All minerals: required intake, sources, and benefits.


Like vitamins, minerals are substances found in food that your body needs for growth and health. There are two kinds of minerals: macrominerals and trace minerals. Macrominerals are minerals your body needs in larger amounts. They include calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, potassium, etc. Your body needs just small amounts of trace minerals. These include iron, zinc, etc.

Calcium
Required intake:
Men; 1000 milligrams/ day.
Women; 1200 milligrams/ day.
Sources:
Cheese, milk, yoghurt, orange, soya beans, okro.
Benefits:
Needed for bone growth, and bone strength, blood clothing, muscles contraction.

Fiber
Required intake:
Men; 30 grams/ day.
Women; 21 grams/ day.
Sources:
Oats, vegetables, dry fruits, beans, fruits, wheat grains.
Benefits:
Helps with digestion, lower bad cholesterol, helps you feel full, regulates blood sugar level.

Folic acid
Required intake:
Men; 400 micrograms/ day.
Women; 450 micrograms/ day.
Sources:
Dark leafy vegetables, broccoli, eggs, legumes, nuts, citrus, fruits, carrots, avocados.
Benefits:
Helps prevent birth defects, important for heart health, for cell development.

Iron
Required intake:
Men; 12 mg/ day.
Women: 18 mg/ day.
Sources:
Meat, beans, spinach, poultry, eggs, cereals.
Benefits:
Hemoglobin formation, body metabolism, muscles activity, brain function.

Magnesium
Required intake:
Men; 400 mg/ day.
Women; 300 mg/ day.
Sources:
Avocados, cashews, green beans, peanuts, spinach, dark chocolate, cucumber, pumpkin.
Benefits:
Healthy immune system, muscles relaxation, bone and teeth formation, regulates the metabolism of nutrients.

Phosphorous
Required intake:
Adults; 250-400 mg/ daty.
Sources:
Meat, nuts, eggs, legumes, diary products, potatoes, broccoli.
Benefits:
Healthy bone formation, improve digestion, regulated excretion, protein formation, hormonal balance.

Potassium
Required intake:
Adults: 4700 mg/ day.
Sources:
Potatoes, bananas, avocados, yoghurt, milk, soya beans, chicken.
Benefits:
Low blood sugar, controls blood pressure, improves bone health, helps in good brain functioning.

Zinc
Required intake:
Men; 11 mg/ day.
Women; 8 mg/ day.
Sources:
Spinach, cashews, beans, dark chocolate.
Benefits:
Immunity growth, improves fertility.

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