Minerals
At least 18 minerals have been identified as being essential factors in human nutrition.
Minerals are inorganic chemical elements not attached to a carbon atom. They are constituents of the bones, teeth, soft tissue, muscles, blood and nerve cells and act as catalysts for many biological reactions within the body. They also play a major role in the production of various hormones. Minerals are classified as major (where the body requires more than 100mg of a mineral each day) or minor (trace, the body requires less than 100mg daily).
The major minerals are calcium, phosphorus, potassium, sodium, chloride, magnesium and sulphur. The minor minerals are boron, chromium, copper, iodine, iron, manganese, molybdenum, selenium, silicon, vanadium and zinc.
Many minerals are essential parts of enzymes and they also participate actively in regulating many physiological functions, including the transport of oxygen to the body's 60 trillion cells, providing the stimulus for muscles to contract and in many ways guaranteeing normal function of the central nervous system.
As most minerals are widely available in foods severe mineral deficiencies are unusual in the Western world. Even so, there are a few exceptions. Iron deficiency is common in infants, children and pregnant women. Zinc and copper deficiencies are not uncommon either.
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