zinc is in the skeletal muscle (about 60%) and one third in the bone, skin, liver, brain, kidneys and the heart have small total amounts in this regard. Excessive intakes of zinc cause toxicity.

Zinc has low human toxicity by the oral route, but high levels can cause gastrointestinal distress. An acute zinc toxicity (such as from 4 g of zinc gluconate, which provides 570 mg of elemental zinc) produces some of the following symptoms: metallic taste, headache, weak heart beat, nausea, vomiting, epigastric pain, abdominal cramps and bloody diarrhea.

Tachycardia, hemolytic anemia, pancreatitis, renal damage and death have been reported on this occasion.

Long term oral intakes of zinc at levels of 18,5 to 25 mg/day can interfere with copper absorption and intakes 10 to 30 items the RDA can impair immune responses and decrease serum high density lipoprotein.

The most common sources of zinc poisoning in human are metal fumes, and illness arising the ingestion of acidic foods prepared in zinc galvanized containers. The inhalation of zinc phosphide or phosphine gas also results in acute toxicity.
Toxicity of zinc

Daily requirement for zinc

Zinc is an essential component of more than 70 metal enzymes and is involved in the metabolism of lipids, carbohydrates, proteins and nucleic acids.

The normal zinc content of the body amounts to 20-30 mmol (1.3 – 2.0 g). The true physiological requirement of zinc is the amount of zinc that has to be absorbed to replace endogenous losses to provide zinc for tissue synthesis and for the growth and milk secretion.

Daily requirement of zinc is about 15 mg and most of the diets adequately supply it. These requirements vary according to age and physiological status of the subject.

In the blood zinc is bound to α2-macroglubulin, albumin or amino acids, and a small amount is also bound to transferrin.

Most good protein sources including oysters, poultry, meat and eggs contain substantial zinc.
Daily requirement for zinc

Dietary sources of zinc

Food sources vary widely in their zinc content.  Significant variations can occur in zinc intakes when foods are selected on the basis of energy needs, e.g. higher energy sources like fats, oils, sugar, and alcohol are rather poor source of zinc.

Approximately 70% of the zinc consumed by most people in the United States is provided by animal products, especially meat.

In animal foods such beef and pork, the fat tissue contains much less than the muscle tissue. Dark red meat generally has higher zinc content than white meat and fish muscle tissue has lower zinc content than meat.

Whole grains, pork, eggs, dairy products, nuts, beans, lentils, chickpeas and peas contain moderate concentrations of zinc.

Egg yolk, not egg white, is particularly rich in zinc whereas milk tends to be middle range as a food source.

One liter of milk, for example, conations only about 2 mg of zinc, which means that a person must consume 5 quartz in order to meet the daily zinc requirement.

Poor sources of zinc include fish, butter and fats. White bread contains little zinc, as milling removes the zinc-rich bran and germ portions of grains. Fruit and vegetables also are considered good sources of zinc because the zinc in plant foods is not as readily available for use by the body.
Dietary sources of zinc

Magnesium requirements and dietary sources

Magnesium is the third most common mineral in bone, with 60% of the body’s magnesium found in the skeleton. The concentration of magnesium in the body is 250 mg/kg.

The US magnesium RDA for adult women is 320 mg/day and for adult men is 420 mg/day.

Soft tissue magnesium functions as a cofactor of many enzymes involved in energy metabolism, protein synthesis, RNA and DNA synthesis and maintenance of the electrical potential of nervous tissues and cell membranes.

Of particular importance with respect to the pathological effects of magnesium depletion is the role of this element in regulating potassium fluxes and its involvement in the metabolism of calcium.

Because of its indispensable role in bloody metabolism, magnesium deficiency causes serious disorders. 

Under increasing of death by cardiovascular diseases, magnesium status is very important.

Magnesium is widely distributed in pant and animal foods, and geochemical and other environmental variables rarely have major influence on tis content in foods.

Food with high magnesium content is found in dark green leafy vegetables, legumes, nuts, seeds, fish, algae, pulses (especially tofu), and whole grains.
Magnesium requirements and dietary sources

Selenium in Foods

Many foods include (grain products, seafood, meat and poultry) are major sources of selenium. Seafood accounts for approximately 30% of the dietary selenium intake.

Drinking water has not been found to provide significant amounts of selenium in the diet.

The good news is there are some good dietary sources of selenium: Mushrooms, egg yolks, seafood, poultry and kidney, liver and muscle meats contain the mineral. Vegetables -- garlic, onions, broccoli, asparagus, tomatoes and others -- as well as whole grains and seeds can also be good sources of selenium.

Cereal products make a major contribution to intake because of the relatively large amount of them consumed in most diet.

However, because the amount of selenium in vegetables and grains depends on the selenium content in the soil in which they are grown.

