Micro nutrients: minerals

• What are minerals?


  chemical substances naturally found in a wide range of plant + animal foods
• Why are minerals called Micro nutrients?


  They're needed by our body in small amounts everyday for a variety of different jobs.
• Where can some minerals be stored?

  in the body
• What would happen if we didn't have minerals?

  - body would show signs of a deficiency disease

  - symptoms would vary depending on the mineral that is missing
• What are the 6 minerals that are required for AQA specification?

  - Calcium

  - Iron

  - Sodium

  - Fluoride

  - Iodine

  - Phosphorus
• Why do we need Calcium? 3 points

  - Strengthens teeth and bones

  - makes the nerves and muscles work properly

  - needed to enable blood to clot over a wound after injury.
• What is Calcium?


  Main mineral in the body (all cells need calcium)
• What vitamin helps absorb calcium from food during digestion?

  Vitamin D helps calcium to be absorbed from food during digestion.
• Main food sources of Calcium: 4 examples

  - dairy (milk , yoghurt , cheese)

  - green leafy vegetables

  - fish with softened bones (canned fish)

  - Enriched soya drinks
• What happens if a person has a deficiency of Calcium? 4 points

  - bones + teeth will weaken and bend under weight of body

  - muscles + nerves won't work properly

  - Blood won't clot properly over wound after injury

  - Rickets in children + Osteomalacia in adults, if cause of this is lack of vitamin D.
• What does Osteomalacia mean?

  Bad bones
• What is peak bone mass?

  when bones have the maximum amount of minerals + at their strongest + most dense.
• What would happen if there's not enough calcium reaching the bones?

  - bones will never reach peak bone mass = more likely to weaken + break, especially as person gets older
• What is Osteoperosis?


  - natural ageing process that usually happens to people who are old.

  - Means 'porous bones
• What does osteoperosis mean?

  porous bones
• What happens when bones reach peak bone mass?

  - gradually, over a number of years, minerals are removed from bones + not replaced. = bones will eventually become porous + weak and likely to break.
• How can you slow down the rate at which minerals are lost from bones? 2 points

  - there's enough calcium + vitamin D in diet

  - staying physically active.
• What happens if people have an excess (too much) Calcium (very rare)?


  - if too much calcium is absorbed in the body (cause of too much vit D) = some will be deposited in organs e.g. kidneys, which stops them working
• Why do we need Iron?

  - needed to make haemoglobin in red blood cells to carry oxygen to body cells
• What is haemoglobin?


  A large protein that carries oxygen around the body in the red blood cells
• What vitamin helps absorb iron from food during digestion?

  Vitamin C
• Main food sources of Iron: 5 examples

  - red meat

  - kidney

  - liver

  - green leafy vegetables

  - fortified breakfast cereals
• What happens to a person who is deficient in Iron?

  - leads to iron deficiency anaemia = tiredness , lack of energy, weakness, pale skin complexion, weak + split nails
• What are the 5 symptoms of iron deficiency anaemia?

  - tiredness

  - lack of energy

  - weakness

  - pale skin complexion

  - weak + split nails
• Why is it important for a pregnant woman to have enough iron in their diet?

  unborn babies build up a store of Iron in their bodies during last 3 months before born.
• What happens if someone has an Excess of iron + why does it happen?

  - too much iron = poisonous to the body

  - happens if someone takes too many supplements
• Why will someone be at risk of Iron deficiency anaemia if they're Iron deficient? 2 points

  - Oxygen + glucose is needed by body cells to produce energy during respiration

  - deficiency of iron = not enough oxygen available for cells to produce enough energy
• Why do we need Sodium?

  - controls amount of water in body

  - helps control nerves and muscles

  - helps body to use energy
• Main food sources of sodium: 5 examples

  - mostly table salt (in most foods)

  - cheese

  - bacon

  - ham

  - fast foods / ready meals
• What happens if someone is deficient in Sodium?

  - muscle cramps = caused by losing salt in sweat in hot climates or by sickness + diarrhoea
• What happens if someone has an excess of Sodium?

  - high blood pressure = put a strain on the heart + kidney = affects how efficiently they work
• Why will someone have muscle cramps if they are deficient in Sodium?

  - not enough sodium to help control the nerves = muscles won't work properly
• Why will a person have high blood pressure + their kidneys and heart don't work properly if they have too much sodium? 2 points


  - excess sodium = makes body retain too much water instead of getting rid of it through kidneys.

  - Extra water increases volume of blood + raises blood pressure as heart works harder to pump it around body
• Why do we need Fluoride?

  - strengthen bones + enamel in teeth

  - help prevent tooth decay
• Main food sources of Fluoride: 4 examples


  - fish (salmon)

  - seafood

  - some water supplies

  - tea
• What would happen if someone is deficient in Fluoride?

  - may lead to weak enamel on teeth = more chance of tooth decay
• What would happen if someone has an excess of Fluoride?

  may lead to permanently discoloured teeth
• Why would someone have weak enamel if they're deficient in Fluoride?

  enamel is not strong enough = acid from bacteria in mouth will dissolve it easily
• Why will someone have permanently discoloured teeth if they have too much Fluoride?

  too much fluoride = affects normal mineralisation of teeth
• What is given to babies to help strengthen their teeth?


  drops