Our body is a perfect gear made up of cells where countless chemical reactions take place. But, to function, it needs its engine: food.
Each vegetable or fruit that we consume provides the body with certain chemical components necessary for all the processes that take place within the body to occur normally.
Do you remember the periodic table that you used in school for your physical-chemistry classes? Well, within those 116 elements, divided into 18 groups, are the most important for the human being, and many of them we obtain through the fruits and vegetables that we eat daily. Did you know?
Some are, for example: iron, zinc, calcium, potassium, sodium, iodine, magnesium and others.
Take a look at the periodic table of vegetables:
What chemical components can we find in the food we eat?
The table is quite illustrative, but it may not be easy to read if you are not familiar with the abbreviated element names. Some examples of chemical elements in food are:
Iron
It has the function of producing hemoglobin and transporting oxygen throughout the body. We can find it, for example, in: green leafy vegetables, figs, dates, cereals, lentils, almonds, among others.
Magnesium
Magnesium is involved in the functioning of the muscles; It also helps maintain healthy bones, teeth, and joints. We can find it in foods such as oatmeal, almonds, walnuts or green leafy vegetables, among others.
Calcium
It intervenes in the formation and conservation of bones and teeth; but it is also involved in muscle functions, in blood coagulation and is important for the functioning of the nervous system. It is possible to find it in foods such as: cheese, almonds, watercress, spinach, grapefruit or parsley, for example.
Fluorine
It affects the formation of teeth and bones and can be found, for example, in water, fruit, watercress, chard, oats, etc.
Match
Phosphorus produces energy for the formation of cells, in addition to intervening in the formation of bones and teeth. It is possible to find it, for example, in yogurt, bran and rye, lentils, cheese, cocoa, almonds, among others.
Selenium
Selenium is an antioxidant element that contributes to the proper functioning of important organs in the body, such as the heart. We can find it in cheese or whole grains, for example.
Potassium
It affects the functioning of the kidneys and the heart. In addition, it participates in other functions such as the transmission of nerve impulses. We can find it in fruits, black olives, tomatoes, cabbage, bananas and potatoes, for example.
Sodium
It affects the functioning of the muscles and nerves, as well as the digestive process. It is found, for example, in table salt, celery, cucumber, carrots, bread or cheese.
Zinc
Zinc is an important element for growth, sexual development, skin care, etc. We can find it, for example, in nuts and legumes.