"Brain Food" Nutrition Fact's

Serving Size 3 oz 85g 

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Amount Per Serving 

Calories 139      from Fat 16

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                                                          % Daily Value* 

Total Fat 2g                                     3%

Saturated Fat 0g                               2%

Trans Fat

Cholesterol 82mg                            27%

Sodium 391mg                                16%

Total Carbohydrate   4g                    1%

Dietary Fiber  0g                                0%

Sugars 0g

Protein  25g

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Vitamin A    5%     Vitamin C      11%

Calcium       9%        Iron            45%

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http://www.nutritiondata.com

*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

Phosphorus (P) - a macronutrient

Phosphorus is one of the most abundant minerals in the human body, second only to calcium. This essential mineral is required for the healthy formation of bones and teeth, and is necessary for our bodies to process many of the foods that we eat. It is also a part of the body's energy storage system, and helps with maintaining healthy blood sugar levels. Phosphorus is also found in substantial amounts in the nervous system. The regular contractions of the heart are dependant upon phosphorus, as are normal cell growth and repair.

Since phosphorus is found in almost all plant and animal food sources, a deficiency of this mineral is rarely seen. However, phosphorus deficiency can and does occur, particularly in people who take certain types of antacids for many years. Since phosphorus is important in maintaining the body’s energy system and proper blood sugar levels, it should seem logical that not getting enough of this mineral will affect the energy level in the entire body. Indeed, feeling easily fatigued, weak and having a decreased attention span can be symptoms of mild phosphate deficiency.

It is also worth noting that in the plant kingdom, phosphorus is one of the 3 main elements that make plant life possible. (Potassium and nitrogen are the other two, and you may hear them referred to collectively as N-P-K whenever talking about key plant nutrients.)

The human body must maintain a balance between magnesium phosphorus, and calcium. Excess intake of phosphorus can occur in people with diets high in processed foods, soft drinks, and meats, leading to osteoporosis.

The Recommended Dietary Allowances for phosphorus is 300 milligrams for infants, and between 800 and 1,200 milligrams for adults. It is estimated that Americans ingest on average between 1,500 and 1,600 milligrams of phosphorus per day, almost twice the recommended amount. Foods highest in phosphorus include asparagus, brewers yeast, dairy products, eggs, fish, dried fruit, meats, garlic, legumes, nuts and seeds, and whole grains.

Many antacids, which are widely used for treatment of peptic ulcer disease, gastritis (heart burn) and acid reflux, contain magnesium and aluminum, both of which bind to phosphate, preventing its absorption into the body.

Copper (Cu) - a micronutrient

Copper is an element that is very important for our good health. Actually, that may be understating the true importance of this element. Copper is critically important for dozens of body functions.

To begin with, copper is a major component of the oxygen carrying part of blood cells. Copper also helps protect our cells from being damaged by certain chemicals in our bodies. Copper, along with vitamin C, is important for keeping blood vessels and skin elastic and flexible. This important element is also required by the brain to form chemicals that keep us awake and alert. Copper also helps your body produce chemicals that regulate blood pressure, pulse, and healing. Current research is looking into other ways copper can affect human health, from protecting against cancer and heart disease, to boosting the immune system.

General symptoms of not getting enough copper in your diet include anemia (a condition in which your blood can’t supply enough oxygen to your body), arthritis (painful swelling of the joints), and many other medical problems.

Copper can be found in dried beans, almonds, broccoli, garlic, soybeans, peas, whole-wheat products, and seafood. Unfortunately, many people do not get enough copper in their diets. Also, eating food rich in fructose (sugars in fruit, and cornstarch) and taking mega-doses of vitamin C for long periods of time can keep your body from absorbing the copper in your food. This lack of copper intake by your body can cause the medical problems mentioned above, or it can even affect your life span.

 Selenium (Se)

Despite selenium’s reputation as a toxic heavy metal, this element is actually very important to good human health. Selenium is an important part of a molecule in the body that protects blood cells from certain damaging chemicals. Together with vitamin E, selenium helps our immune system produce antibodies, which is obviously an immensely important task. Selenium helps keep the pancreas and heart functioning properly. This remarkable element is also needed to make our tissues elastic. Imagine, for instance, if our skin wasn’t elastic; we’d have loose skin draping all over our bodies. It may be cool to have loose clothes draping all over our bodies, but people might make fun of you if you had that much loose skin. Sufficed to say that selenium is a very important element to our bodies.

A deficiency of this vital trace element has been linked to the development of leukemia, arthritis, and other diseases. Researchers have also found that the lower the concentration of selenium in the blood stream, the higher the risk of developing many types of cancer. In fact, some researchers tout selenium as being a powerful cancer-preventing substance. High selenium intake has also been correlated with a dramatically lower incidence of heart disease.

The amount of selenium in food is dependent on the amount of the element in the environment where the food is from. Fish, grains and brazil nuts are considered to be good dietary sources of selenium. However, in the current global marketplace it is difficult to know whether the food you eat comes from selenium-rich or selenium-poor growing areas. As with virtually all elements, it is easy to get enough selenium from a well balanced diet.

The Role of Elements in Life Processes

for more info on many more Elements see:

http://www.mii.org/periodic/LifeElement.html