Encyclopedia of Diets - A Guide to Health and Nutrition

is to eat a healthy diet high in green vegetables and

whole grains.

The following list gives the approximate manga-

nese content for some common foods:

raisin bran cereal, 1/2 cup: 0.94 mg

brown rice, cooked, 1/2 cup: 0.88 mg

pinto beans, cooked, 1/2 cup: 0.48 mg

lima beans, cooked, 1/2 cup: 0.48 mg

navy beans, cooked, 1/2 cup: 0.51 mg

whole wheat bread, 1 slice: 0.65 mg

pineapple, raw, 1/2 cup: 1.28 mg

pecans, 1ounce: 1.12 mg

almonds, 1 ounce: 0.74 mg

peanuts, 1 ounce: 0.59 mg

spinach, cooked, 1/2 cup: 0.84 mg

sweet potato, mashed, 1/2 cup: 0.55 mg

tea, green, 1 cup (8 ounces): 0.40–1.58 mg

tea, black, 1 cup (8 ounces): 0.18–0.77 mg

Controversial health claims for manganese

Manganese supplements have not been proven

effective in treating or preventing any specific disease

or condition. However, based on a small number of

laboratory and animal studies, practitioners of alter-

native medicine sometimes recommend supplemental

manganese for the following conditions. These uses

are considered speculative by practitioners of conven-

tional medicine.

prevention of osteoporosis

treatment of rheumatoid arthritis

treatment of premenstrual symptoms

KEY TERMS

Alternative medicine—A system of healing that

rejects conventional, pharmaceutical-based medi-

cine and replaces it with the use of dietary supple-

ments and therapies such as herbs, vitamins,

minerals, massage, and cleansing diets. Alternative

medicine includes well-established treatment sys-

tems such as homeopathy, Traditional Chinese Med-

icine, and Ayurvedic medicine, as well as more-

recent, fad-driven treatments.

Amino acid—Molecules that are the basic building

blocks of proteins.

Antioxidant—A molecule that prevents oxidation. In

the body antioxidants attach to other molecules

called free radicals and prevent the free radicals

from causing damage to cell walls, DNA, and other

parts of the cell.

Bile—A greenish-yellow digestive fluid produced by

the liver and stored in the gall bladder. It is released

into the intestine where it helps digest fat, and then is

removed from the body in feces.

Conventional medicine—Mainstream or Western

pharmaceutical-based medicine practiced by medi-

cal doctors, doctors of osteopathy, and other licensed

health care professionals.

Dietary supplement—A product, such as a vitamin,

mineral, herb, amino acid, or enzyme, that is intended

to be consumed in addition to an individual’s diet

with the expectation that it will improve health.

Enzyme—A protein that change the rate of a chem-

ical reaction within the body without themselves

being used up in the reaction.

Free radical—A molecule with an unpaired electron

that has a strong tendency to react with other mole-

cules in DNA (genetic material), proteins, and lipids

(fats), resulting in damage to cells. Free radicals are

neutralized by antioxidants.

Glucose—A simple sugar that results from the break-

down of carbohydrates. Glucose circulates in the

blood and is the main source of energy for the body.

Homeostasis—The complex set of regulatory mech-

anisms that works to keep the body at optimal phys-

iological and chemical stability in order for cellular

reactions to occur.

Hormone—A chemical messenger that is produced

byonetypeofcellandtravelsthroughthebloodstream

to change the metabolism of a different type of cell.

Mineral—An inorganic substance found in the earth

that is necessary in small quantities for the body to

maintain a health. Examples: zinc, copper, iron.

Osteoporosis—A condition found in older individu-

als in which bones decrease in density and become

fragile and more likely to break. It can be caused by

lack of vitamin D and/or calcium in the diet.

Serum—The clear fluid part of the blood that remains

after clotting. Serum contains no blood cells or clot-

ting proteins, but does contain electrolytes.

Manganese