General information on minerals
Minerals are inorganic compounds essential for our body and as such should be included in our daily diet in adequate amounts, usually very small.

1. What are they?
Minerals are essential nutrients for the body to perform numerous and specific functions and, as such, must be supplied in a varied and balanced diet.

Are needed to form bones, teeth, red blood cells, hormones, genetic material, as well as involved in the metabolism of other nutrients, nerve transmission and are components of body fluids.

We take special care of their contribution during the growing age and in certain physiological situations such as pregnancy, lactation and menopause, reflecting increased demand for or supply nutrients to meet the needs of the organism. Their lack or excess can cause serious health problems.

2. Functions of minerals
They perform specific and important functions as:
- Training and maintenance of bone and teeth
- Synthesis of hormones and nucleic acids
- Training and maintenance of body fluids
- Transmission of nerve impulse
- Transport of substances into and out of the cell
- Participation in the metabolic processes that occur in the body.

3. Where to find?
Varied diet. With a varied diet we consume all the necessary minerals.
Food sources that contain essential minerals for men are numerous and varied. Are found in animal foods such as vegetable, and even in the drinking water that, depending on certain areas may be rich in iodine, fluorine, copper and others.

As with vitamins alone, no food is going to be able to provide all the minerals in amounts that meet our needs. Hence the importance that we have a varied and balanced diet.

4. Nutritional Needs
With age decreases your ability to absorb minerals, being in childhood and adolescence when we can more effectively absorb these nutrients.

This means it is in these stages should take special care when eating habits we acquire and we can condition our state of health in the future.

In the age of growth, the body, but is an advantage that improved absorptive capacity, is when it requires a greater contribution of minerals, particularly those related to an increased bone activity.

We must also bear in mind that in certain physiological situations such as pregnancy, menopause and breastfeeding, and women of childbearing age, you must increase appropriately the supply of certain minerals, due to increased nutritional requirements that carry the same.

5. Types of minerals
Minerals are classified according to the quantities that are necessary for the body: in minerals and major elements and minerals or trace elements.

5.1. Major minerals
The major minerals, also known as macro-, are present in greater proportion in the tissues of the body and must be produced in larger quantities (100 mg) in the diet. In this group are calcium, phosphorus, sulfur, chlorine, sodium, potassium and magnesium.

5.2. Trace Minerals
Trace minerals, also called trace minerals are needed in smaller quantities, but are equally indispensable. Iron, fluoride, zinc, copper, selenium, manganese, iodine, molybdenum, chromium, cobalt are trace minerals. Other trace minerals in our body, such as arsenic, boron, cadmium, nickel, titanium and vanadium, although it is unknown if they are essential for humans.