Mineral nutrients

1. MINERALS
FUNCTIONS AND SOURCES
Group Presentation
in Earth and Life
Science
Grade 11

2. MINERALS
Minerals are substances found in food that your
body needs for growth and health.
Minerals are necessary for three main reasons:
building strong bones and teeth;
controlling body fluids inside and outside
cells;
turning the food you eat into energy.

3. MINERALS
Minerals are found in foods such as
meat, cereals (including cereal
products such as bread), fish, milk and
dairy foods, vegetables, fruit (especially
dried fruit) and nuts.

4. MINERALS
There are two kinds of minerals:
Macrominerals
Trace minerals or microminerals

5. MINERALS
Macrominerals are minerals your
body needs in larger amounts.
Your body needs just small amounts of
trace minerals or microminerals.

6. MACROMINERALS
THESE INCLUDE CALCIUM, MAGNESIUM, PHOSPHORUS,
POTASSIUM, SODIUM, AND CHLORIDE.

7. MACROMINERALS
Mineral Functions Sources
Calcium  Needed for forming bones and
teeth.
 Helps nerves and muscles
function.
Canned salmon with bones, sardines,
milk, cheese, yogurt, cabbage,
broccoli, and calcium-fortified orange
juice.
Magnesium  Needed for forming bones and
teeth.
 Needed for normal nerve and
muscle function.
Green leafy vegetables, nuts, bran
cereal, seafood, milk, cheese, and
yogurt.
Phosphorus  Needed for forming bones and
teeth.
 Needed for storing energy from
food.
Milk, yogurt, cheese, red meat,
poultry, fish, eggs, nuts, peas, and
some cereals and breads.

8. Potassium  Needed for normal nerve
and muscle function.
 Needed for keeping the right
amounts of water in the
different parts of your body.
Milk, bananas, tomatoes,
oranges, melons, potatoes, sweet
potatoes, prunes, raisins,
spinach, turnip greens, collard
greens, kale, most peas and
beans, and salt substitutes
(potassium chloride).
Sodium  Needed for normal nerve
and muscle function.
 Needed for keeping the right
amounts of water in the
different parts of your body.
Salt, milk, cheese, beets, celery,
beef, pork, sardines, and green
olives.
Mineral Functions Sources

9. Mineral Functions Sources
Chloride  Needed for keeping
the right amounts of
water in the different
parts of your body.
Salt, seaweed, rye, tomatoes,
lettuce, celery, olives,
sardines, beef, pork, and
cheese.

10. TRACE MINERALS OR MICROMINERALS
THESE INCLUDE IRON, COPPER, IODINE, ZINC, FLUORIDE,
AND SELENIUM.

11. Mineral Functions Sources
Iron  Helps red blood cells
deliver oxygen to body
tissues.
 Helps muscles function.
Red meats, poultry, fish, liver,
soybean flour, eggs, beans,
lentils, peas, molasses, spinach,
turnip greens, clams, dried fruit
(apricots, prunes, and raisins),
whole grains, and fortified
breakfast cereals.
Copper  Helps protect cells from
damage.
 Needed for forming bone
and red blood cells.
Organ meats, shellfish
(especially oysters), chocolate,
mushrooms, nuts, beans, and
whole-grain cereals.

12. Mineral Functions Sources
Iodine  Needed for thyroid gland
function.
Seafood, iodized salt, and
drinking water (in regions with
iodine-rich soil, which are
usually regions near an ocean).
Zinc  Needed for healthy skin.
 Needed for wound
healing.
 Helps your body fight off
illnesses and infections.
Liver, eggs, seafood, red meats,
oysters, certain seafood, milk
products, eggs, beans, peas,
lentils, peanuts, nuts, whole
grains, fortified cereals, wheat
germ, and pumpkin seeds.