| Mineral | Sources | Indication | Efficacy |
| Minerals in organic products essential for body functions. | |||
| Calcium Men: 800 - 1000 mg Women: 700-800 mg |
Milk, Yogurt, Cheese, Sardines, Broccoli, Turnip Greens. | Helps build strong bones and teeth. Promotes muscle and nerve function. Helps blood to clot. Helps activate enzymes needed to convert food to energy. | Deficiency: Rickets in children; osteomalacia (soft bones) and osteoporosis in adults.
Overdose: Constipation, Kidney Stones, calcium deposits in body tissues. Hinders absorption of iron and other minerals. |
| Phosphorus Men: 1000 mg Women: 850 mg (3-6 g) |
Chicken Breast, Milk, Lentils, Egg Yolks, Nuts, Cheese | With calcium builds bones and teeth. Needed for metabolism, body chemistry, nerve and muscle function. | Deficiency: (Rare) Weakness; bone pain; Anorexia.
Overdose: Hinders body's absorption of calcium. |
| Magnesium Men: 230 - 250 mg Women: 200 - 210 mg |
Spinach, Beef Greens, Broccoli, Tofu, Popcorn, Cashews, Wheat Bran | Activates enzymes needed to release energy in body. Needed by cells for genetic material and bone growth. | Deficiency: Nausea, irritability, muscle weakness; twitching; cramps, cardiac arrhythmias.
Overdose: Nausea, vomiting, low blood pressure, nervous system disorders. Warning: Overdose can be fatal to people with kidney disease. |
| Potassium Men: 40-80 mmol Women: 40-80 mmol (3-6 g) |
Peanuts, Bananas, Orange Juice, Green Beans, Mushrooms, Oranges, Broccoli, Sunflower Seeds. | Helps maintain regular fluid balance. Needed for nerve and muscle function. | Deficiency: Nausea, anorexia, muscle weakness, irritability. (Occurs most often in persons with prolonged diarrhea.)
Overdose: |
| Iron (Elemental) Men: 8-10 mg Women: 8-13 mg |
Liver, lean Meats, Kidney beans, enriched Bread, Raisins. Note: Oxalic acid in spinach hinders iron absorption. |
Essential for making hemoglobin, the red substance in blood that acrries oxygen to body cells. | Deficiency: Skin pallor; weakness; fatigue; headaches; shortness of breath (all signs of iron-deficiency anemia) Overdose: |
| Zinc Men: 12 mg Women: 9 mg |
Oysters, Shrimp, Crab, Beef, Turkey, whole Grains, Peanuts, Beans. | Necessary element in more than 100 enzymes that are essential to digestion and metabolism. | Deficiency: Slow healing of wounds; loss of taste; retarded growth and delayed sexual development in children. Overdose: |
| Selenium 0.05-0.2 mg |
Adequate amounts are found in Seafood, Kidney, Liver and other meats. Grains and other Seed contain varying amounts depending on the soil content. | Antioxidant. Interacts with Vitamin E to prevent breakdown of fats and body chemicals. | Deficiency: Unknown in humans.
Overdose: |
| Copper 2-3 mg |
The richest sources of copper in the diet are Liver and other organ Meats, Seafoods, Nuts and Seeds. | Component of several enzymes, including on needed to make skin, hair and other pigments. Stimulates iron absorption. Needed to make red blood cells, connective tissue and nerve fibres. | Deficiency: Rare in adults. Infants may develop a type of anemia marked by abnormal development of bones, nerve tissue and lungs. Overdose: |
| Manganese 2-5 mg |
Tea, whole Grains and Cereal products are the richest dietary sources. Adequate amounts are found in Fruits and Vegetables. | Needed for normal tendon and bone structure. Component of some enzymes important in metabolism. | Deficiency: Unknown in humans.
Overdose: Generally results from inhalation of manganese containing dust or fumes, not dietary ingestion. |
| Molybdenum 0.15-0.3 mg |
The concentration in food varies depending on the environment in which the food was grown. Milk, Beans, Breads and Cereals contribute the highest amounts. | Component of enzymes needed in metabolism. Helps regulate iron storage. | Deficiency: Unknown in humans.
Overdose: |
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