
In the 4th blog of the Nutrient series, we will discuss minerals.
Minerals are nutrients that are needed for various bodily functions. These are micro-nutrients, hence these are not needed in too much quantity. But, that doesn’t mean these are not important.
Various functions inside our body depend on them. With this blog, we will learn their functions and some sources.
Minerals are of 2 types
Macro-minerals like Calcium, Phosphorous, Magnesium, Sodium, Chloride, Sulfur & Potassium. These are needed in larger quantities, typically more than 100 Mg/per day
Micro-minerals (Trace minerals) like Iron, manganese, copper, iodine, zinc, fluoride, selenium, chromium, cobalt & Molybdenum. These are needed in small quantities.
The following table will throw some light on these minerals and will help you understand them better.
Sr. no | Mineral | Function | Daily recommendation | Sources |
1 | Calcium | Helps in building & maintaining healthy bones & teeth. Regulate muscle contraction. | 1000 mg | Dairy products, plant-based milk, leafy greens, rice, sesame seeds, figs, chia seeds, etc. |
2 | Potassium | Regulates muscle and nerve reaction. Maintains pH levels. | 1600-2000 mg | Bananas, avocados, amla, sweet potatoes, kidney beans, tomatoes, apricots, etc. |
3 | Chloride | Stimulates stomach acids. Maintains the pH | 2300 mg | Tomatoes, leafy veggies, olives, sea salt, etc. |
4 | Sodium | Maintains the balance of fluids. Keep muscles & nerves running smoothly. | >2300 mg | Apple, mango, beetroot, fast food, celery, etc. |
5 | Magnesium | Regulates body temperature. Support muscle and nerve functioning. | 300-350 mg | Amla, dark chocolate, almonds, banana, carrots, oatmeal, etc. |
6 | Phosphorous | Calcium needs phosphorous to make bones strong. Filter kidney waste | 300-700 mg (depends on age) | Cheese, cottage cheese, pumpkin seeds, tofu, peanuts, eggs, etc. |
7 | Sulfur | Metabolizes the food. Contribute to healthy skin & ligaments | 13 mg/kg | Eggs, cocoa, garlic, walnuts, cauliflower, chickpeas, etc. |
8 | Iron | Needed to form a compound that helps in transferring oxygen to the body. | 8.7 mg for men 14.8 mg for women | Broccoli, figs, bananas, amla, spinach, black and white beans, sunflower seeds, lentils, chickpeas, etc. |
9 | Manganese | Keeps bones healthy. Help in the formation of various enzymes. | 2.3 mg for men 1.8 mg for women | Tofu, sweet potatoes, pineapple, brown rice, hazelnuts, carrots, etc. |
10 | Copper | Helps the body to form Red blood cells. Also aids in iron absorption. | 900 Micrograms | Cinnamon, capsicum, almonds, cashews, drinking water in a copper container. |
11 | Zinc | Good for growth, digestion, immunity, and appetite. Helpful during a cold. | 8-11 mg | Mushrooms, watermelon seeds, cocoa powder, chia seeds, etc. |
12 | Iodine | Maintains thyroid hormonal balance. Helps in growth and elevates brain activity. | 140 Micrograms | Salt, garlic, onion, coconut oil, cranberries, |
13 | Fluoride | Helps in mineralizing teeth and bones, hence keeping them strong. | 4-5 Mg | Oranges, rock salt, groundwater, eggs, etc. |
14 | Selenium | Protects against cell damage | 55 Micrograms | Oat bran, brown rice, cabbage, curd, etc. |
15 | Chromium | Improves insulin sensitivity that helps in controlling blood sugar levels | 25 Micrograms | Capsicum, basil leaves, apple, potato skin, etc. |
16 | Cobalt | Helps in the production of RBC, and also helps in the absorption of Vitamin B12 | 5–8 Micrograms | Cereals, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, low-fat milk, etc. |
17 | Molybdenum | Helps to process proteins, drugs, and DNA. | 45–50 Micrograms | Peas, cabbage, Pistachio, mango pulp, sweet corn, etc. |
What happens when you are low on minerals
Calcium deficiency can cause osteoporosis, rickets, weak bones, weakness, etc.
Phosphorus deficiency can cause a loss of calcium
Magnesium deficiency can cause twitching, spasm-restless feet, and behavioral disturbance.
Deficiency in sodium and potassium can cause muscle weakness, even paralysis.
Iron deficiency can cause anemia, etc.
What happens when you take too many minerals
Too many minerals can cause imbalance. It could lead to diarrhea or constipation in many cases. It can cause bone aches, acne, and ulcers. Too much iron can even put a person into a coma.
It is advisable to consult a doctor before taking any medicine or drugs for multi-minerals. As you can see I have mentioned some popular sources, and you are getting the best of everything with a healthy diet. However, there are people who still aren’t able to get sufficient minerals in the food.
