Micronutrient facts for kids
Micronutrients are special nutrients that living things, like people, animals, and plants, need to grow and stay healthy. They are called "micro" because they are needed in very small amounts.
Think of them like tiny helpers for your body's cells and organs. They help with important jobs that keep you running every day. For people, the most common micronutrients are vitamins and minerals.
We only need a tiny bit of them, usually less than 100 milligrams a day. This is much less than macronutrients like carbohydrates and proteins, which we need in larger amounts (grams). If someone doesn't get enough micronutrients, it can lead to health problems.
In nature, micronutrients are also very important. They help tiny organisms in the soil and ocean, which supports entire ecosystems. For example, phytoplankton in the sea need iron to perform photosynthesis, and many other sea creatures rely on phytoplankton for food.
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Where Do Micronutrients Come From?
Micronutrients are found all over the natural world. They are in rocks, soil, and water. Most micronutrients are trace elements, which means they exist in very small amounts in the environment.
Plants are experts at getting micronutrients. They absorb them from the soil and water through their roots. This is how micronutrients first enter the food chain.
When animals eat plants, they get the micronutrients stored in the plants' leaves and stems. Then, when other animals (or people) eat those animals, the micronutrients are passed along again. For example, grass takes in iron from the soil. A cow eats the grass, and then a person might eat beef from the cow, getting the iron their body needs.
How Micronutrients Move Around the Planet
Micronutrients don't stay in one place. They travel around the Earth in different ways.
Natural Cycles
Most micronutrients start off locked inside rocks. Over a very long time, wind and rain break down the rocks in a process called weathering. This releases the micronutrients into the soil and water.
From there, they can travel far and wide:
- Wind can blow dust containing micronutrients from the land into the ocean.
- Rivers can carry them from the soil into lakes and seas.
- Volcanoes and underwater vents can also release micronutrients from deep inside the Earth.
This movement is part of a natural cycle that keeps ecosystems supplied with the nutrients they need.
How Humans Affect Micronutrient Cycles
Human activities can also move micronutrients around, sometimes changing the natural balance.
- Farming: Fertilizers used on farms contain many micronutrients to help crops grow. When it rains, some of these fertilizers can wash into rivers and lakes.
- Industry: Factories and mining can release micronutrients into the air, water, and soil.
- Deforestation: Cutting down forests can cause more soil to be blown away by the wind, carrying micronutrients with it.
Sometimes, adding extra micronutrients can be a problem. For example, too many nutrients in a lake can cause algae to grow out of control. This can use up all the oxygen in the water, which is bad for fish and other aquatic life.
Staying Healthy with Micronutrients
Getting the right amount of micronutrients is very important for human health. When a person doesn't get enough of a certain vitamin or mineral, it's called a deficiency. Deficiencies can cause health problems. Eating a balanced diet with lots of fruits, vegetables, and whole foods helps you get the micronutrients you need.
Around the world, scientists and governments have found clever ways to help people get enough of these important nutrients.
Iodine in Salt
Iodine is a mineral that is very important for brain development. An iodine deficiency can cause serious health issues. To solve this, many countries add a tiny amount of iodine to table salt. This is called salt iodization. Thanks to this simple idea, millions of people around the world are now healthier.
Adding Vitamin A to Foods
Vitamin A is crucial for good eyesight, especially in children. A lack of Vitamin A is a major cause of blindness in some parts of the world. To prevent this, Vitamin A is often added to common foods like flour, milk, and butter. This is called fortification.
The Power of Zinc
Zinc is a mineral that helps your body's immune system fight off infections. Not getting enough zinc can make it harder for a person to stay healthy. To help with this, zinc is sometimes added to foods like breakfast cereals and bread. This helps people, especially children, build strong immune systems.
How Plants Use Micronutrients
Just like people, plants need micronutrients to live and grow. They use these tiny helpers for almost everything they do, from making food to building strong stems.
For example, manganese helps a plant perform photosynthesis, the process of turning sunlight into energy. Iron helps a plant make chlorophyll, which is the substance that makes its leaves green.
If a plant doesn't get enough of a certain micronutrient, it can get sick. But if it gets too much, that can be harmful too.
What Happens When Plants Lack Micronutrients?
Here are a few examples of what can happen if a plant has a micronutrient deficiency:
- Chlorosis: This happens when a plant can't make enough chlorophyll. Its leaves turn yellow instead of green. This can be caused by a lack of iron, manganese, copper, or zinc.
- Boron deficiency: Without enough boron, a plant has trouble growing new leaves, stems, and flowers.
- Molybdenum deficiency: This can cause a plant's leaves to turn yellow and die. It happens because the plant can't use another important nutrient, nitrogen, properly.
See also
- List of micronutrients
- Human nutrition
- Dietary mineral (redirects to Mineral (nutrient))
- Silicon § Human nutrition
- Manganese deficiency (medicine)
