Unit 5 biology Minerals Flashcards
What type of food substances are minerals?
Inorganic meaning they are needed in small amounts compared to carbohydrates
Why are minerals important? (even if they have no energy value)
1-regulating many metabolic reactions
2-building body tissues
What is the function of Calcium?
It is a component of bones and teeth
What is another function of Calcium?
Involved in blood clotting
muscle contraction and
sending messages to the nervous system
What does a deficiency of Calcium lead to?
Rickets in children
What is Rickets?
Soft bones and legs may bend under the weight of their bodies
What else does a deficiency of Calcium lead to?
Osteoporosis
What is Osteoporosis?
Disease in which the bones become porous and brittle and easily broken
What are some sources of Calcium?
Canned sardines, milk, dairy, green vegetables
What is the function of Iron?
It is a component of haemoglobin
What is haemoglobin?
a molecule in red blood cells that carries oxygen to the brain
What does an Iron deficiency lead to?
Anaemia (not enough haemoglobin in the red blood cells to carry oxygen to the brain)
What are some sources of Iron?
Beef, liver, beans, cabbage, spinach and raisans
