| Dietary Mineral |
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Dietary minerals are the Chemical Element s 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 Compound s or actual Mineral s. Furthermore, once dissolved, so-called minerals do not exist as such, sodium chloride breaks down into sodium ions and chloride ions in aqueous solution. Some dieticians 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 ." Dirt eating, called Pica or Geophagy is practiced by some as a means of supplementing the diet with elements. The chemical composition of soils will vary depending on the location. ). Dietary minerals classified as "macromineral" are required in relatively large amounts. Conversely "microminerals" or "trace minerals" are required relatively in minute amounts. There is no universally accepted definition of the difference between "large" and "small" amounts. MACROMINERALS In Human Nutrition , the dietary bulk "mineral elements" ( RDA > 200 mg/day) are in alphabetical order (parenthetical comments on folk medicine perspective):
TRACE MINERALS Some trace mineral elements (RDA < 200 mg/day) are (alphabetical order):
Iodine is required in larger quantities than the other trace minerals in this list and is sometimes classified with the bulk minerals. Sodium is not generally found in dietary supplements, despite being needed in large quantities, because the ion is very common in food. Many other elements have been suggested as required in human nutrition, in varying quantities. Standards of evidence vary for different elements, and not all have been definitively established as essential to human nutrition. Candidates include: Elements for which convincing scientific evidence is lacking are marked as suspect:
FOOD SOURCES
A large body of research suggests that humans often can benefit from mineral supplementation. This is especially true for humans consuming a low variety of foods. Vitamins and minerals are interdependent, requiring the presence of one another for full benefit; taking a multivitamin without minerals is not nearly as effective as taking one with minerals. Extensive university research also demonstrates that the most bioavailable form of supplemental mineral is the chelated mineral (one that is bonded to a specific-size amino acid). SEE ALSO REFERENCES EXTERNAL LINKS REFERENCES Donatelle, Rebecca J. (2005). ''Health, The Basics. 6th ed.'' San Francisco: Pearson Education, Inc. |
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