Our body needs organic compounds such as protein, carbohydrates, and fats. Besides these, our body also needs some inorganic substances such as metals, non metals and their salt though in small amounts. These metals, non metals and their salts are called minerals. There are several important minerals which are essential for our body like Iron, Iodine, Calcium, Phosphorus, Sodium, Potassium, Zinc, Copper, Magnesium, Chlorine, Fluorine, and Sulphur.

Necessity of minerals in out diet:

Minerals are very important for a body to maintain heart rate, make strong bones, make hormones, and improve brain power. Our body can use minerals as a compound form. We cannot eat minerals in pure form. Our body needs mineral for its suitable performance, normal growth, and good health. Minerals are also needed to build teeth, functioning of red blood corpuscles, build bones, coagulation of blood, functioning of muscles, thyroid gland, and nerves. Several minerals are needed for enzymes to do their work. Minerals do not supply any energy to our body. They are essential for the metabolic activities of the body and for the construction of certain tissues.

Important minerals and their functions :

Our body requires a large number of minerals but the more important ones are iodine, potassium, iron, calcium, sodium, and phosphorus, which are discussed below-

1. Iodine – It is another important mineral, which are needed by our body. Iodine is needed in snall quantities for the preparation of thyroid hormone called as thyroxine. The iodine containing hormone, thyroxine is prepared in the thyroid gland and it controls the mental, physical, and sexual development of the body. Some of the major sources of iodine are sea-food, iodized salt, and fish. There is another mineral called fluorine, which plays an important part to prevent dental decay.
2. Iron – It is one of the most mineral required by our body. Iron is needed to prepare a protein called haemoglobin present in blood (are also called red blood corpuscles). This haemoglobin may help in transporting oxygen from the lungs to the body cells through the blood. Thus, iron is important constituent of haemoglobin in the blood. Since iron is needed in the formation of blood, therefore the amount of iron should be increased during pregnancy and lactation. Some of the major sources of iron are ground nuts, bajra, spinach, ragi, eggs, and several other green vegetables.
3. Phosphorus – It is also important mineral, which is also needed for the formation of teeth and bones. Phosphorus is also required for the conversion of carbohydrates imto energy. It is important because it is a component of D.N.A, R.N.A, and A.T.P. The main sources of phosphorous in our diet are nuts, milk, bajra, green leafy vegetables, and ragi. It should be noted that milk is one food item, which contains both calcium and phosphorous in good amount.
4. Copper – It is also important mineral for nerve functioning, formation of red blood cells, and many more. It is present in nuts, meat, shellfish, raisins, beans, and many more, so, they are essential in our diet. Other minerals required for body to prevent damage of cells, healing of wounds, and many more are present in potatoes, fruits, chicken, peanuts, and spinach. So, they are needed in our diet.
5. Calcium – Calcium salts are required to make bones and teeth to help blood clotting and for the proper working of the muscles. Without calcium, our heart will not beat properly, blood will not clot, and muscles will not work well. The salt of calcium needed by our body is calcium phosphate. The main sources of calcium in our diet are beans, milk, cereals, cheese, green leafy vegetables, fish, meat, tapioca, and ragi.
6. Sodium and Potassium – Salts of sodium and potassium such as sodium chloride and potassium chloride are essential to maintain the osmotic pressure of body fluids. Sodium chloride also helps in the formation of hydrochloric acid of gastric juice present in the stomach and is essential for digestion and sodium ions are necessary to initiate and maintain the contraction of heart. The main sources of sodiun chloride in our diet are is the table salt or common salt, which is put in food for taste. Sodium chloride is also present in small amounts of vegetables and even milk. Since large amounts of water, and some salt are lost by our body through sweat in a very hot season or hor summer days or during hard physical work or exercise or any other physical activity, we should drink a lot of water containing a little amount of common salt to make up for this loss and prevent dehydration.