Mineral Glossary

This glossary will help you to find information on every essential mineral that your body needs. For information on vitamins, see the section entitled "Vitamin Glossary".

This mineral is found in almost every part of your body. While 99% is located in your bones and teeth, the remaining 1% is located in other tissues. It is apparent that calcium is vital in the proper construction of your skeleton and is an excellent remedy for insomnia.

• Good Food Sources: Dairy, Beans, Vegetables (Green), Orange Juice, Broccoli
• Dosage: 210 milligrams per day

This mineral is closely related to calcium in that it performs essentially the same function. Interestingly, this mineral is known to be almost always present in processed snack foods.

• Good Food Sources: Dairy, Red Meat, Eggs, Fish, Wheat
• Dosage: 800 milligrams per day

This mineral is very important in the regulation of heart beat and the reduction of blood pressure. In addition, this mineral can also act as a blood diluter by removing excess acid from the blood stream.

• Good Food Sources: Nuts, Spinach, Sardines, Bananas, Lean Meat
• Dosage: 400 milligrams per day

Although most people view sodium as the chief cause of high blood pressure, reasonable amounts can actually lower blood pressure into normal levels. This mineral is also valuable to your digestive system as it can help to break down food.

• Good Food Sources: Meat, Eggs, Nuts, Fish, Milk
• Dosage: 100 milligrams per day

This mineral is an electrolyte that aids in the electric signals that are sent from cell to cell to give your body instructions. In addition, this mineral is also valuable in the reduction or prevention of cramps and the conversion of glucose into the far more valuable glycogen.

• Good Food Sources: Bananas, Avocados, Meat, Dairy, Oranges
• Dosage: 3500 milligrams

This mineral is often considered to be one of the best agents in the maintenance of healthy skin. It also aids in the strengthening of hair and fingernails and the production of the skin stretching nutrient, collagen.

• Good Food Sources: Lean Meat, Nuts, Eggs, Lettuce, Milk
• Dosage: 850 milligrams per day

This mineral is an electrolyte and also acts as a balancing agent in the blood stream by removing excess amounts of acid. This mineral is largely present in the stomach where it takes on the form of hydrochloric acid and aids in the digestion of food.

• Good Food Sources: Olives, Fish, Table Salt, Peanut Butter, Meat
• Dosage: 750 milligrams per day

Not only does this mineral assume the role of glucose stabilization, it also is known to be one of the primary players in the reduction of bad cholesterol and excess body fat. For these reasons, chromium is a viable choice for the prevention of heart disease and stroke.

• Good Food Sources: Eggs, Dairy, Fruit, Beef, Molasses
• Dosage: 35 micrograms per day

Much like calcium, copper is responsible for the proper growth of bones. Once these bones are fully grown, copper also acts as a strengthening agent to prevent breaks and osteoporosis. Copper is also known to have an important role in the creation of collagen.

• Good Food Sources: Beans, Nuts, Fish, Bread, Mushrooms
• Dosage: 800 micrograms per day

One of the main ingredients of tooth paste, fluoride acts as a strengthening agent for the skeletal structure and teeth. As it is present in tooth paste, it is valuable in the prevention of cavities and tooth decay.

• Good Food Sources: Fish, Fluoridated Water
• Dosage: 4 milligrams per day

This mineral is almost always found in table salt and is mostly stored in the thyroid gland where it aids in the production of compounds that are needed by almost every process in the body. It is also commonly used as an antiseptic.

• Good Food Sources: Fish, Table Salt, Seaweed, Kelp
• Dosage: 150 milligrams per day

This mineral's primary purpose is to aid in the transportation of oxygen by the red blood cells in your blood stream. Iron also acts as a temperature regulator for your body and aids in metabolism processes.

• Good Food Sources: Lean Beef, Fish, Eggs, Nuts, Apricots
• Dosage: 18 milligrams per day

This mineral is a powerful anti-oxidant that also acts as one of the primary agents for the healing of damaged tissue and the proper development of skeletal structures. It is important to note that larger amounts of manganese are necessary when serious tissue damage is suffered in order to properly replace spent collagen.

• Good Food Sources: Nuts, Avocados, Spinach, Eggs, Pineapple, Vegetables (Green, Leafy)
• Dosage: 2.3 milligrams per day

In addition to being capable of battling nitrosamines (one of the enzymes linked to the development of cancer), molybdenum is also a very effective fighter of sulfites. Deficiencies of molybdenum have been known to trigger allergic reactions.

• Good Food Sources: Beans, Rice, Peas, Milk, Whole Grains
• Dosage: 45 micrograms per day

This mineral is an anti-oxidant that is very effective at removing free radicals from the doby. Selenium also is very important to the health of cell membranes. Not only does selenium keep the pancreas and thyroid gland functioning properly, it also has been known to treat dandruff.

• Good Food Sources: Red Meat, Pasta, Rice, Cheese, Garlic
• Dosage: 55 micrograms per day

This mineral is present in almost every cell of your body. In fact, over 100 enzymes are stimulated by the presence of zinc. Deficiencies of zinc have been known to greatly diminish or even prevent a person from activating their senses of smell and taste.

• Good Food Sources: Oysters, Red Meat, Nuts, Beans, Dairy
• Dosage: 11 milligrams per day