Food sources of calcium

Calcium is a mineral that helps human body build and maintain strong bones and teeth. Calcium is the most abundant divalent cation of the body, representing about 1.5% to 2 % of total body weight.

Calcium in the body roses from an average of 24 grams at birth to about 1300 grams at maturity. Over 99% of the total calcium of the body located in the bones, where it accounts for 39% of the total body bone mineral content and in the teeth, mostly as hydroxyapatite.

The amount of calcium human body need depends on age, but women age 50 and younger and men ages 70 and younger both need about 1,000 milligrams daily.

Calcium is present in foods and dietary supplements as relatively insoluble salts. Food sources of calcium include milk, milk products, sardines, clams, oysters, turnip greens, broccoli, legumes and dried fruits. Broccoli is one of the healthiest vegetables. 100 grams of raw broccoli contains 46 milligrams of calcium, while the same amount of cooked broccoli contains slightly less (40 milligrams).

Majority of dietary calcium in industrialized countries comes from milk products. Milk and milk alternatives are excellent sources of calcium. Products like milk, yogurt, and cheese are rich in calcium and tend to be the best-absorbed sources of it.

When substantial amounts of grains are consumed, for like breads or as maize, these can be important sources, although the calcium in cereals rends to be less bioavailable than that in dairy products.

Orange juice and cereals are often fortified with calcium. Calcium citrate malate is a well-absorbed form found in some fortified juices. There are also fortified cereals that provide as much as 100 mg of calcium per serving.
Food sources of calcium

Hyaluronic acid in human body

Among food that are rich with hyaluronic acid including: bone broth, citrus fruits, tofu, kale, almonds, edamame, sweet potatoes, nut and seeds.

In human skin, hyaluronic acid has the ability to bind water in the tissue. However, as the amount of hyaluronic acid decrease with age, les water is bound, making the skin look older, less elastic and less resilient.

Hyaluronic acid has many functions, but primarily it holds water in the tissues by binding water molecules to cells and tissues.

This helps to provide the medium need for numerous body process and molecular transport. The large amount of fluid that is held by the polymers permits diffusion of solutes between capillaries and cells.

In the synovial cavity, the viscosity of the synovial fluid assists in lubrication of joints, which acts to dampen shock.
Hyaluronic acid in human body

Food sources of manganese

Manganese is an element essential to the proper functioning of both humans and animals, as it is required for the functioning of many cellular enzymes and can serve to activate many others. Human body uses manganese to make energy and protect body cells from damage. Human body also needs manganese for strong bones, reproduction, blood clotting, healthy nerves and a healthy immune system.

Minute quantities of manganese are also needed for protein and fat metabolism, and blood sugar regulation.

Body contains between 10 to 20 milligrams of manganese, which is concentrated primarily in the bone, liver, pancreas and brain. Rich sources of manganese include: whole grains, clams, oysters, mussels, nuts, soybeans and other legumes, rice, leafy vegetables, coffee, tea, and many spices, such as black pepper.

The highest concentrations are found in certain foods of plant origin, especially wheat and rice, with concentrations between 10 mg/kg and 100 mg/kg. Polished rice and wheat flour contain less manganese, because most of it is in the bran. High concentrations of manganese have been found in tea leaves.

Drinking water also contains small amounts of manganese at concentrations of 1 to 100 mcg/L. although drinking-water generally contains less than 100 µg/liter. The top sources of manganese in the diets of U.S. adults are grain products, tea, and vegetables.

Manganese is available in many multivitamin/multimineral and other dietary supplements. Supplements contain many forms of manganese, such as manganese sulfate and manganese aspartate.

In the United States, estimated average intakes of dietary manganese range from 2.1 to 2.3 mg/day for men and 1.6 to 1.8 mg/day for women. Surveys have found those adhering to vegetarian diet have manganese intakes of up to 7.0 mg/day.

Absorption of manganese is poor, only 1 to 15 percent. The high levels of iron, calcium and phosphorus may inhibit absorption.

Manganese is absorbed in the small intestine through an active transport system and, possibly, through diffusion when intakes are high. After absorption, some manganese remains free, but most is bound to transferrin, albumin, and plasma alpha-2 macroglobulin.
Food sources of manganese

Dietary fat: Saturated fat

Fat is a major source of energy and helps the body absorb vitamins. It is also important for proper growth, and for keeping people healthy. The most common fats in food are triacylglycerols (also called triglycerides) where three fatty acids are bonded to glycerol.

The characteristics of fats are determined by the fatty acids they contain. Saturated fatty acids have no double bonds within the fatty acid chain. Most saturated fats come from animal products, like dairy, meat, and poultry. They can also be found in most fried foods and some prepackaged foods.

