Nickel
Although the human body does contain traces of the mineral nickel, (chemical symbol Ni [5]), scientists have not been able to determine exactly what role it plays in the health of the body. In the experiments performed on animals, it has been found that a deficiency in this mineral can lead to several medical conditions.
We only have about 10 mg of nickel in our body and it is dispersed throughout the body rather than being concentrated in specific tissues or organs. It does occur naturally in food and does seem to be essential for good health.
The body absorbs the nickel from the food you eat in the gastrointestinal system. The blood then carries it to the rest of the body attaching it to a protein, in which case it is known as nickeloplasmin.
The body excretes the excess nickel through the feces and urine, but the fact that the kidneys do retain some of this nickel suggests that it plays a role in balancing the metabolism of the body. The highest concentrations of nickel are found in the RNA, which makes it important for the function of proteins in the body.
There are many food sources from which we obtain the amounts of nickel our bodies need. The foods that contain high amounts of this mineral are beans, soybeans, lentils and split and round green peas. The best sources of nickel, though, are walnuts and hazelnuts. Oats are the best grains to eat for their nickel content, but buckwheat, barley and corn also contain high amounts.
Some of the other foods that do contain moderate amounts of nickel are bananas and pears in the fruit group and herring and oysters in the seafood group. Your body also absorbs trace amount of the mineral from nickel jewellery, but the exact amount is not known.
continue to Nickel Part 2