Minerals are not as easily destroyed by overcooking or improper handling as vitamins. They are absorbed through your intestines, and transported throughout the body by blood or proteins. These elements can be stored in various forms, so toxicity is more serious. In fact, mega-dosing of minerals can be quite dangerous.

Scientists are still learning about minerals, especially the trace minerals. Supplements are rarely needed, with the exception of iron, which is a very common deficiency.

Science has subdivided minerals into those you need more than 100 milligrams per day of, and what are called trace minerals, those you need less than 100 milligrams a day of.

Calcium

This is the most abundant mineral in the body. You store 98 percent of it in your bones, 1 percent in your teeth, and the last 1 percent circulates around in your blood. It is also extremely common for people to be deficient. Women are prone to deficiency, typically getting only about half of what they need from their regular diet.

Calcium is a crucial element in the normal formation of teeth and bones. With healthy amounts of calcium, human bone growth occurs naturally until middle age, at which time normal bone loss begins. Calcium deficiency limits growth throughout the early years, making adult bones thin and brittle. The effect can be slowed when calcium intake is increased.

Calcium also helps muscles contract and is needed for the production of enzymes and hormones involved in digestion and the conversion of nutrients into energy. It works with vitamin D to regulate blood calcium levels, and it helps blood clot.

Milk is the best source of calcium, but not the only one. Broccoli, kale, spinach, beans, and nuts are all excellent sources. Calcium can also be found fortified in many foods, including cereal, orange juice, and bread.

Calcium absorption can also be inhibited by certain drugs, including cortisone and other steroids, cholesterol-lowering drugs, thyroid drugs, antacids, alcohol, and tobacco.

Phosphorus

This mineral is found in all food, and the average diet gets plenty. It works together with calcium to strengthen your bones and teeth. Like calcium, phosphorus circulates in the bloodstream and goes where it’s needed, releasing energy from fat, protein, and carbohydrates. It also contributes to genetic material.

Like calcium, phosphorus is available in milk, as well as meat, poultry, fish eggs, beans, and whole grains. Phosphoric acid is also used in the production of soda pop. There are no good plant sources for phosphorus.

Magnesium

Magnesium is part of the pigment chlorophyll, found in green plants, including spinach and other green leafy vegetables. It can also be found in nuts, beans, and milk.

This mineral is in every tissue, and is necessary in the creation of energy-converting enzymes. It is also used in the formation of bones and teeth. Magnesium is used in the prevention of heart rhythm problems and high blood pressure. It is also thought to prevent migraines and premenstrual syndrome.

Potassium, Sodium, and Chloride: The Electrolytes

Collectively, potassium, sodium, and chloride are referred to as the electrolytes. These are electrically charged minerals that dissolve in body fluid. They carry nutrients in and out of the cells, help send messages along the nerves, and control blood pressure. They are found throughout the body dissolved in water. When you excrete liquids, your electrolytes need to be replaced.

Potassium is found in all living cells. A well-balanced diet contains lots of potassium from several sources, but certain foods are particularly high in potassium, including potatoes, legumes, prunes, and avocados. Sodium and chloride are minerals that you get plenty of in everyday foods, because they are found in table salt. In fact, you probably get too much. They are not just in the shaker, but in prepared foods too.

Potassium is found within the cells. Together, sodium and chloride remain outside the cells in fluid. To be in balance, sodium and chloride intake should never be higher than that of potassium. A healthy intake that keeps fluids in balance is considered to be five parts potassium to one part sodium and chloride.

If that ration changes, high blood pressure is the result. High blood pressure leads to heart disease, kidney disease, and stroke. Potassium exists in almost every food, but since most people over-consume salt, they need to supplement potassium to stay in balance.

Chloride itself is also part of hydrochloric acid, which is the acid in your stomach that aids digestion and kills bad bacteria. It’s not a mineral you need to worry about, though. Since you get plenty of salt in your diet, you are getting enough chloride.