Saturated fat can lead to increased LDL cholesterol levels, and elevated plasma cholesterol levels have been shown to be a risk factor for cardiovascular disease.

The saturated fat found food that is primarily composed of triglycerides containing palmitic and stearic acids. Over 90% of fatty acids found in the standard American diet are either palmitic acid (C16:0), stearic acid (C18:0), oleic acid (C18:1), or linoleic acid (18:2).

What foods and beverages are higher in saturated fats?
• Meats higher in fat, like beef ribs, sausage, and some processed meats
• Higher-fat dairy, like regular-fat cheeses and whole or 2% milk
• Butter, stick margarine, cream, and cream cheese
• Some tropical oils, like coconut and palm kernel oil
• Cakes, cookies, and some snack foods

Cereals and cereal products (mainly biscuits, buns, cakes, pastries and fruit pies), milk and milk products (mainly cheese and milk), and meat and meat products were the main contributors to saturated fat intake in all age groups.

Dishes with many ingredients — like pizza, casseroles, burgers, tacos, and sandwiches — tend to have ingredients that are high in saturated fats.

In saturated fats, there are no double bonds, so the fatty acids are straight, compact, and rigid molecules that are able to pack tightly next to each other to form a solid.
Dietary fat: Saturated fat

Phospholipids: Food sources and functions

Phospholipids are molecules in which hydrophilic head group and hydrophobic acyl chains are linked to the alcohol. Phospholipids have an important participation in all living cell membranes, which act as the building block of cell membranes in all organisms.

Phospholipids are lipids containing phosphorus, a polar potion and non-polar potion in their structures. They are amphiphilic molecules that are in charge of controlling what goes in or out of the cell. In fact, they are the major structural constituents of all biological membranes, although they may be also involved in other functions such as signal transduction.

Phospholipids can be divided into three categories:
*Phosphatidic acids, lecithin, cephalins, etc
*Plasmalogens
*Sphinghomyelins

Phospholipids are widely distributed in animals and plants, and the main sources include vegetable oils (e.g. soybean, cotton seed, corn, sunflower and rapeseed) and animal tissues (e.g. egg yolk and bovine brain). In terms of production, egg yolk and soybean are the most important sources for phospholipids.

Phospholipids provide rigidity, signal transduction, energy to cells. Phospholipids such as lecithins are molecules of future food, medicine and cosmetic industry. Phospholipids are used in fat and oil refining and these are also used as carriers in drug and drug delivery system.
Phospholipids: Food sources and functions

Simple lipid of polyunsaturated fats

Fat is a major source of energy and helps your body absorb vitamins. It is also important for proper growth, and for keeping you healthy. The main types of “healthy” fats are monounsaturated and polyunsaturated.

Chemically, polyunsaturated fats belong to the class of simple lipids, as they are fatty acids with two or more double bonds in cis configuration.

Linoleic acid (n-6) (LA) and alpha-linolenic acid (n-3) (LNA) are two of the main representative compounds, known as dietary essential fatty acids (EFA) because they prevent deficiency symptoms and cannot be synthesized by humans.

Essential fats play a role in many body processes, including immune and nervous system function, blood clotting, and blood pressure regulation.

Polyunsaturated fats – found mainly in vegetable oils like corn, sunflower, safflower and soybean. They also can be found in fish (such as herring, mackerel, salmon, trout, and tuna), mayonnaise and oil-based salad dressings
Simple lipid of polyunsaturated fats

Food sources of vitamin C

Vitamin C is widely distributed in both plants and animals, occurring mostly 80-90% as ascorbic acid but also as dehydroascorbic acid.

It is well established that the most important food sources of vitamin C are fresh fruits and vegetables. Foods rich in vitamin C include citrus fruits –oranges, grapefruit, limes and lemons , bell peppers, kiwi fruits, strawberries, tomatoes, and broccoli.

Potatoes also are a fair sources although the content of vitamin C is relatively low due to people consume large quantities of potatoes. Many people meet their needs of vitamin C simply by drinking orange juice.

The vitamin C content of most foods decreases dramatically during storage owing to the aggregate effects of several processes by which the vitamin can be destroyed. Ascorbic acid is susceptible to oxidation dehydroascorbic acid.

It is also easily destroyed by exposure to redox transition metals such as iron and copper. Substantial losses of vitamin C can occur during storage and are enhanced greatly during cooking. Losses in cooking are usually greater with such methods as boiling because the stability of ascorbic acid is much less in aqueous solution.

Ascorbate oxidases, released from vegetables during cutting or wilting, help to destroy vitamin C. Vitamin C containing foods must be protected against exposure to oxygen to prevent losses.

