Minerals are Essential

Vitamins and minerals are as essential for living as air and water. Not only do they keep your body healthy and functional, they protect you from a variety of diseases.   In this article, we will focus on minerals.

Minerals are inorganic elements that originate from rocks, soil, or water. However, you can absorb them indirectly from the environment or an animal that has eaten a particular plant. 

There are many minerals, but certain ones are necessary for optimal health. Minerals are split into two groups: 

1. Major minerals

2. Trace minerals

Major ones are not necessarily more important than trace, but it means there are greater amounts in your body. 

The whole grain phytonutrient—phytic acid (or phytate), partially inhibits mineral absorption. Now phytates are actually good for us; they have a wide range of health-promoting properties, such as anticancer activity. But because it binds up some of the minerals, that just means one just has to eat more whole healthy plant foods—or eat mineral absorption enhancers , such as the whole allium family of vegetables including garlic and onions. 

Major Minerals

Calcium

• Food sources

  • Yogurt, cheese, milk, salmon, leafy green vegetables

• Nutrient synergy is important: For example, it is impossible to get the calcium in dairy, for example, without also getting the hormones.  

Chloride

• Salt (Try sea salt or mined Himalayan salt)

Magnesium

• Spinach, broccoli, legumes, seeds, whole-wheat bread

Potassium

• Meat, milk, fruits, vegetables, grains, legumes

Sodium

• Salt, soy sauce, vegetables

Trace Minerals

Chromium

• Meat, poultry, fish, nuts, cheese

Copper

• Shellfish, nuts, seeds, whole-grain products, beans, prunes

Fluoride

• Fish, teas

Iodine

• Iodized salt, seafood

Iron

• Food Sources

  • Red meat, poultry, eggs, fruits, green vegetables, fortified bread, chickpeas and pumpkin seeds 

• Iron is a double-edged sword[2]

  • If we don’t absorb enough we risk anemia, but if we absorb too much we may be increasing our risk of colorectal cancer, heart disease, infection, neurodegenerative disorders, and inflammatory conditions.

  • Only people with a confirmed diagnosis of iron-deficiency anemia should consider supplementing their iron intake, and even then it can be risky. 

  • It's recommended to eat healthy iron-rich foods together with C-rich foods, such as citrus, tropical fruits, broccoli, and bell peppers. 

    • The vitamin C-rich foods improve plant iron absorption, which is why they should be consumed at the same meal. 

  • Tea and coffee drinking, on the other hand, should be avoided with your meals since that can impair iron absorption. 

  • Nutrient synergy is important: For example, it is impossible to get the iron in beef, without the saturated fat.  

Manganese

• Nuts, legumes, whole grains, tea

Selenium

• Organ meat, seafood, walnuts

Zinc

• Meat, shellfish, legumes, whole grains

References

1. The best foods for vitamins and minerals

2. How to Enhance Mineral Absorption

3. New Mineral Absorption Enhancers Found