Minerals

Introduction

• Mineral is a chemical element essentially required as nutrient for the proper functioning of the body and healthy life.
• Minerals cannot be made by living organisms, rather it occurs in the Earth naturally.

• Most of the minerals that required for the proper function of a human life come from green plants, animals, and from drinking water.
• Calcium, phosphorus, potassium, sodium, and magnesium are the five major minerals in the human body.
• Minerals are present in the blood of a healthy human being at certain mass.

Major Minerals

• The following table illustrates the list of major minerals along with their salient features −

Minerals	Deficiency disease	Sources
Potassium	Hypokalemia	Sweet potato, potato, tomato, lentils, banana, carrot, orange, etc.
Chlorine	Hypochloremia	Table salt
Sodium	Hyponatremia	Table salt, sea vegetable, milk, etc.
Calcium	Hypocalcaemia	Eggs, canned fish, dairy products, nuts, etc.
Phosphorus	Hypophosphatemia	Red meat, fish, bread, dairy products, rice, oats, etc.
Magnesium	Hypomagnesemia	Legumes, nuts, seeds, spinach, peanut butter, etc.
Iron	Anaemia	Meat, seafood, beans, nuts, etc.
Zinc	Hair loss, diarrhea	Red meat, nuts, dairy products, etc.
Manganese	Osteoporosis	Grains, nuts, leafy vegetables, legumes, seeds, tea, coffee
Copper	Copper deficiency	Seafood, oysters, nuts, seeds
Iodine	Goitre	Grains, eggs, iodized salt
Chromium	Chromium deficiency	Broccoli, grape juice, meat, etc.
Molybdenum	Molybdenum deficiency	Legumes, whole grains, nuts
Selenium	Selenium deficiency	Brazil nuts, meat, seafoods, grains, dairy products, etc.