Human Digestion Summary

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Human Digestion Summary Minerals are essential nutrients that the body needs to survive and carry out daily functions and processes (What Are the Main, n.d.). Consuming a balanced diet daily will ensure that the body is receiving these proper mi,nerals. Minerals play many roles in the body such as maintaining pH balances, facilitating the transfer of nutrients across cells, helping contract and relax muscles, regulating the tissue growth within the body, and providing structural and functional support for the body. These minerals are broken up into two categories, major minerals and trace minerals. Both groups are equally important, however, major minerals are needed in larger quantities than trace minerals. While some minerals may serve a specific role, others can play a part in many different body functions. One mineral that has multiple functions is calcium. Calcium is well known for the importance of healthy bones and teeth, but it is also important in blood pressure regulation, nerve functioning, blood clotting and helping muscles contract and relax. An example of a mineral with one function is chromium. Chromium works with the insulin in the body to regulate blood sugar levels. Like minerals, water is also essential to survive and operate daily. Water serves five vital functions which include: cell life, chemical and metabolic reactions, transport of nutrients, regulates body temperature and elimination of waste. Water keeps the tissues in the eyes, mouth, and nose moist, it lubricates joints, protects organs, and is the primary constituent of blood. In adults, water accounts for about 60% of body weight (Grosvenor & Smolin, 2012). It is no wonder that when the body uses more water than an individual is consuming the body becomes dehydrated. Dehydration is a state that occurs when not enough water is present to meet the body’s

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