Minerals are essential nutrients for our body. Minerals represent about 5 percent of body weight, although minerals are the smallest part of total tissue throughout the body but minerals have many vital functions, according to a 2017 report in the Journal Nutrition Guide for Physicians and Related Healthcare Professionals.
There are many kinds of minerals in the body, and each type has a different function. Indeed, all types of minerals are important for the body, but the following five types of minerals are classified as essential because they hold vital functions. What types of minerals are important for the body and their functions? Come on, see together!
Minerals Calcium
Calcium is one of the essential minerals for the human body and calcium is the most abundant mineral found in the human body. Teeth and bones contain the most calcium and the rest is in nerve cells, body tissues, blood and body fluids.
Reported by MedlinePlus, calcium has many important functions for the body, including helping to maintain healthy bones and teeth, blood clotting, sending and receiving nerve signals, stretching and relaxing muscles, releasing hormones and other chemicals, to regulate heart rate so that it is normal. Because it has many important functions for the body, meet the need for calcium by consuming milk.
Minerals Sodium
Sodium or salt is one of the main minerals that the body needs in relatively larger amounts to stay healthy. This minerals can be found naturally in a variety of foods, almost all foods contain sodium.
Quoting an explanation on the EUFIC website, one of the main functions of sodium is to balance the amount and distribution of water in the body, playing a key role in controlling blood pressure.
Apart from that, sodium also creates special channels in the cell membrane that perform different vital tasks. For example, sodium helps control the amount of water that enters and leaves cells, transporting certain nutrient compounds (such as amino acids, glucose, vitamin D) into cells.
Sodium also functions to help muscles and the heart contract, and allows nerve cells to carry messages (nerve impulses) between the brain and the body.
Potassium
Potassium is a mineral with the symbol K which is important in metabolism and body health. minerals is considered an essential mineral because it is required for optimal health in relatively large quantities.
In the body, potassium has many important functions and is the main cation in body cells. About 95 to 98 percent of the potassium in the body is found in cells.
This Mineral is widely distributed in foods such as avocados, bananas, cheese, potatoes, sweet potatoes and seafood.
Potassium has an important function. Quoted from a healthy philosophy page, potassium functions to maintain blood pressure levels, control the function of the muscular and nervous systems, keep calcium minerals from being wasted through urine, increase the absorption of calcium minerals, regulate fluid balance in the body, including maintaining heart health.
Magnesium
Magnesium is the fourth most abundant mineral in the body. It is involved in more than 600 cellular reactions, from making DNA to helping muscles contract. Despite its importance, about 68 percent of adults don’t meet their daily intake.
Reported by Healthline, magnesium in the body functions to maintain healthy brain function, maintain a healthy heart rate, help regulate muscle contractions, lower blood pressure, prevent the risk of heart disease, improve sleep quality, combat migraines, and help reduce symptoms of depression.
Phosphor
Phosphorus is the most abundant mineral in the body. About 85 percent of the body’s phosphorus is in the bones and teeth. Phosphorus is also present in smaller amounts in cells and tissues throughout the body.
Reported by Mount Sinai, phosphorus functions to filter waste in the kidneys. And plays an important role in how the body stores and uses energy. Phosphorus also helps reduce muscle soreness after exercise, for the growth, maintenance and repair of all tissues and cells. Not only that, phosphorus is also needed for the production of genetic building blocks. DNA and RNA, and for balancing and using other vitamins and minerals.
These five types of minerals have important functions for the body. So, keep your intake, don’t get a deficiency or excess, and don’t just consume one type of mineral. Get all the essential nutrients your body needs through a balanced, healthy diet.
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