Micronutrients Part 2: Minerals!

Here we are at last; the final cold, hard science edition of “Simply Real”. You’ve been introduced to ideas about what health and health food are (that’s less science and more my science-and-experience-based opinion), macronutrients, and now micronutrients. You have a basic, but thorough understanding of what foods are nutrient-dense, what nutrients are in specific foods, and even how these nutrients benefit your body.

Today, we dive into minerals – the “inorganic” cousins of vitamins. Vitamins are different from minerals because they are made of several different types of elements, and can be broken down. Minerals are made of only one element. Think back to your early science classes in elementary and high school and imagine the periodic table. You probably remember common elements like helium, hydrogen, and carbon. Minerals in nutrition are elements that the body uses, and they aren’t broken down like vitamins.

The functions of vitamins and minerals are also different. Remember that the vitamins usually “helped” things in the body happen: they help store things, they help build things, they help release and activate things. Minerals serve to maintain “balances” in the body in addition to being building blocks. Electrolytes are minerals that you may be familiar with, and we’re about to find out what they really do.

Mineral	What does it do?	Why is it important	Where to find it in Food!
Calcium	Part of bone structure Electrolyte Role in blood clotting	Lends strength and structure to bones Helps our muscles function Cool fact: our bones are storage for calcium and release it when we need to use it free in our blood.	Milk and dairy products Almonds, green leafy vegetables, broccoli, fish with bones (sardines)
Sodium	Sodium is an electrolyte	Maintains fluid balance in our cells Muscle movement, including the heart Maintains pH	Table salt Seafood Milk Processed foods (not ideal J )
Potassium	Electrolyte	Heart function and muscular function Fluid balance Maintains pH	Bananas Potatoes Beans Dark leafy  greens Mushrooms
Magnesium	Immune health Electrolyte Bone health Energy and protein production in the body Blood sugar regulation	Important factor in building certain immune cells. Bone structure	Dark leafy greens Avocados Nuts and seeds Fish Yogurt Dark chocolate :D
Phosphorus	Bone and tooth health Protein building in body Metabolism of carbs and fats	Component of structure Body maintenance Energy production	Milk + dairy Meat Nuts Phosphorus from animal foods is actually more easily absorbed than it is from plant foods.
Manganese	Development of body structures Calcium absorption Carb and fat metabolism Brain and nerve health	Helps in the production of connective tissues (skin, ligaments, fibers that hold everything together) Part of certain clotting factors (things in the body that help blood clot) Builds bones and stores calcium Energy production and use	Whole grains Nuts Leafy greens
Selenium	A trace mineral – needed in smaller amounts. Builds proteins that prevent oxidation	Remember from the vitamins post that oxidation is what causes aging, inflammation, and general bad things in the body. Selenium builds antioxidant enzymes which help prevent this process in the body.	Fish Grass-fed meat (specifically grass-fed, because the selenium content of meat depends on the content that is in the food the animal ate!) Whole grains Nuts + seeds Plant foods are the best source of selenium J
Copper	Blood vessel and nerve health and function Blood cell production with iron Iron absorption	Copper is another trace mineral, but it is important! Iron is needed to keep blood cells healthy and oxygenated. Copper helps with iron absorption. Helps keep nerves healthy and fresh.	Dark Chocolate Seafood and meat
Zinc	Cell division (regeneration of our bodies, basically) Healing wounds Immune function Smell and taste function	Zinc plays a role in the reaction that allows our cells to create more cells. This is important for obvious reasons (if your cells aren’t replicating, you’re dead, so…) Enhances and speeds wound healing	Dark chocolate Seafood and meat
Iron	Required for the production of red blood cells	Red blood cells carry oxygen in our body and play a role in fluid balance.	Meat Fish Nuts Leafy greens Animal-based iron sources are absorbed more easily in the body. However, plant-based sources can be absorbed better when iron-rich foods are combined with vitamin C. Think spinach salad with strawberries!
Iodine	Thyroid health	The thyroid is an important organ that regulates metabolism and produces hormones and immune cells.	Iodized salt Oysters + other shellfish Seafood