Essential facts about Essential Minerals
So many vitamins and minerals and who knows why we need them all. If you're not in the know its hard to keep track and remember what, where and how of these essentials. This series of posts looks at each of the essential vitamins and minerals as an easy reference for all that you need.
CALCIUM: Supports bone and teeth health by building and protecting them. Aids in muscle contractions and relaxation, blood clotting, nerve impulse transmission, hormone secretion, and enzyme activation. Also contributes to maintaining optimal blood pressure levels. Can be found in Yogurt, cheese, milk, tofu, sardines, salmon, fortified juices, leafy green vegetables, such as broccoli and kale.
CHLORIDE: Regulates body fluids and is a crucial element in stomach acid for proper digestion. Can be found in Salt (sodium chloride), soy sauce.
CHROMIUM: Boosts insulin function, supports healthy blood sugar levels, and is essential for converting glucose into energy. Can be found in brewer's yeast, nuts, and cheeses.
COPPER: Plays an important role in iron metabolism and strong immune system. It is also crucial in the process of making red blood cells. You can obtain your copper intake from foods such as liver, shellfish, nuts, seeds, whole-grain products, beans, prunes, cocoa, and black pepper.
IODINE: Contributes to thyroid hormone production, regulating body temperature and affecting nerve and muscle function, reproduction, and growth. It also prevents goiter and congenital thyroid disorders. Can be consumed through Iodized salt, processed foods, seafood.
IRON: Assists hemoglobin in red blood cells and myoglobin in muscle cells in transporting oxygen throughout the body. Essential for bodily chemical reactions and the production of amino acids, collagen, neurotransmitters, and hormones. Ypu can get iron from the following food sources: red meat, poultry, eggs, fruits, green vegetables, fortified bread and grain products.
MAGNESIUM: This mineral is needed to ensure that certain essential checmical reaction occur within the body. Magnesium combined with calcium are central to muscle contraction, blood clotting, and regulation of blood pressure, as well as helping build bones and teeth. Magnesium can be found in green vegetables such as spinach and broccoli, legumes, cashews, sunflower seeds and other seeds, halibut, whole-wheat bread, and milk.
MANGANESE: Helps form bones as well as helps metabolize amino acids, cholesterol, and carbohydrates. Can be consumed through fish, nuts, legumes, whole grains, and tea.
PHOSPHOROUS: Helps build and protect bones and teeth. It forms a part of DNA and RNA and thus needed for longevity. It is one of the minerals that are involved in converting food into energy. This mineral is also part of phospholipids, which carry fats in the blood and help shuttle nutrients into and out of cells.
POTASSIUM: Regulates body fluids, supports a regular heartbeat, and transmits nerve signals. Essential for muscle function. A potassium-rich diet may reduce blood pressure and promote bone health. Can be obtained in your daily diet by eating meat, milk, fruits, vegetables, grains, legumes.
SELENIUM: Functions as an antioxidant by neutralizing unstable molecules that may harm cells. Also plays a role in regulating thyroid hormone activity. Selenium can be found in organ meats, seafood, walnuts, sometimes plants (depends on soil content), and some grain products.
SODIUM: Regulates the body's fluid balance, transmits nerve impulses, and is essential for muscle contractions. It also plays a role in blood pressure regulation; reducing salt intake even slightly can lead to lower blood pressure levels. Found in Salt, soy sauce, processed foods, vegetables
ZINC: Aids in the formation of numerous enzymes and proteins, as well as the generation of new cells. Facilitates the release of vitamin A stored in the liver. Essential for immune function, taste, smell, and wound recovery. When combined with specific antioxidants, zinc has the potential to slow down the advancement of age-related macular degeneration. Found naturally in red meat, poultry, oysters and some other seafood, fortified cereals, beans, nuts.
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