Minerals
What are minerals and why do we need them?
Minerals compose about 4% of our body but we as humans do not produce them therefore we must obtain them from food.
They are what remains as ash when plant or animal tissues are burned. There are 103 known minerals and at least 18 of those are necessary for good health.
Roles:
cofactors for enzyme reactions
Maintain pH balance in the body
Facilitating the transfer of nutrients across cell membranes
Maintaining proper nerve conduction
Contracting and Relaxing muscles
Regulating tissue growth
Providing structural and functional support
Mineral Classifications:
MACRO minerals:
Calcium
Phosphorous
Potassium
Magnesium
Sulfur
Sodium
Chloride
MICRO minerals:
Iron
Boron
Chromium
Iodine
Manganese
Molybdenum
Selenium
Silicon
Vanadium
Zinc
Lithium
Germanium
Rubidium
Cobalt
Copper
Ways to incorporate them in your daily regimen:
Food Sources:
Calcium:
Dairy Products like cottage cheese, cheese, and milk.
Non-dairy food sources of calcium include:
almonds, brazil nuts, hazelnuts
broccoli, curly kale, okra, spinach, watercress
dried apricot and figs
mackerel, oysters, pilchards, salmon, sardines
pulses, sesame seeds
Iron:
heme iron found in meat and offal (essentially the iron from blood and muscle)
non-heme iron derived from some plants, grains and nuts.
The body can absorb:
20 to 40 per cent of the iron found in meat.
5 to 20 per cent of the iron found in vegetable sources.
How much iron the body can absorb depends upon the presence of vitamin C and folic acid, which improve your body’s uptake of this mineral.
Other sources:
apricots, blackcurrants, figs, prunes, raisins
beans (including baked beans), lentils
broccoli, curly kale, peas, savoy cabbage, spinach, watercress
eggs
lean red meat, poultry or game, liver, kidney
liquorice
mackerel, oysters, sardines, tuna
nuts
wholegrain cereals and breads.
Magnesium:
Magnesium helps the body absorb and breakdown various other vitamins and minerals like calcium and vitamin C.
apricots, bananas, figs, prunes, raisins
brown rice, granary bread, wholemeal bread, wholewheat pasta, nuts, pulses
courgettes, green leafy vegetables, okra, parsnips, peas, sweet corn
lean meat
dairy products
Zinc:
brown rice and wholegrain breads.
cheese
crab, lobster, mussels, oysters, sardines
duck, goose, kidney, lean red meat, turkey, venison.
Selenium:
Brazil nuts, cashew nuts
cheese, eggs, milk
chicken, lean meat, liver
garlic, onion
green vegetables
mackerel, salmon, tuna
sunflower seeds
whole grain breads.
Potassium:
Most fruit and vegetables with bananas, strawberries, fresh orange juice, apricots, prunes, potatoes and green leafy vegetables providing the best sources.
Other sources include almonds, barley, brown rice, chick peas, corn, garlic, ginger, and kidney beans
Water:
Mineral Waters:
Mineral Water Drops:
Sea Salt Choices:
Supplement Choices:
Multi Minerals:
Biotics Research Multi Mineral
Each and everyone of us is deficient in some minerals whether its one or a few. It is important to be sure you are incorporating them into your daily regimen to keep your health optimal.
