Mineral Madness

Most of us have read something about minerals like calcium and iron. You may not know about other minerals and why your body needs them to function. This blog will introduce or make you more familiar with three more mighty minerals our body needs to function optimally. So, sit down class today’s lesson we will be discussing magnesium, potassium, and zinc!

Why do we need to care about these three minerals? Each plays important roles which help our body maintain its function and structures.

 

Let’s start with Magnesium. Why do we need this mineral?

1.         Allows the body to use protein as energy.

2.         Allows the body to use energy (like a car being able to use the petrol in the tank).

3.         Regulates our blood pressure.

4.         Regulate the blood sugar levels in our blood.

5.         Creates part of the teeth and bones.

6.         Keeps our heart pumping at a normal rhythm.

7.         Keeps our nerves and muscles working.

 

Where can we get magnesium?

1.         Green, leafy vegetables like spinach

2.         Bran cereals

3.         Wheat germ

4.         Quinoa

5.         Whole-wheat breads

6.         Whole-wheat cereals

7.         Brown rice

8.         Dried peas

9.         Beans

10.       Lentils

11.       Chickpeas

12.       Nuts e.g. walnuts hazelnuts

13.       Seeds e.g. sunflower, flax seeds and pumpkin.

 

What about Potassium? Why should we care about eating enough of this mineral?

1.         Potassium helps keep our blood pressure at a healthy level.

2.         Helps maintain normal function in the nerves in our body.

3.         Decreases the risk of osteoporosis by increasing the density of our bones.

4.         Maintains the balance of the fluids in our body, both in and outside the blood.

5.         Needed for the heart to function.

6.         Needed for our muscles to contract.

 

Where can we find potassium in food?

1.         Fruit-pretty much all types including dried fruit.

2.         Vegetables-again, all varieties but can be found in especially high amounts in tomato, spinach, sweet potato, avocado, potatoes and winter squash.

3.         Milk

4.         Yoghurt

5.         Legumes

6.         Nuts e.g. pistachios, almonds.

7.         Seeds e.g. pumpkin, flax and sunflower.

 

The final mighty mineral is zinc! This mineral is needed to:

1.         Stop us getting sick all the time.

2.         Heal when our body gets a wound.

3.         Helps the body to use protein we eat.

 

Where can we find zinc in food?

1.         Meat including organ meat like liver.

2.         Chicken

3.         Fish

4.         Wholegrains like quinoa, brown rice and Corn Thins slices

6.         Rolled oats

7.         Cornmeal

8.         Whole-grain and whole-wheat breads and pastas

9.         Fortified breakfast cereals.

10.       Dried beans, peas and lentils.

11.       Nuts e.g. pine, peanuts and brazil.

12.       Seeds e.g. pumpkin, sunflower and chia.

 

Take home message: Before you pop out to get a supplement for these minerals it is important to try to get these three minerals from food sources before supplements, Food has so many other components which we have not discovered yet in science. A balanced diet really is the key to long term health, allowing us to get all the components our body needs.

 

Reference:

Practice TGRoN. Functions and Food Sources of Some Common Minerals Canada: Dietitians of Canada; 2015 [updated 20/10/2015; cited 2016 27/09/2016]. Available from: http://www.pennutrition.com/viewhandout.aspx?Portal=UbSe&id=JMfrWQE=&PreviewHandout=bA==.