Minerals and Health ... What are Minerals?

Minerals are those elements on the earth and in foods that our bodies need to develop and function normally. Those essential for health include calcium, phosphorus, potassium, sodium, chloride, magnesium, iron, zinc, iodine, chromium, copper, fluoride, molybdenum, manganese, and selenium.

What are Minerals?

Minerals, alongside vitamins, are essential nutrients that are needed by your body. Together, minerals and vitamins are known as micronutrients, because you need them in much smaller quantities than you do other nutrients (like carbohydrates and proteins, which are called macronutrients). Your body cannot make minerals itself, which means you have to get them from your diet.

Importance

Minerals are important to your overall health and wellbeing as they ensure that your body can carry out essential functions and processes. They’re also important for both your physical and mental health, as some of them support normal brain function. If you have a poor diet or a pre-existing health condition, vitamin deficiency can also result in lower mineral levels.

Minerals are divided into two categories: major minerals, which are used and stored in large quantities, and trace minerals, which are needed in smaller amounts.

The essential minerals are calcium, iodine, iron, chromium, copper, magnesium, manganese, molybdenum, phosphorus, potassium, selenium, and Zinc.

Calcium

Calcium is a mineral most often associated with healthy bones and teeth, although it also plays an important role in blood clotting, helping muscles to contract, and regulating normal heart rhythms and nerve functions. About 99% of the body’s calcium is stored in bones, and the remaining 1% is found in blood, muscle, and other tissues.

The body gets the calcium it needs in two ways. One is by eating foods or supplements that contain calcium, and the other is by drawing from calcium in the body. If one does not eat enough calcium-containing foods, the body will remove calcium from bones.

Calcium can be found in dairy like milk and cheese and leafy green vegetables.

Iodine

Iodine contributes to cognitive function. Iodine is needed to make essential thyroid hormones. These are used by the body for growth and energy use, as well as brain and bone development during pregnancy and early childhood.

Not enough iodine in the diet can cause serious problems including stunted growth in young children and an enlarged thyroid gland (goiter) in adults.

Iodine is found in dairy, eggs, sea fish and shellfish.

Iron

Iron is a vital mineral necessary for red blood cell production, oxygen transport to body organs, and the synthesis of certain hormones. Its advantages are manifold, including fortifying the immune system, enhancing sleep, and supporting pregnant women.

Iron offers a wide array of health benefits, such as hemoglobin production, immune system support, skin nourishment, reduction of dark circles, improved sleep quality, enhanced memory, reduced fatigue, enhanced sports performance, hair health, and stronger pregnancies.

You can get recommended amounts of iron by eating a variety of foods, including lean meat, seafood, poultry, legumes, spinach, nuts, and some dried fruits, such as raisins.

Chromium

Chromium is an essential mineral that plays a role in how insulin helps the body regulate blood sugar levels. Chromium helps with the metabolism of macronutrients.

Meats, nuts, and cereal grains are all good sources of chromium.

Copper

Copper is a mineral that you need to stay healthy. Your body uses copper to carry out many important functions, including making energy, connective tissues, and blood vessels. Copper also helps maintain the nervous and immune systems and activates genes. Your body also needs copper for brain development. Copper has antioxidant properties to protect cells from oxidative stress and contributes to normal iron transport in the body.

Copper deficiency can cause extreme tiredness, lightened patches of skin, high levels of cholesterol in the blood, and increased risk of infection.

Oysters and other shellfish, whole grains, beans, nuts, potatoes, and organ meats (kidneys, liver) are good sources of copper. Dark leafy greens, dried fruits such as prunes, cocoa, and black pepper are also sources of copper in the diet.

Magnesium

Magnesium is a mineral that is essential for healthy muscles, nerves, bones, and blood sugar levels. If you don't get enough magnesium in your diet over a long time, you may be at a higher risk of health problems such as heart attack, stroke, diabetes, or osteoporosis. Severe magnesium deficiency can cause symptoms including numbness, muscle cramps and an abnormal heart rhythm.

Foods high in magnesium include green leafy vegetables, legumes, nuts, seeds, and wholegrains.

Manganese

Manganese is a trace mineral that is present in tiny amounts in the body. It is found mostly in bones, the liver, kidneys, and pancreas. Manganese helps the body form connective tissue, bones, blood clotting factors, and sex hormones. It also plays a role in fat and carbohydrate metabolism, calcium absorption, and blood sugar regulation. Manganese is also necessary for normal brain and nerve function.

Manganese is a component of the antioxidant enzyme superoxide dismutase, which helps fight free radicals. Low levels of manganese in the body can contribute to infertility, bone malformation, weakness, and seizures.

Manganese is found in several kinds of food, including cereal (especially wholegrain), bread, nuts, and green vegetables.

Molybdenum

Molybdenum is an essential trace mineral that occurs naturally in foods. It is a component of four different enzymes in the body that help break down proteins, drugs, and toxins. Molybdenum-containing enzymes also break down purines and sulfites. Purines are compounds metabolized from food that form uric acid which, in elevated levels, is a risk factor for gout. Sulfites are a preservative added to certain foods to maintain color and shelf-life; some people develop a sensitivity to sulfites, causing an allergic reaction.

Molybdenum can be found in legumes (like beans), dairy products, and whole grains.

Phosphorus

The main function of phosphorus is in the formation of bones and teeth. It plays an important role in how the body uses carbohydrates and fats. It is also needed for the body to make protein for the growth, maintenance, and repair of cells and tissues. Phosphorus also helps the body make ATP, a molecule the body uses to store energy.

Phosphorus works with the B vitamins. It also helps with the kidney function, muscle contractions, normal heartbeat, and nerve signaling.

Some good sources of phosphorus include oats, brown rice, fish, and red meat.

Potassium

Potassium is a mineral that is essential for all of the body's functions. It helps your nerves, muscles, heart to function well, and also helps move nutrients and waste around your body's cells.

Most people get enough potassium for their daily requirements through their diet. You can find potassium in some vegetables, beef, poultry like chicken and turkey and bananas.

Selenium

Selenium is a constituent of more than two dozen selenoproteins that play critical roles in reproduction, thyroid hormone metabolism, DNA synthesis, and protection from oxidative damage and infection.

Selenium can be found in eggs, fish, and meat.

Zinc

Zinc is a mineral that is essential for many of the body's normal functions and systems. Zinc supports normal growth and development during pregnancy, childhood, and adolescence. Having enough zinc is important for skin health and effective wound healing.

Zinc is known to play a central role in the immune system, and zinc-deficient persons experience increased susceptibility to a variety of pathogens.

You can get zinc from meat and shellfish, as well as dairy and cereal products.