Minerals are important nutritional elements that enter the human body with food. They are part of the substances that make up the living protoplasm of cells, where protein acts as the main component.
Life-Significance
Mineral substances are present in the composition of interstitial and intercellular fluids, giving them certain osmotic properties. They are also found in the bones of the skeleton, supporting tissues, where they are given special strength.
Mineral substances are in the composition of the endocrine glands:
- iodine is found in the thyroid gland;
- zinc is present in the gonads.
Ions of phosphorus, iron are involved in the transmission of nerve impulses that ensure blood clotting.
Importance for children
Minerals are essential for children. The increased need of a growing organism for such elements is explained by the fact that development is associated with an increase in the mass of cells, the process of mineralization of the skeleton, which is possible only with a systematic intakethem into the children's body.
The importance of minerals is obvious, which is why it is so important that foods containing micro and macro elements are used in children's nutrition.
Macroelements in products are present in significant quantities: tens and hundreds of mg%. Among them are: calcium, phosphorus, sodium, potassium, magnesium.
Trace elements in food are found in small amounts: iron, copper, cob alt, zinc, fluorine.
The Importance of Calcium
This chemical element is a permanent part of the blood. It is this mineral substance in the diet that is needed for the processes of activity and growth of cells, the regulation of the permeability of their membranes, and the transmission of nerve impulses. Calcium is needed to control enzyme activity, muscle contractions.
He acts as the main structural element in the formation of the bones of the skeleton. The need for calcium is high in children, in whose organisms bone formation processes occur, as well as in pregnant women, nursing mothers.
In case of prolonged lack of calcium in the diet, bone formation disorders appear, rickets develop in children, and osteomalacia appears in adults.
Insufficient mineral content causes many problems, not only physical, but also psychological.
Calcium is considered a difficult to digest element. It depends on its ratio with other food components, for example, magnesium, phosphorus, fat, protein.
Among those foods in which itpresent in significant quantities, they distinguish: rye and wheat bread, oatmeal, buckwheat.
With an excess of fat in food, calcium absorption is reduced, since a significant amount of its compounds with fatty acids is formed.
In such situations, there are not enough bile acids to convert calcium soaps into soluble complex compounds, as a result of which they are not absorbed, they are excreted along with feces. The ratio of fats to calcium is considered favorable at the rate of 10 mg per 1 g of fat.
This process is also negatively affected by an excess amount of magnesium in the diet. The s alts of this alkaline earth metal also need bile acids, so the absorption of calcium is reduced. Oxalic acid, found in spinach, sorrel, cocoa, rhubarb, also negatively affects the absorption of calcium by the human body.
The maximum amount of this important element a person receives from milk and dairy products. It is also found in beans, parsley, green onions. An excellent source of calcium is bone meal, which can be added to flour products and cereals. The need for calcium in patients with bone injuries is essential. With a lack of it, the human body recovers much longer.
The Importance of Phosphorus
Mineral substances include compounds that contain this non-metal. It is phosphorus that is the component that is included in the structure of important organic substances: nucleic acids, enzymes, it is needed for the formationATP. In the human body, most of this element is found in bone tissue, and about ten percent of it is present in muscle tissue.
The body's daily requirement for it is 1200 mg. The need for the element increases in case of insufficient intake of protein from food, as well as with a significant increase in physical activity.
In food products of plant origin, phosphorus is found in the form of s alts, as well as various derivatives of phosphoric acid, for example, in the form of phytin. This confirms the importance and significance of the content of phosphorus in the water in the form of ions.
Iron is an essential trace element
Let's continue talking about why minerals are so important. Iron s alts are required by the body for the biosynthesis of substances, full respiration, and hematopoiesis. Iron takes part in redox and immunobiological reactions. It is present in the cytoplasm, some enzymes, cell nuclei.
Excess of iron has a toxic effect on the spleen, liver, brain, leads to inflammatory processes in the human body.
In the case of alcohol intoxication, iron accumulates, resulting in zinc and copper deficiency.
Despite the fact that it is found in various foods, in an easily digestible form, iron is present only in the liver, meat products, egg yolk.
