Micronutrients: Types, Examples and Importance

Micronutrients generally refer to vitamins and minerals, and our bodies only need small amounts of these nutrients. Micronutrients are essential for our bodies to function properly. Lacking even one of these essential micronutrients can cause serious negative symptoms of our body’s disease. We need these vitamins and minerals, but what exactly are they, and how can we make sure that we are getting enough of them?

After reading this article, you will be able to describe what micronutrients are, why minerals are crucial to us, and what mineral bioavailability is. We’ll also study which foods are high in vitamins and minerals. This article will provide you with a basic understanding of Micronutrients: Categories of Vitamins and Minerals and their various uses.

What are Micronutrients?

Micronutrients are non-caloric nutrients that are needed in small to trace amounts to help with everyday bodily functions. Vitamins and minerals are micronutrients. They are required in small quantities to conduct metabolic activities.

Types of Micronutrients

In 1912, Casimir Funk originally coined the term “vitamine.” He was also known as the ‘father of vitamin therapy’. There are a total of 13 vitamins, which are divided into 2 categories-

• Water-soluble vitamins, which include vitamin B and C,.
• Fat-soluble vitamins, which include vitamins A, D, E, and K.

Water-soluble Vitamins:

• Water-soluble vitamins are required by enzymes engaged in metabolism; enzymes cannot function without water-soluble vitamins.
• Water-soluble vitamins include vitamin C and a range of B vitamins; however, some of these B vitamins include thymine and riboflavin. Niacin, pantothenic acid, pyrooxidize, biotin, folate, cobalamin, and the fat-soluble vitamins A, E, D, and K.
• Except for B6 and B12, water-soluble vitamins cannot be stored in the body and are easily eliminated if not required. Because water-soluble vitamins are not stored in the body, it is critical to consume them on a daily basis to avoid deficiency.
• vitamin D and vitamin K are unique because our bodies make these for themselves.
• Our bodies make vitamin D when we’re exposed to sunlight, and good bacteria in our intestines can provide us with small amounts of vitamin K.
• If you have an excess of water-soluble vitamins in your body system, Then they have to leave the body, and they leave the body through urine.
• While fat-soluble vitamins are stored in our body’s fat tissue and liver, water-soluble vitamins are not stored, and they need to be replaced every single day.

Fat-Soluble Vitamins:

• Unlike water-soluble vitamins, fat-soluble vitamins can be stored in the body for extended periods and later excreted. This storage usually occurs in the liver and adipose tissue.
• The ability of the healthy body to store fat-soluble vitamins decreases the risk of deficiencies. However, overconsumption can lead to toxicity, also referred to as hypervitaminosis.
• When consuming vitamins through foods, the risk of overconsumption is extremely rare. The risk of toxicity usually occurs through high amounts of supplementation.

Minerals:

• Minerals are inorganic (not generated from living matter) materials that are required in trace amounts to help control body activities. Except for iron, all minerals are absorbed in their natural state.
• Minerals are non-organic materials found in water, soil, and rocks. Plants absorb these minerals through their roots. These minerals are then passed on to animals when they eat plants.
• Mineral absorption is hampered when minerals are linked to other molecules. The degree to which a mineral is absorbed is referred to as its mineral bioavailability.
• When 40% of a mineral can be absorbed, it is said to have high mineral bioavailability. Chloride, fluoride, iodine, potassium, and sodium are minerals in this category. Chromium, iron, manganese, and zinc are examples of minerals with a low bioavailability of 10%. The bioavailability of all other minerals ranges from 30 to 40%.
• Some of the best foods for vitamins and minerals are fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans, lean protein, and dairy products. A great way to get minerals is to consume a variety of foods and get plenty of fruits and vegetables consistently.

There are 16 total minerals that can be separated into two main categories: microminerals and macrominerals.

