GSE
MINERALS What, why and WHere from?
Minerals
Minerals are one of the nutritional food groups
necessary for life and health. The others are protein, carbohydrate,
fats, vitamins and water
Minerals are elements that originate in the Earth
and cannot be made by living organisms. From a nutritional perspective,
minerals are defined as the elements other than carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, and
nitrogen. ~25 of Earth's elements are known to be essential
to life and present in living cells.
Plants obtain minerals from inorganic salts
in the soil (or they can also be absorbed through their leaves).
With
the aid of microbes, plants convert the inorganic minerals in the soil into an organic form; most of our dietary minerals come directly from plants or
indirectly from animal sources. Soil mineral content varies geographically and
by agricultural practices.
Minerals may be present in drinking water.
Tap
water varies with geographic locale and bottled water by specific brand.
Major minerals (a.k.a. macrominerals)
Considered major because they are required by the
body in doses of 100 mg/day or greater . i.e. greater than 0.01%
of body weight.
Minerals are components in the structure of our
bodies and help body systems work.
Calcium and phosphorous are the predominant minerals in the body
(mainly in
bones);
Seven major minerals are required by the body:
• Phosphorus - obtain
from meats and eggs
• Calcium -
obtain from dairy products, green leafy vegetables, soup bones, sesame
seeds
• Magnesium -
"The Missing Mineral" - obtain from whole grains, nuts, legumes, green leafy vegetables
• Chloride -
obtain from Himalayan or Celtic sea salt
• Sodium -
obtain from Himalayan or Celtic sea salt
• Potassium -
obtain from many foods, E.g. white potato, black and white beans,
sweet potato, watermelon, tomato sauce, spinach, beets, plain (not Greek)
yogurt, eggs, meats, vegetables and tea.
•
Sulfur
- "The Healing Mineral" -
obtain from eggs, meats,
garlic and many other foods;
MSM is its organic,
bioactive form;
Trace minerals (a.k.a. trace elements)
Required by the body in
amounts of less than 20 mg/day -
i.e. Less than 0.01% of body weight
Unrefined sea salt and
Himalayan salt are the best sources of the
trace minerals
Functions of trace minerals
• Absorption/utilization of many nutrients
• Aid essential activities of enzymes and
hormones
• Cellular energy production
Example trace minerals
• Iron.
M ajor role in oxygen
transport/storage; component of hemoglobin in red blood cells and muscle cells;
supports immune function
•
Zinc .
Supports immune
function aids INSULIN activity; essential in growth/development of
sexual/reproductive organs; prevent oxidative damage.
• Iodine .
Needed for thyroid hormone production
• Selenium and
Manganese. Needed for body's
antioxidants produced "in-house"
•
Molybdenum. Activates four essential enzymes, all involved with removing
toxic build-up in the body: sulfite oxidase (converts sulfite to sulfate),
aldehyde oxidase (breaks down aldehydes), xanthine oxidase (helps break down DNA
blocks, called nucleotides, after they have served their purpose), and one other
.
• Cobalt. Required by intestinal probiotic
bacteria to make vitamin B12
• Other trace minerals essential in
the body include: fluoride, chromium, silicon, boron,
copper
and many more.
• Some trace minerals are under
discussion as to their need in the body. E.g. vanadium.
• Some trace minerals are considered
toxic in the body. E.g. nickel and arsenic.
Electrolytes
A mineral salt that can
conduct electricity when dissolved in water. E.g. sodium, potassium, chloride.
Electrolyte Drink:
Include this drink with meals to aid digestion and also drink at other times in the day
• 1/4 teaspoon of Celtic or Himalayan sea salt
• Juice of 1/2 of a freshly squeezed lemon
• 6 oz. of filtered water
Factors affecting mineral bioavailability
Bioavailability of a mineral (how
readily it can be absorbed/used by the body) is
influenced by many factors. For example:
• Bioaccessibility of the mineral.
The fraction of the complex released in the GI tract and so made
available for absorption
• The chemical form of the mineral.
Whether in salt form (as in many supplements), or chelated to amino
acids or peptides (as in food or chelated supplements)
• Antinutrients
present in
the diet. E.g. phytic acid in whole-grain products, nuts, seeds and
legumes can bind and so reduce absorption of certain minerals, such as
calcium , magnesium ,
iron and zinc ; oxalate in spinach and rhubarb binds calcium;
• Individual'sneed.
As
determined by how much of the nutrient is already stored in the body. The body has sensitive
feedback mechanisms to prevent storage of nutrients
that can be damaging in excess Eg. Iron.
• An excess of one mineral over
another. This can hinder absorption as certain minerals compete for the same
transport systems out of the GI tract Eg. Iron reduces
zinc absorption .
Supplementing Minerals
First note that food forms of minerals are the best way to add minerals to your
diet. Analyses of many studies pertaining to the health effects of
obtaining
minerals from supplements has generally demonstrated little benefit ;
supplements may not provide minerals in a bioavailable form and excessive intake
may have harmful side-effects.
Handbook of Mineral Elements in Food (pg.15)
Foods do NOT naturally contain minerals bound to substances
typically found in mineral supplements . E.g. as picolinic
acid, carbonates, oxides, phosphates.
Mineral supplements must be in forms that are
bioavailable to the body. To determine which supplements to use requires
some
research into the studies available. You can not rely on the advertising
and product label.