Mineral Basics-What is the Story?

We often hear about the nutrition pair-"vitamins and minerals." While much current nutrition research is focused on newly discovered roles that vitamins play in our health, exciting mineral research is being conducted worldwide. As consumers, our growing knowledge of the many duties calcium performs in the body and the possible role selenium may play in cardiovascular disease are the result of just two of many examples of current mineral research.

What is the real story?
Minerals make up a small but vital part of the body's nutrition story. Fifteen minerals have been identified as essential to health and life. They are necessary to help chemical reactions and processes take place, and they also provide structure-in the form of bones and teeth. Minerals comprise only about four percent of body weight, but they are part of every tissue and organ. Major minerals, required in amounts of 250 milligrams or more a day include calcium, chloride, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium and sodium. Trace minerals are needed in amounts less than 20 milligrams a day and include chromium, copper, fluoride, iodine, iron, manganese, molybdenum, selenium and zinc.

Does the vital role that minerals play mean that we need to take a supplement? Not necessarily, but in some cases, mineral supplements are recommended when individual diets cannot meet the body's need. Depending upon age, gender and mineral levels supplied by diet, frequently recommended mineral supplements may include calcium or iron, for example. Ask your healthcare team if a mineral supplement is right for you or those you care about.

Levels needed to maintain health may be set from two pools of information. The RDA (or recommended dietary allowance) stems from research identifying level of need with a safety margin. Scientific evidence is not sufficient to establish manganese and fluoride needs. Requirements for these minerals are based on current levels of intake known to be adequate (AI).

To find the RDAs, AIs, or ULs (safe upper level) for each mineral consult the reference listed below or the USDA Nutrient Data Lab at http://www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/foodcomp

Check out the Nutrient Analysis Tool at http://www.ag.uiuc.edu/~food-lab/net.

For example, what does this website say about the iron level of a snack of 4 wheat crackers, 1 tablespoon chunky peanut butter and 4 ounces fruit yogurt? Which food has the lowest level of iron?

Source: The American Dietetic Association. Vitamins, Minerals and Dietary Supplements. Chronimed, 1999.

Debbie Wilburn is County Agent/Family and Consumer Science Agent with the Hall (770)535-8290 and the Forsyth (770)887-2418 County Extension Service.