Nutrition Fundamentals: Water and Minerals

Nutrition Fundamentals: Water and Minerals

• Water is not stored in the body
• Intake equals output
• Intake sources include beverages, food, and cellular respiration
• Output sources include bowel movements, bladder, sweating, and lung respiration

Water Regulation

• Key regulators include thirst, kidneys, and blood vessel constriction
• These mechanisms maintain water balance in the body

Water Functions

• Acts as a solvent, dissolving solutes like glucose, proteins, and minerals
• Essential for chemical reactions
• Transports nutrients, oxygen, hormones, and waste products
• Protects and cushions body structures
• Regulates pH and temperature
• Regulates blood pressure

Water Needs

• Recommended Daily Intake (RDI) for water differs between men and women.
• Men need approximately 3.7 liters (15 cups)
• Women need approximately 2.7 liters (11 cups)
• Individuals also obtain water from foods (20%)

Factors Increasing Water Needs

• Increased activity and temperature
• Decreased humidity
• Low-calorie diets
• High-salt diets
• High-fiber diets
• Alcohol consumption

Minerals

• There are 20 major and trace minerals in the body

• Minerals are affected by the amount present in the soil

• Also influenced by processing, cooking, and other plant parts (e.g., fibers)

• Oxalates are found in spinach, rhubarb, beet greens, and chocolate

• Tannins are found in tea, red wine, barley, and sorghum

• Phytates are found in whole grains, soy, and bran

Electrolytes

• Electrolytes like sodium (Na) and potassium (K) are crucial for nerve impulses
• Essential for signals between cells and regulating fluid balance
• Deficiency can lead to issues with heavy sweating, diarrhea, vomiting, and kidney disorders.
• Excess can cause issues with high blood pressure (sodium) and potassium stopping the heart.

Sodium in Foods

• 75% of sodium comes from processed foods.
• 12% from whole, unprocessed, and unseasoned foods
• 13% from seasonings

Daily Sodium Needs

• Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA): 1500 mg
• Tolerable Upper Intake Level (TUL): 2300 mg

Sodium Discussion Points

• Potential impact of water consumption on restaurant revenue
• Impact of water type (bubbly vs. still) on customer choices
• Impact of water timing (before or during meals ) on customer choices
• Study of sodium content in restaurant foods.

Calcium

• Plays a significant role in bone and tooth health
• Vital for muscle contraction, neurotransmitter release, blood pressure regulation, and cell communication.
• Also crucial for blood clotting.

Iron Rich Foods

• Heme iron is found in animal foods(meats) and is easily absorbed.
• Non-heme iron is found in plant foods(legumes, whole grains, nuts), and absorption is less efficient.

Mineral Sources

• Different minerals are found in various food types: leafy greens( magnesium), nuts/seeds/legumes(various minerals), bananas, whole grains( iron), meats (iron & Zinc), seafood (selenium), kidney/liver (chromium), dairy products( molybdenum & Zinc)) etc

Mineral Toxicity

• Supplement use can lead to mineral toxicity.
• Excessive mineral intake can have adverse effects on various bodily functions, sometimes resulting in constipation, loss of appetite, or heart problems.

Additional Considerations

• Determining factors for strong bones
• Common student concerns (tiredness, demotivation, illness).

Dive into the essentials of water and minerals in nutrition. This quiz covers the significance of water regulation, daily intake recommendations, and the critical functions water performs in the body. Explore how hydration affects health and the factors that influence individual water needs.