Guide to Minerals, Part 1

Nutrients are just as essential as vitamins. For the next few weeks, we shall show the functions of some of the minerals we need, sources and deficiency symptoms.

MINERAL	PRIMARY	FOOD	DEFICIENCY
	FUNCTION	SOURCES	SYMPTOMS
Calcium	for strong bones and	milk and dairy	stunted growth in
	teeth; required for normal	products, sardines,	children, weakened
	muscle contraction and	salmon eaten with	bones in adults,
	relaxation, heart action,	bones, oysters, tofu,	bones that break
	nerve function, and	clams, citrus fruit,	easily; osteoporosis
	blood clotting	green, leafy vegetables
Chromium	works with insulin to take	brewers yeast, meat,	impaired glucose
	sugar into cells. Involved	clams, whole grains,	metabolism. (May
	in breakdown of sugar to	unrefined foods,	lead to diabetes)
	release energy	cheese, nuts
Copper	needed for hemoglobin	whole grains, nuts,	anemia, bone defects
	and to make red blood	legumes, lean meat,	retarded growth,
	cells. Forms protective	fruits, vegetables, fish	impaired metabolism
	coverings for nerves.	shellfish (especially
	Part of several enzymes.	oysters) organ meats
	Involved with vitamin C
	in forming collagen.
	Needed in respiration
	and release of energy

Used with permission from A Year of Health Hints by Don R Powell, PHD and the American Institute for Preventive Medicine, copyright 2010. www.healthylife.com