Another good source of the element is nuts, particular Brazil nuts.

The selenium content of food is largely dependent on the content of volcanic ash in the soil on which the food was grown, with higher volcanic ash content yielding higher selenium levels. Soil that is irrigated by seawater, such as much of California's cropland, also contains higher levels of selenium.

Researchers also know that soil in the high plains of northern Nebraska and the Dakotas have very high levels of selenium.

Selenium from natural food sources has a higher bioavailability than functional foods or nutraceuticals and dietary supplements.
Selenium in Foods

Sodium: Recommendation and Food Sources

Sodium: Recommendation and Food Sources
We rarely eat too little sodium; in fact, most of us eat substantially more than we need. Actual sodium requirements by the body are relatively small – only a few hundred milligrams daily.

In order to make sure that the diet contains adequate amounts of all nutrient, however, the Food and Nutrition Board set the Al for sodium for adults at 1,500 milligrams per day.

The Tolerable Upper Intake Level for sodium is 2,300 milligrams per day. This suggested maximum level is echoed in the American Heart Association’s Diet and Lifestyle Recommendations.

Food sources
The typical American diet contains 3,000 to 6,000 milligrams of sodium daily. Not only do Americans consumes more than the recommended amounts of sodium, but they also are poor judges of the amount of sodium in their diets.

Surprisingly, processed foods – not table salt - contribute the most sodium.

70 % of the sodium in the American diet comes from processed foods. In addition to being higher in sodium, these foods are often lacking in many other nutrients such as fiber and antioxidants.

Soy sauce and other sauces; pickled foods; salty or smoked meats, cheese and fish; salted snack foods; bullion cubes and canned and instant soups are all high sodium foods.

Seasoning based in salt ( e.g. lemon salt and seasoning salt) and those containing the flavor enhancer monosodium glutamate (MSG) are also high in sodium.

If your diet is cased on Asian foods that contain liberal amounts of soy sauce and MSG you could be taking in 12,000 to 16,000 milligrams of sodium per day.

Your intestinal tract absorbs nearly all dietary sodium, which then travels throughout the body in the bloodstream. Your kidneys, those remarkable organ, retain the exact amount of sodium the body needs and excrete the excess sodium in the urine along with water.

Taking in too much sodium and not enough water can worsen dehydration. The old practice of giving athletes salt tablets before or after exercise is unnecessary and possibly harmful.

On the other hand, radical sodium restriction is not a good idea either. Even though most American consume to much sodium, severe sodium restriction can limit the availability of other essential nutrients such as vitamin B6, calcium, iron and magnesium.
Sodium: Recommendation and Food Sources

Bioavailability of Minerals in Foods

Bioavailability of Minerals in Foods
Foods from both plants and animals are sources of minerals. Generally speaking, animals tissue contains minerals in the proportions that the animals needs, so animal-derived foods are more reliable mineral sources.

Plant foods can be excellent sources of several minerals, but the mineral content of plants can vary dramatically depending on the minerals and the soil where the plants are found.

Even the maturity of a vegetable, fruit or grain can influence its mineral content. Because actual mineral content varies too much, the values published in food composition tables can be misleading.

Often this value are omitted. Like plant foods, drinking water has variable mineral content, Nevertheless, it sometimes, can be a significant source of minerals such as sodium, magnesium and fluoride.

Your gastrointestinal tract absorbs a much smaller proportion of minerals than vitamins - and probably for good reason.

Once absorbed, excess minerals often are difficult for the body to flush out. In many cases, the body adjusts mineral absorption in relation to needs. For example, a calcium deficient person absorbs calcium more readily than does a person with normal calcium status.

Mega-dosing with single mineral supplements can hamper the absorption of other minerals. Minerals such as calcium, iron, zinc and magnesium , for example, all have similar chemical properties and compete for absorption.

Fiber and other components of food also affect mineral bioavailability. High fiber diets reduce absorption of iron, calcium, zinc, and magnesium.

Phytate (a component of whole grains) binds minerals and carries them our of the intestine unabsorbed.

Oxalate (found in spinach and rhubarb) binds calcium, markedly reducing calcium absorption.
Bioavailability of Minerals in Foods

Food sources of selenium

Food sources of selenium
Although too much selenium can actually be toxic to the system, research indicates the majority of the population is not getting enough of the essential mineral. So, how can we up our intake of selenium and help our bodies fight cancer?

The good news is there are some good dietary sources of selenium: Mushrooms, egg yolks, seafood, poultry and kidney, liver and muscle meats contain the mineral. Vegetables -- garlic, onions, broccoli, asparagus, tomatoes and others -- as well as whole grains and seeds can also be good sources of selenium.

