2.2.3

Minerals & Water

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Minerals - Calcium and Iron

To maintain a healthy diet, we need small quantities of minerals, which are chemical elements, and trace elements. Minerals support chemical reactions in the body.

Calcium

Calcium

  • Some of the foods we get calcium from are yoghurt, leafy green vegetables, cheese, canned fish and milk.
  • We need calcium to maintain strong teeth and bones. We also need calcium to maintain healthy nerves and muscles to support blood clotting.
Excess and too little calcium

Excess and too little calcium

  • Excess:
    • The body stores any excess calcium in organs, such as the kidneys. Excess calcium in the kidneys can increase the risk of developing kidney stones and cause the kidneys to stop working.
  • Too little:
    • Weakened bones and teeth.
    • Bending of bones.
    • Slowed blood clotting.
    • Children that don't get enough calcium can develop rickets or osteoporosis from having weaker bones.
Iron

Iron

  • We get iron from red meat, liver, kidney, dark green vegetables (such as watercress), wholemeal bread, egg yolk etc.
  • Iron is an important part of haemoglobin, which makes red blood cells red.
Excess and too little iron

Excess and too little iron

  • Excess (poisonous):
    • Constipation.
    • Feeling nauseous.
    • Stomach cramps.
  • Too little:
    • Iron deficiency anaemia.
    • Pale skin.
    • Fatigue.

Minerals - Sodium and Phosphorus

To maintain a healthy diet, we need small quantities of minerals, which are chemical elements, and trace elements. Minerals support chemical reactions in the body.

Sodium

Sodium

  • We get sodium chloride (salt) from most of the foods we eat. For example, bacon, stock cubes, ham, salted butter. Lots of people choose to add it to foods too.
  • Salt supports nerve and muscle function. Salt also helps to monitor the body's water content.
Excess and too little sodium

Excess and too little sodium

  • Excess salt in the diet is unhealthy. Symptoms include cardiovascular disease and high blood pressure.
  • People can experience nausea and muscle cramps if they take in too little salt.
Phosphorus

Phosphorus

  • We get phosphorus from foods that contain lots of protein, like dairy products, beef and salmon.
  • We need phosphorus to develop strong teeth and bones and for making cell membranes (particularly in the brain).
Excess and too little phosphorus

Excess and too little phosphorus

  • Excess phosphorus can make calcium absorption more difficult.
  • Symptoms of having too little phosphorus include painful bones and weakened muscles.
Jump to other topics
1

Food Preparation Skills

1.1

Food Preparation Skills

1.1.1General Practical Skills1.1.2Knife Skills1.1.3Preparing Fruit, Vegetables & Using Equipment1.1.4Cooking Methods: Prepare, Shape & Combine1.1.5Sauce Making, Tenderising & Marinating1.1.6Dough & Pastry1.1.7Shaping & Finishing Dough1.1.8Raising Agents & Mixtures1.1.9End of Topic Test - Food Preparation Skills 1
2

Food, Nutrition & Health

2.1

Macronutrients

2.1.1Proteins2.1.2Proteins 22.1.3Fats2.1.4Carbohydrates2.1.5Carbohydrates 2
2.2

Micronutrients

2.2.1Fat-Soluble Vitamins2.2.2Water-Soluble Vitamins2.2.3Minerals & Water2.2.4Minerals & Water 22.2.5End of Topic Test - Macro & Micronutrients
2.3

Nutritional Needs & Health

2.3.1Informed Choices for a Balanced Diet2.3.2Informed Choices for a Balanced Diet 22.3.3Energy Needs2.3.4Nutritional Analysis2.3.5Diet Modifications2.3.6Diet-Related Problems2.3.7Diet-Related Problems 22.3.8End of Topic Test - Nutritional Needs & Health
3

Food Science

3.1

Cooking of Food & Heat Transfer

3.1.1Reasons for Cooking & Heat Transfer3.1.2Water-Based Cooking Methods3.1.3Fat-Based Cooking Methods3.1.4Dry Cooking Methods3.1.5Dry Cooking Methods 2
3.2

Functional & Chemical Properties of Food

3.2.1Proteins & Carbohydrates3.2.2Fats & Oils3.2.3Raising Agents3.2.4End of Topic Test - Food Science
4

Food Safety

4.1

Food Spoilage & Contamination

4.1.1Microorganisms & Signs of Food Spoilage4.1.2Enzymes & Signs of Food Spoilage4.1.3Food Poisoning4.1.4Bacterial Contamination4.1.5Microorganisms in Food Production
4.2

Principles of Food Safety

4.2.1Temperature Control4.2.2Ambient Foods & Food Labels4.2.3Preparing, Cooking & Serving Food4.2.4End of Topic Test - Food Safety
5

Food Choice

5.1

Factors Affecting Food Choice

5.1.1Factors Which Influence Food Choice5.1.2Food Choices5.1.3Religious Food Choices5.1.4Food Labels5.1.5Mandatory Food Labels5.1.6Optional Food Labels5.1.7Marketing Influences5.1.8End of Topic Test - Food Choice
5.2

British & International Cuisines

5.2.1British Cuisine5.2.2Japanese Cuisine5.2.3Japanese Ingredients & Dishes5.2.4Spanish Cuisine5.2.5Spanish Ingredients & Dishes
5.3

Sensory Evaluation

5.3.1Taste Receptors & Olfactory Systems5.3.2Sensory Testing Methods5.3.3Sensory Testing Methods 25.3.4End of Topic Test - Cuisines & Senses
6

Food Provenance

6.1

Environmental Impact & Sustainability of Food

6.1.1Food Sources - Intensive & Organic Farming6.1.2Food Sources - Genetically Modified Crops6.1.3Food Sources - Reared Food6.1.4Food Sources - Caught Food6.1.5Food & The Environment6.1.6Food & The Environment 26.1.7Sustainability of Food6.1.8Sustainability of Food 26.1.9End of Topic Test - Environmental Impacts
6.2

Food Processing & Production

6.2.1Primary Food Processing6.2.2Primary Food Processing 26.2.3Secondary Food Processing6.2.4Fortification6.2.5Additives6.2.6End of Topic Test - Food Processing & Production

Practice questions on Minerals & Water

Can you answer these? Test yourself with free interactive practice on Seneca — used by over 10 million students.

  1. 1
    Which of these minerals strengthens our teeth?Multiple choice
  2. 2
    Consequences of consuming too much iron:True / false
  3. 3
    Which of the following conditions is NOT caused by calcium deficiency?Multiple choice
  4. 4
    Why do we need to consume salt?Fill in the list
  5. 5
    Cardiovascular disease and high blood pressure are symptoms of consuming too much of which mineral?Multiple choice
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Water-Soluble Vitamins

Minerals & Water 2