I know I said I was going to write about protein but then I realized we already addressed protein a few days back and I just plain forgot.
So onto MINERALS!
Dietary minerals are the
chemical elements required by living organisms, other than the four elements
carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, and
oxygen which are present in common
organic molecules. The term "mineral" is archaic, since the intent of the definition is to describe ions, not
chemical compounds or actual
minerals. Some dietitians recommend that these heavier elements should be supplied by ingesting specific foods (that are enriched in the element(s) of interest), compounds, and sometimes including even minerals, such as
calcium carbonate. Sometimes these "minerals" come from natural sources such as ground
oyster shells. Sometimes minerals are added to the diet separately from food, such as mineral supplements, the most famous being iodine in "
iodized salt".
Thanks Wiki!
*Just a little aside, here in Costa Rica they put flouride in the salt because there isn't a fluoridated water system like in the USA.
Okay there's a bunch of science for you, now let's talk everyday. You need minerals, they are essential to good health. There are MACROMINERALS and TRACE MINERALS.
Macrominerals are electrolytes, you know they stuff you put back in your body after working out, what GATORADE and all those sports drinks have. These play a structural role. All of the macrominerals work to build things like bone, a healthy digestion system, skin, hair, nails.
Here's a list of them and their function:
- Calcium - strong bones and teeth
- Phosphorus - strong bones and teeth
- Sodium - maintains balance for water flow in and out of cell
- Potassium - crucial in regulating the heartbeat
- Iodine - important component of thyroid hormones for metabolism
See the last three there (look up here) are precisely the ones we want to be happy happy in our bodies when we are exercising!
Trace Minerals on the other hand, help to regulate enzyme processes such as hemoglobin production and sugar metabolism.
Here's a short list of Trace Minerals:
- Iron - lets red blood cells carry oxygen, prevents anemia
- Zinc - part of an enzyme involved in acid-base balance, liver function, digestion, and bone maintenance, prevents loss of sense of taste, growth failure, delayed healing of wounds, reproduction problems
- Fluorine - produces tooth structure that resists acids, prevents tooth decay
- Copper - used in breathing, energy release, production of red blood cells
You can supppliment your diet with minerals, they are usually HUGE pills, but as with most nutritional components it is best to get your minerals from your food.
Here's another chart for you!
Sodium | Maintains fluid and electrolyte balance, supports muscle contraction and nerve impulse transmissions | salt, soy sauce, bread, milk, meats |
|---|
Chloride | Maintains fluid and electrolyte balance, aids in digestion | salt, soy sauce, milk, eggs, meats |
|---|
Potassium | Maintains fluid and electrolyte balance, cell integrity, muscle contractions and nerve impulse transmission | potatoes, acorn squash, artichoke, spinach, broccoli, carrots, green beans, tomato juice, avocado, grapefruit juice, watermelon, banana, strawberries, cod, milk |
|---|
Calcium | Formation of bones and teeth, supports blood clotting | milk, yogurt, cheddar cheese, Swiss cheese, tofu, sardines, green beans, spinach, broccoli |
|---|
Phosphorus | Formation of cells, bones and teeth, maintains acid-base balance | all animal foods (meats, fish, poultry, eggs, milk) |
|---|
Magnesium | Supports bone mineralization, protein building, muscular contraction, nerve impulse transmission, immunity | spinach, broccoli, artichokes, green beans, tomato juice, navy beans, pinto beans, black-eyed peas, sunflower seeds, tofu, cashews, halibut |
|---|
Iron | Part of the protein hemoglobin (carries oxygen throughout body's cells) | artichoke, parsley, spinach, broccoli, green beans, tomato juice, tofu, clams, shrimp, beef liver |
|---|
Zinc | A part of many enzymes, involved in production of genetic material and proteins, transports vitamin A, taste perception, wound healing, sperm production and the normal development of the fetus | spinach, broccoli, green peas, green beans, tomato juice,lentils, oysters, shrimp, crab, turkey (dark meat), lean ham, lean ground beef, lean sirloin steak, plain yogurt, Swiss cheese, tofu, ricotta cheese |
|---|
Selenium | Antioxidant. Works with vitamin E to protect body from oxidation | seafood, meats and grains |
|---|
Iodine | Component of thyroid hormones that help regulate growth, development and metabolic rate | salt, seafood, bread, milk, cheese |
|---|
Copper | Necessary for the absorption and utilization of iron, supports formation of hemoglobin and several enzymes | meats, water |
|---|
Manganese | Facilitates many cell processes | widespread in foods |
|---|
Fluoride | Involved in the formation of bones and teeth, helps to make teeth resistant to decay | fluoridated drinking water, tea, seafood |
|---|
Chromium | Associated with insulin and is required for the release of energy from glucose | vegetable oils, liver, brewer's yeast, whole grains, cheese, nuts |
|---|
Molybdenum | Facilitates many cell processes | legumes, organ meats |
|---|
So eat lots of fresh fruits and veggies, especially dark green ones and you should be fine but pay attention to your body and think about
MINERALS the next time you are feeling a little imbalanced, tired or think you are getting sick. Often times a slight change in diet or a boost on minerals (eat a banana or a spinach salad, or both) will help you feel freshened up.
enjoy!
martha
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