Micronutrients

After knowing about Macronutrients and its role, let’s see about Micronutrients.

Micronutrients are nutrients required by organisms in minuscule quantities to orchestrate a range of physiological functions and essential for proper growth and development.

Though the requirements of the micronutrients (of the body) are very tiny (milli and microgram) amounts but, the consequences of their absence are severe. (The deficiency of micronutrient leads to disease and disorders) Body can’t synthesize the micronutrients (like the macronutrients) must be supplied through the diet.

Micronutrients include all the essential minerals and vitamins phytochemicals, and antioxidant. In contrast to macronutrients, micronutrients are not directly used for making energy, but they work together with enzymes and other substances, in the process of energy production, (metabolism) digesting nutrients, building macromolecules, etc.

Minerals : Dietary minerals are the chemical elements required by living organisms.  There are sixteen essential minerals, found in ionized form in the body. They are further classified into Major or macro minerals {=>100 milligrams per day} and Trace or micro minerals {< 100 milligrams/ day}.

Minerals are critical for enzyme function, others are used to maintain fluid balance, build bone tissue, synthesize hormones, transmit nerve impulses, contract and relax muscles, and protect against harmful free radicals.

Minerals are very important in keeping the blood and tissue fluids from either becoming too acid or too alkaline, or aid in transporting nutrients to the cells. Also, they are your electrolytes, carrying electrical currents through the body.

Calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, sodium, potassium, chloride and sulfur are known as major or macro minerals.

Iron, manganese, copper, iodine, zinc, fluoride, selenium, chromium and molybdenum are known as trace or micro minerals.

Vitamins: There are thirteen essential vitamins are required to our body to function. Vitamins are either fat-soluble or water-soluble. Fat soluble Vitamins can be stored in the fatty tissues in the body when in excess. But, water soluble vitamins excreted in urine when in excess and so need to be taken daily.

The water-soluble vitamins are vitamin C and all the B vitamins, which include thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, pyroxidine, biotin, folate and cobalamin. Fat soluble vitamins are Vitamin A, D, E and K.

Vitamins are required to carry out many functions in the body like, making red blood cells, synthesizing bone tissue, and playing a role in vision and nervous function and immune system. Deficiency of vitamin can cause severe health problems. Certain vitamins like C or E are also acting as Antioxidants.

Antioxidants are a substance (from plant and animal sources) that inhibits or slows the damage done to our cells by oxidation. (Free radicals)

Phytochemicals are chemical compounds found in plants. Hundreds of these phytochemical compounds are considered micronutrients because they are needed by our body for good health.