Minerals for Nutrition and Health
Minerals are elements in food that regulate physiological processes and form structures in the body. Since minerals cannot be synthesized in the body, all of it must come from the food you eat. Major minerals are needed in larger doses (≥ 100 mg/day) than trace minerals, which only require very few mg daily.
The following
charts offer a basic overview of the functions and food sources of some common
minerals:
Major Minerals
Calcium| Function | • Helps blood clotting • Regulates muscle tone and heart rate • Essential for building and preserving strong teeth and bones |
| Food Sources | • Milk cheese, yogurt • Canned salmon / sardines (with bones) • Dark green, leafy vegetables, broccoli |
Phosphorus
| Function | • Builds strong bones
and teeth • Regulates steady pH levels in body • Facilitates absorption and transport of nutrients and release of energy • Critical component of cellular nucleus and cytoplasm |
| Food Sources | • Organ meats, fish, poultry, eggs • Cheese, milk • Whole grain breads and cereal • Nuts, peas and beans |
Potassium
| Function | • Maintains regular heart beat and water
balance • Key role in nerve transmission and muscle contractions (creates voltage potential across nerve membranes) |
| Food Sources | • Seafood, Milk, Potatoes |
Sulfur
| Function | • Component in hair, nails and skin • Disulphide bonds hold proteins together |
| Food Source | • High protein foods |
Sodium
| Function | • Necessary for muscle contractions and nerve transmission (creates voltage potential across nerve membranes) |
| Food Source | • In most food, especially from animals |
Chloride
| Function | • Supplies building material for stomach acid (HCl) |
| Food Source | • Almost exclusively from table salt |
Magnesium
| Function | • Regulation of body temperature and
nervous system • Build and maintain healthy bones • Use of carbohydrates and proteins for energy |
| Food Source | • High in meats, seafood, soybeans • Whole grains, cocoa • Green, leafy vegetables |
Trace Minerals
Iron| Function | • Structural component of hemoglobin in
red blood cells that carry oxygen and carbon dioxide • Involved in energy release |
| Food Source | • Organ and lean meats, seafood, eggs • Dried peas, beans, nuts • Whole grain, enriched breads and cereals • Green leafy vegetables |
Zinc
| Function | • Found in insulin and many enzymes • Critical for normal growth and development |
| Food Source | • Present in all natural foods • High in seafood, liver eggs • Whole grains |
Iodine
| Function | • A structural element of thyroxine, a hormone produced in the thyroid gland |
| Food Source | • Iodized salt, seafood • Food and water (concentration depends on iodine content in soil) |
Fluorine
| Function | • Maintain strong teeth and bones • Prevention of osteoporosis |
| Food Source | • Seafood • Tea and fluoridated water |
Other Trace Minerals
(ex. selenium, manganese, copper, molybdenum, cobalt, chromium, silicon, vanadium, and nickel. These essential elements are only necessary in minute quantities in our food)
| Function | • Integral components of enzymes or enzyme activators for biochemical processes |
| Food Source | • A balanced diet that encompassed a variety of foods from each of the food groups. Select unrefined and unprocessed foods for the highest trace mineral content |
