Your Nutrition Health Store

You may already be aware of the necessity to give our body both vitamins and minerals.  Sadly, many of us have no clue as to why.  It is important to note that vitamins and minerals have different roles within our body. Our body requires both of these to function properly.

You will find one substantive difference between the two is that vitamins are considered organic because they have carbon. Where as minerals, which lack carbon, are then considered inorganic substances.

Once these arrive inside the body both vitamins and minerals have important roles to play. Most of us the burn the candle at both ends know that the body can keep going for some time without you giving it the recommended daily requirements of some vitamins.  But, and this is a big BUT, if you have a mineral deficiency, it can lead to death. So lets learn how this important substance impacts the body.

Roles Minerals Play

First and foremost your body needs Iron.  This is what makes up the hemoglobin that is found in your red blood cells. Then, for your body to build strong teeth and bones, it needs calcium. Calcium plays an important role in the proper functioning of your kidneys, nerves and muscles.

Most people don’t think about this, however, without proper levels of Iodine, the thyroid gland will not perform some its most important tasks. One is to produce energy. Then the lesser known minerals are, manganese, selenium and zinc. These are called antioxidants and their responsibilities include helping to heal wounds, helping the skeletal system develop properly, and protecting cell membranes. Chromium helps keep arteries clear.

You may have heard the term trace minerals. Well, the minerals the body needs are divided into two categories. These are: Major minerals and Trace Minerals. What makes up the difference between these categories has mostly to do with the amounts the body requires. The average person needs a minimum of 100 milligrams per day just to carry out the bodily functions associated with the Major minerals. In the case of Trace minerals, on a per day basis, less than 100 milligrams are required.

The 7 Major Minerals are:

1. Calcium
2. Phosphorus
3. Magnesium
4. Sodium
5. Potassium
6. Sulfur
7. Chloride

The Trace Minerals include:

• Chromium
• Copper
• Fluoride
• Iodine
• Iron
• Manganese
• Molybdenum
• Selenium
• Zinc

Mineral sources

Interestingly, minerals come from the ground that covers the Earth. We don’t eat dirt and rocks, yet we get our minerals from the foods we eat. How can this be? Minerals primarily make their way into our bodies by way of the foods that grow from the ground and the animals that survive off the land. Fruits, vegetables, lean meats, poultry, dairy products, grains, legumes – these and others are the primary sources of the minerals our bodies need to survive.

What’s also interesting is that individuals who eat a lot of processed foods or who fail to consume a nutritionally-balanced diet often suffer from diseases that have been directly attributed to vitamin- and mineral-related deficiencies.

Much controversy surrounds the subject of mineral supplementation. Ideally, people should strive to meet their daily mineral requirements from food because, as is the case with some vitamins, excessive amounts of some minerals inside the body can have a toxic effect.

Minerals are used for creating automobiles, building, pots, pans and many other durable products. But most importantly for humans, minerals are needed to build and maintain strong bodies capable of functioning as designed!

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