THE FOOD SOURCES AND FUNCTIONS OF MINERAL NUTRIENTS

1. CALCIUM 

FOOD SOURCES: 

Milk, cheese, puddings, custard, chocolate, beverages, fish with bones, including salmon, greens, broccoli and soft bones.

FUNCTIONS: 

a. Bone formation, maintenance and growth

b. Tooth formation

c. Blood clot formation

d. Activation of pancreatic lipase

e. Absorption of vitamin B12

f. Contraction of muscles.


2. CHLORIDE 

FOOD SOURCES: 

Table salt, meats, milk, and eggs.

FUNCTIONS: 

a. Regulates pH of stomach (as components of HCL).

b. Maintenance of proper osmotic pressure.

c. Acid-base balance.


3. CHROMIUM 

FOOD SOURCES: 

Meats, poultry, milk, and whole-grain cereals.

FUNCTION:

Improve glucose uptake in cells.


4. COBALT

FOOD SOURCES: 

Organ meats and meats.

FUNCTION:

Aid in maturation of red blood cells (as part of vitamin B12 molecule).


5. COPPER

FOOD SOURCES: 

Cereals, nuts, legumes, liver, shellfish, grapes, and meats.

FUNCTIONS: 

a. Catalyst for hemoglobin formation.

b. Formation of elastin.

c. Release of energy (in cytochrome oxidase and catalase).

d. Formation of melanin pigment.

e. Formation of phospholipids for myelin sheath of nerves.


6. FLOURIDE 

FOOD SOURCE: 

Flouridated water.

FUNCTIONS: 

Strenghtens bones and teeth.


7. IODINE 

FOOD SOURCES: 

Iodized salt, and salt water fish.

FUNCTION: 

Aid in regulating basal metabolism (as a component of thyroxine and tri-iodothyronine).


8. IRON 

FOOD SOURCES: 

Meats, heart, liver, clams, oysters, lima beans, spinach, dates, dried fruits, nuts, enriched and whole-grain cereals and plantain.

FUNCTIONS: 

a. Aid in transporting oxygen and carbon IV oxide (as component of hemoglobin and myoglobin).

b. Aid in releasing energy (as a component of cytochromes, cytochrome oxidase, catalase, peroxidase and myeloperoxidase).


9. MAGNESIUM 

FOOD SOURCES: 

Milk, green vegetables, nuts, breads, and cereals.

FUNCTIONS: 

a. Catalyse ATP to ADP and ADP to ATP.

b. Conduction of nerve impulse.

c. Retention of calcium in teeth.

d. Adjustment to cold environment.


10. MANGANESE

FOOD SOURCES: 

Cereals and legumes.

FUNCTIONS: 

a. Bone development.

b. Aid in amino acid metabolism (as component of arginase).

c. Promotes thiamin storage.


11. MOLYBDENUM 

FOOD SOURCES: 

Lentils, dried peas, lima beans, kidney beans, soybeans, black beans, oats and barley.

FUNCTION: 

Aid in oxidation reactions (as components of xanthane oxidase and aldehyde oxidase).


12. PHOSPHOROUS

FOOD SOURCES: 

Meats, poultry, fish, milk, fruits, and vegetables.

FUNCTIONS: 

a. Formation, maintenance and growth of bones.

b. Tooth formation.

c. Aid in metabolic reactions (as components of DNA and RNA, ADP, and ATP and TPP).

d. Lipid transport.

e. Acid-base balance.


13. POTASSIUM 

FOOD SOURCES: 

Orange juice, dried fruits, bananas, meats, potatoes, peanut butter and coffee.

FUNCTIONS: 

a. Maintenance of osmotic pressure.

b. Acid-base balance.

c. Transmission of nerve impulses.

d. Catalyst in energy metabolism.

e. Formation of proteins.

f. Formatiom of glycogen.


14. SELENIUM 

FOOD SOURCES: 

Seafoods and organ meats.

FUNCTION: 

Antioxidant.


15. SILICON

FOOD SOURCES: 

Milk and milk products.

FUNCTION: 

Promote calcification in chicks and rats


16. SODIUM 

FOOD SOURCES: 

Table sait, salted meats, and milk.

FUNCTIONS: 

a. Maintenance of osmotic pressure.

b. Acid-base balance.

c. Relaxation of muscles.

d. Absorption of glucose.

e. Transmission of impulse.


17. SULPHUR 

FOOD SOURCES: 

Meats, milk and milk products, eggs, legumes and nuts.

FUNCTIONS: 

a. Aid in metabolic reactions (as components of thiamin).

b. Structural role (as component of some proteins).


18. ZINC 

FOOD SOURCES: 

Whole-grain cereals, meats and eggs.

FUNCTIONS: 

a. Aid in protein metabolism (as component of carboxipeptidase)

b. Aid in carbon IV oxide transfer (as component of carbonic anhydrase).


REFERENCES

Fox B. A. and Cameron A. G. (1989). Food Science, Nutrition and Health. 5th Ed. Edward Arnold; A Division of Hodder & Stoughton, London.

Institute of Medicine. Food and Nutrition Board. Dietary Reference Intake for Vitamin A, Vitamin K, Arsenic, Boron, Chromium, Copper, Iodine, Iron, Manganese, Molybdenum, Nickel, Silicon, Vanadium, and Zinc. National Academy press, Washington, DC, 2001.

Passmore R. and Eastwood M. A. (1987). Human Nutrition and Dietetics. 8th Ed. Churchill Livingstone, London.

Pyke M. (1981). Food Science and Technology. 4th Ed. John Murray, London.

Stare F. J. and Mcwilliams M. (1977). Living Nutrition. John Wiley & Sons, New York.