9 Minerals Everyone Needs in Their Diet | Student Advice | collegian.psu.edu

2022-09-17 18:46:20 By : Ms. Coco Gao

Minerals are essential in the development and functioning of a healthy body. Minerals are different than Vitamins in that they are elements that come from soil and water and are absorbed by plants and eaten by animals. Whereas plants and animals typically make vitamins. Your body needs lots of minerals, such as calcium, to stay healthy and grow. Your body only needs a small portion of trace minerals such as chromium, copper, iodine, iron, selenium, and zinc to be happy and healthy. Minerals work alongside vitamins to boost your immune system and help your cells and organs do their jobs properly.

An example of this would be carotenoids which are found in carrots. Once consumed, your body converts it into vitamin A which helps significantly with good eyesight. This is a prime example of how minerals and vitamins go hand and hand to help our bodies function and grow.

Diet is an extremely important access point to getting the vitamins and minerals needed. Eating a mix of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, low-fat dairy products, lean meats, fish, and poultry is the easiest way to ensure your body gets the nutrients it needs. Supplements are also a great way to get your minerals, but make sure you prioritize whole foods first and foremost and use a supplement as precisely what it’s named for: a supplement. Supplements should be an additional resource to a healthy and well-balanced diet and used to fill in the gaps, not as your primary source of nutrients.

Knowing about different minerals and what they can do to help you is important to health, but we understand it may feel daunting to know where to start. We’ve compiled a crash course on the minerals you should be familiar with to add to your diet!

Calcium is stored in bones and teeth and helps strengthen them. Human bodies need calcium to help their muscles and blood vessels expand and contract. Calcium helps equip your body to send messages through the nervous system. Calcium can be found in milk, cheese, and dairy foods. It also can be found in green leafy vegetables such as kale or okra.

Coenzyme Q10 or CoQ10 as it is known by many, is a powerful antioxidant that promotes heart health. It resides in the cell's mitochondria and works to produce adenosine triphosphate (ATP), which is directly linked to your body’s energy. One of the many believed coq10 benefits is more energy for your body and heart. It helps lower blood pressure, tempers cardiac arrhythmias, treats congestive heart failure, and reduces mitral valve prolapse. It can be found in salmon, sardines, mackerel, pork, chicken liver, and beef heart, but it’s difficult to get CoQ10 on your own just through food sources, so many people choose to take a supplement.

Iron is a mineral crucial in hemoglobin, a protein that transports oxygen from the lungs to the tissues. Iron helps your muscle have the oxygen they need and is crucial in cell growth. It also helps the body produce hormones and tissue. Red meats, poultry, and seafood are rich in hemoglobin.

Iodine helps with thyroid hormones that control your body’s metabolism and functioning. The baby must get enough iodine during pregnancy for brain and bone development. Iodine is found primarily in animal protein foods and vegetables, and to a lesser extent, it is also found in bread, cereal, and milk which can be defined as fortified foods.

Magnesium is a mineral that helps regulate muscle and nerve function, blood sugar levels, and blood pressure. Your body also uses it to make protein, bone, and DNA. It can also be found in Electrolytes which are needed to combat dehydration. Magnesium can be found in foods such as spinach, legumes, nuts, seeds, and whole grains.

Potassium is essential to your nerves, cells, and muscles working effectively. An electrolyte helps regulate blood pressure, heart rhythm, and cell water content. Luckily, potassium is one mineral most people get enough of in their diet naturally through bananas, avocados, broccoli, potatoes, beans, and dried fruit.

Known for helping with reproduction, thyroid function, and DNA production, selenium is a mineral that helps the body fight infection. It protects the body from free radicals and the damage that they can cause. It is in foods such as brazil nuts, organic meats, and seafood.

Sodium is another mineral your body needs to work correctly, as it helps your nerves and muscles function. It is another mineral found in electrolytes that helps balance the fluids in your body. It’s found in table salt.

Lastly, Zinc is a mineral that helps keep people healthy by strengthening your immune system to fight off bacteria and viruses. The body also uses it to make protein and DNA in a cell. It also is known for wound healing. Although it’s found in many foods such as seafood, meat, and eggs, many people take it as a supplement.

Minerals are essential for human health and well-being. They play a role in almost every process in the body, from regulating the heartbeat to building strong bones. While everyone needs different minerals in their diet, nine are particularly important for overall health. By ensuring you’re getting enough of these minerals through your food or supplements, you can help boost your energy levels, improve your mood, and protect your body against disease. Which of these nine minerals is your favorite?