Minerals Flashcards
What are minerals?
Chemical substances naturally found in food. Needed by our bodies in small amounts every day
Are minerals macronutrients or micronutrients?
Micronutrients
What are the minerals?
Calcium Iron Sodium Floride Iodine Phosphorus
What is the main source of calcium?
Dairy Green leafy vegetables Fish with soft bones Enriched soya drinks Added to most types of flour by law
What is calcium’s function in the body?
Main mineral in the body
Laid down in teeth and bones to make them strong
Large percent laid down in bones during adolescence
Needed to make nerves and muscles work properly
Needed to enable blood to clot over a wound following an injury
What are the effects of a deficiency of calcium?
Bones and teeth leaked
Rickets or osteomalacia or osteoporosis
Muscles and nerves will not work properly
Blood won’t clot properly
What are the effects of an excess of calcium?
Deposited in organs such as kidneys and stop them from working properly
What is the main source of fluoride?
Fish and seafood
Some water supplies
Tea
What is the function of fluoride?
Strengthen bones and the enamel in the teeth
Prevent tooth decay
What are the effects of a deficiency of fluoride?
Weak enamels
More chance of tooth decay
As enamel will not be as strong acid from bacteria in mouth will dissolve more easily
What are the effects of an excess of fluoride?
Permanently discoloured teeth
As too much fluoride will affect normal mineralisation of the teeth
What is sodium found?
Salt
What is the function of sodium in the body?
Controls the amount of water in the body
Control nerves and muscles
Helps body to use energy
What are the effects of a deficiency of sodium?
Muscle cramps can be caused by losing salt I sweat or by sickness or diarrhoea
As without sodium to help control nerves muscles will not work properly
What are the effects of excess of sodium?
High blood pressure can put pressure on heart and kidneys which will effect how efficiently they work
As excess sodium make the body retain too much water instead of getting rid of it through kidneys
Extra water increases the volume of blood and raises blood pressure as blood has to work harder to pump it around the body