Purpose of zinc
The lack of this trace elementcontributes to a decrease in appetite, the appearance of anemia, weakening of visual acuity, hair loss, the appearance of numerous allergic diseases and dermatitis. As a result, a person develops long and frequent colds, and in boys, inhibition of sexual development is observed. This element is found in dry cream, hard cheeses, corn, onions, rice, blueberries, mushrooms. Only with a sufficient content of this element in water, food, you can count on the full physiological development of the younger generation.
Ultra trace elements: selenium
Minerals in the soil, food containing this element, help to increase immunity. With a lack of selenium, the number of inflammatory diseases increases, atherosclerosis, cardiopathy develops, nail and hair diseases appear, cataracts develop, development and growth are inhibited, and problems with reproductive function appear. This element protects the body from cancer of the prostate, stomach, breast, colon.
For example, selenium deficiency is observed in the Leningrad, Arkhangelsk, Yaroslavl, Ivanovo, Kostroma regions, Karelia.
Copper
Lack of mineral content in water, food, for example, copper, leads to deterioration of the connective tissue, menstrual disorders in women, allergic dermatoses, cardiopathy.
With its increased content in the body, chronic and acute inflammatory diseases appear, bronchial asthma develops, kidney diseases appear,liver, malignant neoplasms are formed. With chronic intoxication of the body with copper, a person develops functional disorders of the nervous system.
Iodine deficiency
If this mineral in the soil, water, is present in insufficient quantities, this contributes to the failure of the thyroid gland. Iodine has a significant effect on the nervous system, is responsible for the normality of energy metabolism, reproductive he alth, affects the physical and mental development of the child.
Iodine enters the body through the digestive tract, as well as with air through the lungs. In an inorganic form, it enters the thyroid gland with the bloodstream, is captured by active proteins, and turns into part of the hormone thyroxine. About 300 mg of this iodide enters the bloodstream per day. Its lack in water, food causes cretinism, neurological disorders, mental retardation. With a chronic lack of iodine in the human body, endemic goiter develops.
Such problems are typical for residents of the northern regions, whose diet contains insufficient amounts of seafood.
Such violations are found in 1.5 billion inhabitants of our planet. As a universal means of prevention, the use of iodized table s alt in the amount of 5-10 g per day is allowed. For example, for children and adolescents, doctors consider daily consumption of a tablespoon of dry kelp to be an excellent option for preventing iodine deficiency.
In products of plant origin, some of the important compoundsdisposed of with waste. Peeling vegetables, cooking, leads to a loss of 10-20% of minerals.
The human body is a complex biochemical laboratory where metabolic processes are systematically carried out. It is they that ensure the normal functioning of a living organism, are needed to build bone tissue, regulate water-s alt metabolism, and maintain internal pressure in cells. Without minerals, the functioning of the digestive, cardiovascular, and nervous systems is impossible.
Important Facts
It is impossible to determine the mineral substance that is most needed by the human body, because with a lack of one mineral, a complete metabolic failure occurs, numerous diseases appear.
Without the presence of a sufficient amount of iron, manganese, copper, manganese, nickel, calcium cations, hormones, enzymes, vitamins do not work. This leads to a violation of a full-fledged metabolism, a decrease in immunity.
Causes of imbalance
Prolonged lack or excess of minerals is a serious danger to humans. The main reasons for such violations:
- The monotony of nutrition, the use of individual products in the diet, in which there are trace amounts of mineral components.
- The specificity of the mineral composition of products associated with the chemical content of water, soil in some geographical areas. Excess or lack of mineral s alts leads to the appearance of specific diseases.
- Unbalanced nutrition, insufficient content of fats, carbohydrates, proteins, vitamins in food reduces the absorption of calcium, magnesium, phosphorus.
- Food Cooking Violations.
- Incorrect defrosting of fish and meat is accompanied by a complete loss of minerals.
- Prolonged digestion of vegetables leads to the fact that almost 30 percent of the mineral s alts turn into a decoction.
Conclusion
Not only water, but also the soil is a pantry of minerals. A significant amount of various s alts is found in the bowels of the earth. As a result of natural corrosion, they enter the water in the form of cations and anions. It is water that plays an important role in organizing the basic processes within a living organism. With insufficient content of the main micro, macroelements in it, it ceases to fully fulfill its main functions, which negatively affects the he alth of the individual.
