Author
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Hunt, Curtiss |
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Submitted to: Journal of Trace Elements in Experimental Medicine
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal Publication Acceptance Date: 6/10/2004 Publication Date: N/A Citation: N/A Interpretive Summary: There is a need for health professionals to provide nutritional guidance for boron because normal amounts of this element in the diet affect the body including growth and development of bones. Recently, all the foods in a representative diet for infants, toddlers, adolescents, adults, and seniors were analyzed to find out how much boron and other minerals the American population consumes on average. Raw avocado (14.3), creamy peanut butter (5.87), salted roasted peanuts (5.83), dry roasted pecans (2.64), and bottled prune juice (5.64) had the highest boron concentrations (ug/g). However, the main dietary sources of boron on average are whole milk (0.29 ug B/g; for infants, toddlers, and adolescents) and regular instant coffee (0.24 ug B/g; adults and seniors) because these respective age groups consume high amounts of these respective foods. It was determined that all age groups consumed more boron than copper, manganese, or molybdenum. Also, ,it was determined that if a diet is low in boron, it will typically be low in vitamin C as well. Dieticians can use the information from this study to suggest ways of increasing the amount of boron in the diet. Technical Abstract: The physiologic effects of dietary boron indicate a need to establish nutritional guidance for the element. Data from a recent analysis (J Am Diet Assoc. 2001, vol. 101) of boron and 11 other elements in all representative 234 foods listed in the FDA Total Diet Study Program (FDA- TDSP)2 (J Am Diet Assoc. 1983; 82:166) were examined to determine the rank order of dietary sources of boron, the relative contribution of food group to boron intakes in 8 specified age-sex groups of the US population, and the relation between boron intake and that of vitamins and other minerals. Raw avocado (14.3), creamy peanut butter (5.87), salted roasted peanuts (5.83), dry roasted pecans (2.64), and bottled prune juice (5.64) had the highest boron concentrations (ug/g). The counterintuitive primary sources of dietary boron were whole milk (0.29 ug B/g) and instant regular coffee (0.24 ug B/g). All groups consumed more boron than copper, manganese, or molybdenum when expressed on a molar basis. Diets that restrict boron intake will typically restrict vitamin intake, especially ascorbic acid. The correlation between boron and calcium concentrations in foods suggests research is needed to determine whether some of the putative effects of dietary calcium on bone maintenance may be assisted by boron. Data from this study are useful for improving boron intakes of the US population. |