• Macro minerals:
  • We need macro-minerals more than micro-minerals. The seven main kinds of macrominerals are calcium, chloride, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, sodium, and sulfur.
• Micro minerals (trace minerals):
  • Nine microminerals our body needs are chromium, copper, fluoride, iodine, iron, manganese, molybdenum, selenium, and zinc.
• Minerals, like vitamins, are vitally crucial for our overall health.
• They contribute to the construction of our bodies and aid in numerous activities, like maintaining fluid equilibrium in our bodies, conveying nerve impulses, regulating blood sugar, and preserving the health of our skin and hair.
• The best approach to receiving all the required minerals, just like vitamins, is to consume a diversified and balanced diet.
• The best source of these essential micronutrients is unprocessed meals, commonly known as whole foods.

Important Micronutrients for plants

Element	Absorbed from	Function
Iron (Fe)	Fe2+ and Fe3+ In active site of many redox enzymes and electron carriers, chlorophyll synthesis	Fe2+ and Fe3+ In active site of many redox enzymes and electron carriers, chlorophyll synthesis
Chlorine (CL)	Cl	Photosynthesis, ion balance
Manganese (Mn)	Mn2+	Activity of many enzymes
Boron (B)	B(OH)3	Possibly carbohydrate transport
Zinc (Zn)	Zn2+	Enzyme activation, auxin synthesis
Copper (Cu)	Cu2+	In active site of many enzymes & electron carrier
Nickel (Ni)	Ni2+	Activation of one enzyme
Molybdenum (Mo)	MoO42-	Nitrate reduction

Mineral Deficiency in plants

Deficiency	Symptoms
Calcium	Calcium Growing point dies back, young leaves are yellow and crinkly.
Iron	Young leaves are white or yellow.
Magnesium	Older leaves have yellow in stripes between veins.
Manganese	Younger leaves are pale with green veins.
Nitrogen	Oldest leaves turn yellow and die prematurely; plant is stunted.
Phosphorus	The plant is dark green with purple veins and stunted.
Potassium	Older leaves have dead edges.
Sulphur	Young leaves are yellow to white with yellow veins.
Zinc	Young leaves are abnormally small; older leaves have many dead spots.

Conclusion

Vitamins are crucial because they help our bodies perform essential functions. They aid in the formation of bone tissue, the proper vision of objects, and the proper functioning of our immunological and nervous systems. In the above article, we have provided complete information about different categories of vitamins and minerals in depth.

FAQs: Micronutrients: Categories of Vitamins and Minerals

1. What are the 7 micronutrients in food?

There are 7 essential plant nutrient elements defined as micronutrients [boron (B), zinc (Zn), manganese (Mn), iron (Fe), copper (Cu), molybdenum (Mo), chlorine (Cl)].

2. What are the 2 main micronutrients?

Vitamins and minerals are the two types of micronutrients. While only needed in small amounts, they play important roles in human development and well-being, including the regulation of metabolism, heartbeat, cellular pH, and bone density.

3. What are 5 functions of Vitamins?

Vitamins and minerals are essential for bodily functions such as helping to fight infection, wound healing, making our bones strong and regulating hormones. Vitamins and minerals can cause toxicity if consumed in large amounts.

4. What is vitamin A, B, C,D?

The four fat-soluble vitamins are vitamins A, D, E, and K. These vitamins are absorbed more easily by the body in the presence of dietary fat. Water-soluble vitamins are not stored in the body. The nine water-soluble vitamins are vitamin C and all the B vitamins.

5. What are the three main types of micronutrients?

Micronutrients can be divided into three groups:

• Vitamins.
• Minerals.
• Pythochemicals/phytonutrients.

6. What are micro minerals?

Microminerals also called trace minerals, these are minerals which are required in small amounts. Therefore, they are also called minor minerals. Trace minerals include iron, copper, iodine, zinc, manganese, fluoride, cobalt and selenium.

7. What are the 4 main functions of minerals?

Minerals help maintain acid-base balance, to keep the body pH neutral. Minerals help regulate body processes, such as in enzyme systems. Minerals function in nerve impulse transmission and muscle contraction. Minerals help release energy from food.