Mineral

Key Stage 3

Meaning

Minerals are different naturally occurring elements and compounds.

Minerals in our Diet

Minerals are an essential part of a healthy diet.

We need minerals for the body to build certain proteins.

Some minerals you should know:

• Iron - Used to make red blood cells.
• Calcium - Used to keep bones and teeth strong.
• Sodium - Used in nerve cells to send signals around the body.
• Iodine - Used in the thyroid gland to make special proteins called hormones.

Minerals in Food

There are minerals in almost every food we eat.

Red meat contains lots of Iron.	Yoghurt, milk and cream are a good source of calcium.	Fruit have lots of different minerals inside.	Vegetables have lots of different minerals.

References

AQA

Mineral, page 132, GCSE Chemistry; Student Book, Collins, AQA