Minerals

More information on minerals

Like vitamins, minerals are substances found in food that your body needs for growth and health. There are two kinds of minerals: macrominerals and trace minerals. Macrominerals are minerals your body needs in larger amounts. They include calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, sodium, potassium, and chloride. Your body needs just small amounts of trace minerals. These include iron, copper, iodine, zinc, fluoride, and selenium.

Minerals, some of their actions, and good food sources
Mineral	Actions	Sources
Calcium	Needed for forming bones and teeth Helps nerves and muscles function	Canned salmon with bones, sardines, milk, cheese, yogurt, Chinese cabbage, bok choy, kale, collard greens, turnip greens, mustard greens, broccoli, and calcium-fortified orange juice.
Chloride	Needed for keeping the right amounts of water in the different parts of your body	Salt, seaweed, rye, tomatoes, lettuce, celery, olives, sardines, beef, pork, and cheese.
Copper	Helps protect cells from damage Needed for forming bone and red blood cells	Organ meats, shellfish (especially oysters), chocolate, mushrooms, nuts, beans, and whole-grain cereals.
Fluoride	Needed for forming bones and teeth	Saltwater fish, tea, coffee, and fluoridated water.
Iodine	Needed for thyroid gland function	Seafood, iodized salt, and drinking water (in regions with iodine-rich soil, which are usually regions near an ocean).
Iron	Helps red blood cells deliver oxygen to body tissues Helps muscles function	Red meats, poultry, fish, liver, soybean flour, eggs, beans, lentils, peas, molasses, spinach, turnip greens, clams, dried fruit (apricots, prunes, and raisins), whole grains, and fortified breakfast cereals.
Magnesium	Needed for forming bones and teeth Needed for normal nerve and muscle function	Green leafy vegetables, nuts, bran cereal, seafood, milk, cheese, and yogurt.
Phosphorus	Needed for forming bones and teeth Needed for storing energy from food	Milk, yogurt, cheese, red meat, poultry, fish, eggs, nuts, peas, and some cereals and breads.
Potassium	Needed for normal nerve and muscle function Needed for keeping the right amounts of water in the different parts of your body	Milk, bananas, tomatoes, oranges, melons, potatoes, sweet potatoes, prunes, raisins, spinach, turnip greens, collard greens, kale, most peas and beans, and salt substitutes (potassium chloride).
Selenium	Helps protect cells from damage Needed for thyroid gland function	Vegetables, fish, shellfish, red meat, grains, eggs, chicken, liver, garlic, brewer's yeast, wheat germ, and enriched breads.
Sodium	Needed for normal nerve and muscle function Needed for keeping the right amounts of water in the different parts of your body	Salt, milk, cheese, beets, celery, beef, pork, sardines, and green olives. (Many people get too much sodium. For tips on cutting back, see Reducing your sodium.)
Zinc	Needed for healthy skin Needed for wound healing Helps your body fight off illnesses and infections	Liver, eggs, seafood, red meats, oysters, certain seafood, milk products, eggs, beans, peas, lentils, peanuts, nuts, whole grains, fortified cereals, wheat germ, and pumpkin seeds.

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More information on Minerals

Explore other publications and websites

Dietary Supplements Fact Sheet - Magnesium - This fact sheet explains what magnesium is, what kind of foods provide it, the recommended amount for adults and who may need extra magnesium.
http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/magnesium.asp
Dietary Supplements Fact Sheet - Selenium - This fact sheet explains what selenium is, what kind of foods provide it, the recommended amount for adults and who may need extra selenium.
http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/selenium.asp
Dietary Supplements Fact Sheet - Zinc - This fact sheet explains what zinc is, what kind of foods provide it, the recommended amount for adults and who may need extra zinc.
http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Zinc-QuickFacts/
Dietary Supplements: Background Information - This online publication explains what dietary supplements are and how they are regulated.
http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/DietarySupplements.asp
Tips for the Savvy Supplement User - Making Informed Decisions and Evaluating Information - This publication reviews information consumers should know before starting the use of a dietary supplement, such as possible interactions with prescription and over-the-counter (OTC) medications. It also has tips on searching the Web for information on dietary supplements, as well as information about the safety and value of supplements.
http://www.fda.gov/Food/DietarySupplements/ConsumerInformation/ucm110567.htm
Vitamin and Mineral Supplement Fact Sheets - This website links to fact sheets on essential vitamins and minerals. Each fact sheet explains what the vitamin or mineral is, what the dietary recommendation is, and what foods contain it.
http://dietary-supplements.info.nih.gov/Health_Information/Vitamin_and_Mineral_Supplement_Fact_Sheets.aspx

Connect with other organizations

American Dietetic Association
http://www.eatright.org/default.aspx
Food and Nutrition Information Center, USDA
http://www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/
International Food Information Council Foundation
http://www.foodinsight.org/Home.aspx
National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine
http://nccam.nih.gov/
Nutrition.gov
http://www.nutrition.gov/
Office of Dietary Supplements
http://ods.od.nih.gov/

Content last updated June 17, 2008.

Resources last updated June 17, 2008.

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