Minerals are essential inorganic elements required by the body in small quantities to perform normal functions related to growth and development.
Dietary minerals are divided into two categories : Macrominerals (required in larger amounts) and trace minerals (required in very small amounts). Important minerals include calcium, phosphorus, iron, sodium, potassium and magnesium.
IMPORTANT MINERALS
| MINERALS | DAILY REQUIREMENT | SOURCES | FUNCTION | DEFICIENCY SYMPTOMS | PREVENTION AND CONTROL OF DEFICIENCY |
| Calcium & Phosphorus | Children and adults – 400-500 mg Pregnancy and lactation – 1000 mg | Milk and its products, green leafy vegetables, fish bones, dry fruits, cereals, coconut | i) Formation and maintenance of bones and teeth. ii) Important for blood coagulation. iii) Regulation of muscle contraction. iv) Regulation of neuro-muscular reactivity. | Causes rickets in children and osteomalacia in adults. | i) Increasing dietary intake. ii) External supplements. |
| Sodium | 8 – 10 gm. | Common salt | i) Maintenance of body fluids. ii) Smooth functioning of nerve, muscles and body cells. | Low blood pressure, Muscle cramps. | Regular intake of common salt. |
| Iron | Infants – 1 mg Children – 20 mg Adults – 25 – 30 mg Pregnancy and lactation – 40 mg | Liver, meat, fish, eggs, cereals, pulses, green leafy vegetables, dry fruits, jaggery. | Helps in oxygen transport and cellular respiration. (component of hemoglobin and myoglobin) | Anemia | i) Increasing intake of iron rich food. ii) Iron supplementation. |
| Iodine | 0.1 – 0.15 mg | Sea food and fish, sea salt, spinach, cereals, meat, milk | Required for the synthesis of thyroid hormones. | Goitre, mental retardation, dwarfism. | i) Regular intake of iodized table salt. ii) Avoid consumption of goitrogenic food like cabbage, cauliflower, radish. |
| Fluorine | 0.5 – 0.8 mg/litre in water | Drinking water, sea fish, cheese, tea. | Essential for normal mineralization of bones and formation of dental cement. | Dental caries | Supply of safe drinking water with fluorine concentration of 1 mg/L (1 part per million). |
| Zinc | 8 – 11 mg | Red meat, poultry, oysters. | Supports immune system, helps in wound healing and cell division. | i) Skin ulcers. ii) Depressed immune response. iii) Hypogonadal dwarfism. | i) Increasing dietary intake. ii) Zinc supplements. |
| Copper | 0.9 mg | Meat, seeds, whole grains. | Iron metabolism and formation of red blood cells. | i) Anemia ii) Increased cholesterol. iii) Changes in ossification. | i) Consumption of foods rich in copper. ii) Supplements. |
| Manganese | 1.8 – 2.3 mg | Nuts, legumes, whole grains. | Helps in metabolism of carbohydrates, amino acids and cholesterol. | i) Abnormal carbohydrate and lipid metabolism. ii) Impaired skeletal growth, osteoporosis. iii) Skin rashes, slower hair growth. | i) Increasing dietary intake. ii) Supplements. |
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