Question

Pull together information from Chapter 1 about the different food groups and the significant sources of minerals shown or discussed in Chapter 9. List and provide supportive reasoning about which minerals might be lacking (or excessive) in the diet of a client who reports the following:

a.    Client 1: Relies on highly processed foods, snack foods, and fast foods as mainstays of the diet.

b.    Client 2: Never uses milk, milk products, or cheese.

c.     Client 3: Dislikes green, leafy vegetables.

d.    Client 4: Never eats meat, fish, poultry, or even other protein foods such as legumes.

e.    What additional information would help you pinpoint problems with mineral intake for each of these clients?

Answer 1

a. Client 1- Lack trace elements like Iron and Copper & has excessive sodium and chloride.

Highly processed food like breads pizza,sandwiches,cured meats etc contains too much sodium,which is used to preserve food and improve flavour.Fast food contains certain elements which could cause deficiency in iron and copper.

b. Client 2- Lack calcium,phosphorus and zinc

Milk and milk products contain good amount of calcium,magnesium,phosphorus,potassium,selenium and zinc.Cheese contains calcium,zinc and phosphorus. Potassium and selenium are present in other foods too.

c. Client 3- Lacks calcium and magnesium

Green leafy vegetables are loaded with calcium and magnesium.

d. Client 4 - Lack iron,zinc and calcium

A type of iron named heme iron is found only in meat.Meat,fish, egg and legumes have good sources of zinc.Egg has fair amount of calcium.

e. Mineral deficiency symptoms such as muscle cramping,weak immunity etc and mineral excess symptoms such as diarrhoea,vomiting,flushing of face etc will help to pinpoint problems with mineral intake.