General characteristics of microminerals

Numerous microminerals or trace elements are present in minute amounts in body tissue and are essential for optimum human growth, heath and development. They consist of iodine, copper, manganese, iron, zinc, cobalt and selenium.

The required intake of each micromineral is less than 100 milligrams per day, and the total body content of these minerals is less than 5 grams.

Despite found as traces they are essential for maintaining normal metabolism. The trace minerals are used in the synthesis of vitamins, hormone production, enzymatic activity, collagen formation, tissue synthesis, oxygen transport and many other physiological processes related to growth, health and reproduction.

Trace elements exist in two forms: as charge ions or bound to proteins. Each element had different chemical properties that become critical in to significant role in cells or extracellular compartments.

In blood and other tissue and cellular fluids the trace elements do not exist in the free ionic state; they are typically bound to transporting or holding proteins.

Many enzymes require small amounts of one or more trace metals for full activity. Microminerals are involved in many enzyme systems, which make efficient use of the main metabolic dietary nutrients e.g. energy substances, fiber and protein.
General characteristics of microminerals

The importance of microminerals

Minerals are divided into two general categories – macrominerals (or major minerals) and microminerals (often called trace minerals) – based on the quantity in which they are found in the body.

Microminerals are frequently referred to as ‘trace elements’ because they are present in the body in such small quantities. However they have critically important roles to play in human nutrition.

The microminerals are iron, zinc, manganese, fluorine, cooper, cobalt, iodine, selenium, chromium, vanadium and molybdenum.

They are usually required in amounts less than 100 mg per day and the total body content of these minerals is less than 5 grams.

For example, a macrominerals iron is needed to form the oxygen-transporting compounds hemoglobin and myoglobine and is also found in a number of other compounds involved in normal tissue function.

For iodine, it is part of thyroxine, the hormone made by the thyroid gland that is responsible for regulating the basal metabolic rate.

While zinc helps form a large number of enzymes, many of which function in energy metabolism and in wound healing. Inadequate dietary intake of zinc causes a variety of health problems.

Copper helps release energy and plays a role in melanin, collagen, elastin and red blood cell production. Fluoride is part of bone and tooth structure. Molybdenum functions in protein synthesis, metabolism and growth.

Some of macrominerals specific roles have not yet been identified.
The importance of microminerals

Food Sources of Minerals

Minerals in foods include a range of inorganic elements that are required by living organisms to support biochemical processes, including building bones and teeth, transmitting nerve signals, energy conversions from food and vitamin biosynthesis.

All foods from both plants and animals contain varying amounts of minerals. The mineral material may be present as inorganic or organic salts or may be combined with organic material, as the phosphorus is combined with phosphoproteins and metals are combined with enzymes.

Animals tissue contain minerals in the proportions that the animal needs, so animal derived foods are more reliable mineral sources.

Minerals from animals foods can be absorbed more easily than those from plants.

Plants foods can be excellent of several minerals but the mineral content of plants can vary dramatically depending on the minerals in the soil where the plants are found.

More than 60 elements may be present in foods.

It is customary to divide the minerals into two groups, the macro-minerals or essential minerals and the trace elements.

The macro minerals includes potassium, sodium, calcium, magnesium, chloride, sulfate, phosphate and bicarbonate. These minerals required at more than 100 mg/day by the adult.

Trace elements are all others and are usually present in amounts below 50 parts per million (ppm).

There is also a group of minerals called ultra trace minerals, including vanadium, tin, nickel, arsenic, and boron that are being investigated for possible biological function.

Some mineral elements have been documented to be toxic to the body and should, therefore, be avoided in the diet.

The levels of trace elements/minerals in foods very according to inherent, environmental and processing factors.
Food Sources of Minerals

Major Minerals

Major Minerals
Unlike the nutrient molecules, minerals are inorganic elemental atom or ions.

Unlike carbohydrate, protein and fat, minerals are not changed during digestion or when the body uses them.

Unlike many vitamins, minerals are not destroyed by heat, light, or alkalinity.

Calcium remains calcium, be it in seashells, milk or bones. Iron remains iron, whether it is part of a cast iron skillet or carried in the bloodstream as part of hemoglobin. This is true for all minerals.

Minerals play many essential roles in the body. Some mineral such as magnesium, participate in the catalytic of enzymes.

Others serve a structural function, for example, calcium and phosphorus are among the minerals that make our bones hard.

Minerals are categorized as major or trace minerals based on the amount needed in the diet and the amount of the mineral in the body.

The body requires more that 100 mg per day of each major mineral, while the dietary need for each trace mineral is less than 100 mg daily.

This classification of minerals is unrelated to the mineral’s biological importance. For example, iron is a trace mineral but it plays a critical role in many major metabolic reactions.
Major Minerals

Minerals in Human Body

Minerals in Human Body
Minerals are the constituent which remain as ash after the combustion of plant and animal tissues.

Minerals are divided into:
*main elements
*trace elements
*ultra-trace elements

The main elements (Na, K, Ca, Mg, Cl, P)are essential for human beings in amounts >50 mg/day. Sulfur belongs to this group. However, sulfur requirements are met by the intake of sulfur containing amino acids.

Trace elements (Fem I, F, Zn, Se, Cu, Mn, Cr, Mo, Co, Ni) are essential in concentration of <50 mg/day; their biochemical actions have been elucidated.

Ultra trace elements (Al, As, Ba, Bi, B, Br, Cd, Cs, Ge, Hg, Li, Pb, Rb, Sb, Si, Sm, Sn, Sr, TL, Ti, W) are elements whose essentially has been tested in animal experiments over several generations and deficiency symptoms have been found under these extreme conditions.

For one of these elements, if it is possible to detect a biochemical function in a vital tissue organ the element is assigned to the trace elements.

Main and trace elements have a very varied functions, e.g., as electrolytes, as enzyme constituents and as building material, e.g., in bones and teeth.
Minerals in Human Body

Minerals in General

Minerals in General
Minerals are the constituents which remain as ash after the combustion of plant and animals tissues. Minerals are divided into:

• Main elements

• Trace elements

• Ultra trace elements

The main elements (Nam, K, Ca, Mg, Cl, P) are essential for human beings in amounts >50 mg/day. Sulfur also belongs to this group.

Trace elements (Fe, I, F, Zn, Se, Cu, Mn, Cr, Mo, Co, Ni) are essential in concentrations of <50 mg/day; their biochemical actions have been elucidated.

Ultra – trace element (Al, As, Ba, Bi, B, Br, Cd, Cs, Ge, Hg, Li, Pb, Rb, Sb, Si, Sm, Sn, Sr, TI, Ti, W) are elements whose essentially has been tested in animal experiments over several generations and deficiency symptoms have been found these extreme conditions.

For one of these elements, if it is possible to detect a biochemical function in a vital tissue or organ, the element is assigned to the trace elements.

Main and trace elements have very varied functions, e.g., as electrolytes, as enzymes constituents and a building materials, e.g., in bones and teeth.

The importance of minerals as food ingredients depends not only on their nutritional and physiological roles. They contribute to food flavor and activate or inhibit enzymes- catalyzed and other reactions and they affect the texture of food.
Minerals in General