Are We Eating Metal Chunks?
Unveiling the Chemistry of Minerals in Our Diet
Well, to begin with, absolutely not! When we talk about consuming minerals, let’s say iron for strong blood flow, we aren’t actually eating tiny iron filings sprinkled on our cereal. Instead of iron or magnesium chunks, we consume their salts.
- Like table salt?
+ Well, table salt (sodium chloride) is the celebrity of salts, but there are many others in our diet. In general terms, a salt is a neutral compound formed by the attraction between positively charged ions and negatively charged ions.
· What’s an atom, what’s a salt?
Let’s imagine we are atoms, each of us has unique characteristics. A part of our uniqueness is due to our electrons — how many we have and how we arrange them around.
One of us has one or a couple of electrons that occupy a big ole house. The other has room for one or a couple of electrons to fill all of their houses. That way, electrons can share the rent and everyone will be happy and stable.
· Why are most metals found as salts?
Because they want to become stable! They want to get rid of the single or couple of electrons that have occupied a whole place that they need to manage. Highly reactive metals readily combine with other elements, particularly non-metals like oxygen or chlorine, to form more stable ionic compounds — salts. These salts are more abundant in nature because they are less susceptible to further reactions with the environment.
A quick note: while some trace amounts of essential minerals might exist in their elemental form in our diet, these ionic salts are the more prevalent and bioavailable form for our bodies to absorb.
· Why do we even consume salts?
Our bodies can’t directly absorb minerals in their raw form. The digestive system works its magic by breaking down food and converting minerals into forms readily absorbed by the intestines. This process often involves interactions with other dietary components, like vitamin C aiding in iron absorption.
Our body is an electric factory! Countless chemical reactions are happening all the time. Our cells, neuroreceptors, and basically all our organs need these ions from mineral salts to function properly. These minerals can be divided into two categories based on how much we need them:
- Macrominerals: Needed in larger quantities (hundreds of milligrams daily), these include calcium for strong bones, phosphorus for energy production, magnesium for muscle function, potassium for nerve impulses, sodium for fluid balance, chloride for digestion, and sulfur for protein synthesis.
- Microminerals: Required in smaller amounts (micrograms to milligrams daily), these include iron for oxygen transport, zinc for wound healing, iodine for thyroid function, selenium for antioxidant activity, copper for collagen formation, manganese for enzyme function, chromium for blood sugar regulation, molybdenum for enzyme function, and fluoride for strong teeth.
By understanding minerals and how they work, we can make informed choices about the food we eat, ensuring our bodies have the right building blocks to thrive!
Let me know in the comments what you’d like to explore next! Challenge me to explain some of the hard concepts in the simplest way!
