Lucas Linsy

3/7/14
Nutrition PE 3113
Chapter 9

Major Minerals
The primary dietary source of sodium is table salt. The human body absorbs almost
all sodium that gets eaten. Once absorbed, sodium becomes the major positive ion
outside of cells in extracellular fluid and a key factor for retaining body water. A
dietary deficiency of sodium is rare. A low sodium diet coupled with excessive
perspiration, persistent vomiting or diarrhea has the ability to deplete the body of
sodium. This state can lead to muscle cramps, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, and
later shock and coma. The food sources of sodium are pepperoni, ham, chicken
noodle soup, macaroni salad, hard pretzels, and hamburger with a bun, nonfat milk,
grape juice, animal crackers, and seven grain bread. The RDA for sodium is 2400
milligrams. The UL for adults is 2300 milligrams. Intakes exceeding this amount are
common but are not recommended because they typically increase blood pressure.
The more processed and restaurant food one consumes, generally the higher ones
sodium intake. Conversely, the more home cooking one does the more sodium
control a person has. The foods that contribute more of the sodium in the diet
(white bread and rolls, hot dogs and lunch meats, cheese, soups, and foods with
tomato sauce) do so partly because they are eaten so often. Other foods that
generally are especially high in sodium include salted snack foods, French fries,
potato chips, sauces and gravies.

Trace Minerals
The fluoride ion is the form of the trace mineral essential for human health. Like
chlorine, fluoride is a poisonous gas. Those who grew up drinking fluoridated water
generally have 40%-60% fewer dental cavities that people who did not drink
fluorinated water as children. Dietary fluoride consumed during childhood, when
bones and teeth are developing, aids the synthesis of a form of tooth enamel that
strongly resists acid. Fluoride inhibits metabolism and growth of the bacteria that
cause dental problems. Fluoride is found in tea, seafood, seaweed, and some
natural water sources are the only good food sources of fluoride. Most of the
fluoride intake comes from fluoride added to drinking water and toothpastes. The
Adequate Intake for fluoride for adults is 3.1-3.8 milligrams per day. This range of
intake provides the benefits of resistance to dental caries without causing ill effects.
Typical fluorinated water contains about 1 milligram per liter, which works out to

about 0.25 milligrams per cup. The UL for fluoride is set at 1.3-2-2 milligrams per
day for young children and 10 milligrams per day for children over 9 years of age
and adults, based on skeletal and tooth damage seen with higher doses. If children
swallow large amounts of fluoridated toothpaste as part of daily tooth care, tooth
mottling may develop. Not swallowing toothpaste and limiting the amount used to
pea size are the best ways to prevent this problem. In addition, children under 6
years should have tooth brushing supervised by an adult. Fluoride-related mottling
only occurs during development, so adults do not develop mottling from their
fluoride exposure. When in doubt, contact your local water plant or have the water
analyzed for fluoride content.