Vitamin C is absorbed from the duodenum into the circulatory system. It’s the taken up by the retina, adrenal glands, liver, spleen kidneys and other organ. Up to 90 percent of dietary vitamin C is absorbed.

Daily intake is necessary due to vitamin C water solubility.

Food sources of vitamin C

Daily requirement for vitamin A

The requirement for vitamin A can be considered as those amounts which allow certain defend states of nutriture to exist.

Because the absorption efficiency of preformed vitamin in foods is equal to a greater than 90 percent, the dietary requirement is 10 percent higher than the requirement for absorbed vitamin A.

The US recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) of vitamin A for adults is 5000 IU (1000 retinol equivalents).

Main dietary sources of vitamin A are the carotenoids from fruits and vegetables. Rich dietary sources of retinol (preformed vitamin A) include dairy products, eggs and organ meats.

About 100 g of carrots or any of a large variety of green leafy vegetables can meet the daily requirement of vitamin A.

Some carotenoids (found in deep-yellow and dark green vegetables) can be converted to vitamin A during digestion. In the US diet, approximately half of the vitamin A activity is derived from B-carotene and other carotenoids. It is not essential to meet the daily basis requirement on a daily basis because the liver can store about 50 day’s supply of vitamin A.

Excess of vitamin A can cause defects in the fetal bones and central nervous system. Rarely should adult doses exceeding 25,000 IU daily be taken unless a deficiency is especially severe.
Daily requirement for vitamin A

What are nutritive minerals?

The term mineral in food and nutrition usually refers to an element other than carbon, hydrogen, oxygen and nitrogen that is present in food.

People need minerals to remain healthy. Mineral are micronutrients and are developed from food and beverages.

Mineral elements are used by the body in a great variety of ways. They may form part of the rigid structure of the body. They may be present in the cell fluids or like sodium in extracellular fluids.

Calcium, phosphorus, sodium, potassium, magnesium, chlorine and sulfur make up the dietary macro minerals, those minerals required at more than 100 mg/day by the adult.

Because of the large amounts of calcium all over the body, it is one of the most important minerals. Its functions are related to: mineralization of the bone tissue (bones and teeth), maintaining the cardiac rhythm, coagulating the blood, regulating the acid-basic equilibrium.

Calcium together with vitamin D3, and phosphorus play an essential role in the forming and maintenance of the bones. Calcium and phosphorus account for about 75% of the mineral elements on the body, and each of them has a number of essential functions to perform.

Calcium deficiency cause serious disorders and leads to anemia, osteoporosis, dental cavities, irregular menses, severe headaches, sexual problems (loss of libido and sexual appetite, erectile dysfunctions etc.), emotional disorders (stress, anxiety, chronic depression), sleep disorders (insomnia) and many other dysfunctions.

The main source of calcium milk and milk products, followed at a considerable distance by fruit and vegetables, cereal products, meat, fish and eggs.

Magnesium is found in most vegetables, cereals and cereal fours, beans and nuts. Magnesium supplements are extremely beneficial for maintaining healthy heart, lowering high cholesterol levels in the blood, strengthening the bones structure.

Magnesium is required for more of biochemical reactions than any other minerals. The ability to transport across cell membranes, DNA transcription, glycolysis, muscle contraction and relaxation, nerve transmission and protein synthesis are all magnesium dependent process.

A human adult contains about 20-25 g magnesium and most of it is found in the bones as magnesium phosphate.

Magnesium deficiency leads to allergies, low immunity to infections, nails, hair and teeth fragility, migraines, loss of appetite, high blood pressure, fatigue, nausea, vomiting, emotional disorders etc.

Potassium is present in the body cells as the chief intracellular cation and is associated with function of muscles and nerves and with the metabolism of carbohydrates.

It is important in maintaining the fluid volume inside cells, and the acid-base balance. Good sources of potassium are meats, eggs, oranges, bananas and fresh milk.

Trace minerals include iron, iodine, zinc, selenium, chromium, copper and fluorine. Although trace minerals are present in minute amounts they play very important riles in the diet, and modern analytical methods are extremely sensitive to accurate measure them in foods.

Iron is essential for the red blood cells forming and oxygen carrying to the tissues. Iron is tightly linked to the hemoglobin, which transports oxygen from the lungs to all body cells and is also part of key enzyme systems for energy production and metabolism.

Iron is found in meats, eggs, legumes, whole grains and green leafy vegetables. Iron deficiency causes anemia, shortness of breath, headaches, chronic fatigue, nausea, dry mouth, severe menstruation pains and disorders.

Meats are good source of iron, and zinc. Dairy foods provide about 80 percent of the average American’s daily calcium.
What are nutritive minerals?