Taking a multi-mineral tablet because someone told you is foolish. Let doctors do their job, meanwhile, you drop comments below.
In the next blog of this series, we will discuss something that scares many people.
Until then, Keep shining.
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48 responses to “Nutrient series #4- Minerals”
Very nice write-up on nutrients in detail.
Thanks for sharing.
Thanks sir
I am loving this series!
Really informative post and I didn’t knew about these harms of having excessive minerals.
Also, I hope you are going good with your diet plan🙂
Hey thanks for appreciating 🙇🏻♂️
Everything is good with my diet. 😃
I’m following the 80-20 rule.
How are you feeling?😁
That’s great!
I am good🙂
Just good?
That’s enough, I guess 😅
Okay 👌🏻
Excellent article, Devang! I learned so much about minerals. Thanks.
Thanks for reading and appreciating 🙇🏻♂️
Really informative, I really didn’t know much about minerals before!
😃
The diet you have, is perfectly balanced with all the minerals ☺️
So I think you are good 🙌🏻
I tried to share all the vegan sources, so that everyone can include them easily to their daily diet.
Yes, I noticed that and that’s really nice of you 😊 Thanks 😬
🙂
Thanks #1 favourite health blogger 😘
I didnt know there are macro and micro minerals – that was interesting.
We don’t need much of Micro ☺️
And interestingly, we don’t;t need any tablets for minerals. If we are eating a rich colourful diet then we are doing enough. 😀
To make things complicated further, there’s, section in everything. 😶
Such blogs needs tons of research.
Youre right. To ensure you share enough information you need to do much research
Plus, the challenge was to make it less boring. I have longs notes of what I wanted to write. I truncated it a lot.
Research also didn’t allow me with much time to read other’s blogs, including yours. Sorry 🙇🏻♂️
Oh that I understand. You’re doing well though. It’s difficult to keep up with everything
Thanks for understanding
Now, i won’t have to google the source of each mineral separately, lol! Great post and very informative. Thanks for sharing.
You still need to google it.
This blog was boring for me, I couldn’t add much information to it.
I thought to add more, but then length was exceeding 😅
Helpful information. Thank you!
Lovely comment. Thank you! ☺️
👍🏻
Thanks for the health insights and the detailed table!
Thanks for commenting
Good tips as usual. And you’re right that you have to be careful about how you take these minerals. Always check with your doctor or pharmacist before starting any kind of added mineral consumption.
Yes!
Many people just randomly take medicines without thinking. They don’t realise the effects until it’s too late
Interesting info on minerals. I don’t think about them much but is good to know for proper health. 😊
Hey thanks for reading.
I appreciate your time 🙇🏻♂️
This is an interesting and informative piece on minerals that shows how a little amount of these minerals mis essential for our well-being. Good one 👌
Yes!
If we eat healthy diet, we are good
I really like how you have presented this information with dietary sources included. It is also interesting to consider how effectively they are absorbed, aswell as the sources. I would also suggest you cite some of the information so that it can be checked. Other than that good article and it is clear you have done your reading into the essential minerals and their physiological functions 🙂
Okay noted
I will make sure to add some useful links to more them more credible.
Thanks 🙇🏻♂️
Very welcome 🙂
This post is so much like what we used to study in biology in sixth seventh standard 😂.
Tell me you weren’t the secret author of it 👀?
I wish.
My main intention was to make it friendly to read. 🙂
You succeeded then.
So important my friend❤️
Thanks CG!
YES for sure!! 👏
Thanks for all this useful information about minerals, Devang. I was aware of some of them and how they work in our bodies, but have still learned a lot from reading your blog. Did you know we also need Magnesium to help us absorb calcium, especially if, like me, you have severe osteoporosis? I used to take individual minerals but now take a multimineral tablet instead, although I have mentioned this to my doctor, who is fine with that. As always, you presented your blog in an easy-to-read and understand style. Thank you for doing all the research for your posts. It’s appreciated 😊.
Yes many minerals depends on other minerals.
Uff your comment always make me happy 😁
Good thing that you are following doctor’s suggestion.
Best wishes
🌟
I like the addition of this post in the Nutrient series. It’s helpful.🙂
Heyo thanks for reading mate 🙌🏻
Wow, this is really good! 🥰 At first, I thought you had to take pills in order to get enough minerals. This proves how important our diets really are. ⭐️ Btw, so far I’m enjoying your blog- it’s helpful and easy to understand ☺️ The chart makes it simple to know which foods to include in my diet now, thank you for adding that 🤍
Hey thanks for visiting.
😊
My main idea was to give easy to read information.
Rn, I’m working on a blog about vitamins, that will be too much info. 😝