However, because the amount of selenium in vegetables and grains depends on the selenium content in the soil in which they are grown, it can be hard for average consumers to know how much of the mineral they are actually getting in their diets.

The selenium content of food is largely dependent on the content of volcanic ash in the soil, on which the food was grown, with higher volcanic ash content yielding higher selenium levels. Soil that is irrigated by seawater, such as much of California's cropland, also contains higher levels of selenium.
Food sources of selenium

Manganese

Manganese
The adult body contains about 20 mg of manganese, found mainly in the liver, pancreas pituitary gland and bone.

Although it is considered a dietary essential, manganese is also toxic at high levels.

Manganese functions like other trace elements as an essential part of cell enzymes that catalyze any important metabolic reactions.

Absorption and retention of manganese are associated with serum ferritin concentration.

Manganese deficiency is rare, but it has been reported in cases of diabetes and pancreatic insufficiency and in protein-energy malnutrition states such as kwashiorkor.

Manganese toxicity occurs as an industrial disease, inhalation toxicity, in miners and other workers with prolonged exposure to manganese dust.

The excess manganese accumulates in the liver and central nervous system, producing severe neuromuscular symptoms similar to those of Parkinson’s disease.

The best food sources of manganese are of plant origin. Whole grain, cereal products and teas are the richest food sources, and fruits and vegetables are somewhat less rich.

Dairy products, meat fish and poultry are poor sources of manganese.
Manganese

Calcium Diets

Calcium Diets
Calcium is found in dairy foods, salmon (with bones), sardines, seafood and dark green leafy vegetables.

Food sources include almonds, asparagus, blackstrap molasses, brewer’s yeast, broccoli, buttermilk, cabbage, carobs, cheese, collards, dandelion green, dulse, figs, filberts, goat’s milk, kale, kelp, milk, mustard greens, oats, prunes, sesame seeds, soybeans tofu, turnip greens, watercress, whey and yogurt.

Herbs that contains calcium include alfalfa, burdock root, cayenne, chamomile, chickweed, chicory, dandelion, eyebright, fennel seed, fenugreek, flaxseed, hops, horsetails, kelp, lemongrass, mullein, nettle, oat straw, paprika, parsley, peppermint, plantain, raspberry leaves, red clover, rose hips, shepherd’s purse, violet leaves, yarrow, and yellow dock.

A diet that is high in protein, fat and/or sugar affects calcium uptake. The average American diets of meats, refined grains, and softdrinks leads to increase excretion of calcium.

Consuming alcoholic beverages, coffee, junk foods, excess salt, and/or white flour also leads to the loss of calcium by the body. A diet based on foods such as vegetables, fruits and wholesome grains, which contain significant amounts of calcium but lower amounts of phosphorus, is preferable.

Oxalic acid (found in almonds, beet greens, cashews, chard, cocoa, soybeans and spinach) interferes with calcium absorption by binding with it in the intestines and producing insoluble salts that cannot be absorbed.

The normal consumption of foods containing oxalic acids should not pose a problem, but overindulgence in these foods inhibits the absorption of calcium. Oxalic acid can also combine with calcium to form calcium-oxalate kidney stones. However, that taking magnesium and potassium supplements can prevent the formation of this types of stone.
Calcium Diets

Calcium

Physical Function 

Structural component of bones and teeth; role in intracellular and hormonal secretion regulation, muscle contraction, and activation of some enzyme systems.

Calcium is maintained relatively high concentration in the blood and extracellular fluids, where it is needed to facilitate such functions as blood coagulation and intercellular communications.

The calcium in bones serves as a reservoir for calcium that is needed throughout the body. Bones and teeth contain more than 99 percent of the body’s calcium.

Calcium also is the key factor in normal transmission of nerve impulses. The movement of calcium into nerve cells triggers the release of neurotransmitter at the junction between nerves.

Calcium is a key component of the cell membrane and controls cell permeability and electrical properties.

Deficiency symptoms
A low calcium intake during the growing years limits the bones’ ability to reach their optimal mass and density.

The symptoms of calcium deficiency includes rickets, osteomalacia, osteoporosis, scurvy, tetany, parathyroid hyperplasia, stunted growth, laryngospasm.

Deficiency of calcium in young girls causes late puberty, irregular menstruation, excessive bleeding with crampy pain during this period, anemia and lowered state of body resistance against infection.

Food sources 

Food sources of calcium include milk, milk products, sardines, clams, oysters, turnip greens, broccoli, legumes and dried fruits.

Calcium is classically associated with dairy products: milk, yoghurt and cheeses are rich sources of calcium, providing the major share of calcium from foods in the general diet in the United States and Canada.

When substantial amounts of grains are consumed, for like breads or as maize, these can be important sources, although the calcium in cereals tends to be less bioavailable than that in dairy products.

Calcium