How do minerals benefit the body?
This is not a common question asked by many. That is because most people tend to think only about their vitamin needs. Many brands of vitamins have minimal or no minerals in them at all. Let’s take a deep dive into what impact minerals have on our bodies!
Minerals are essential for the human body to function optimally and participate in almost all processes that occur in the body. They help build strong bones and teeth, keep muscles functioning and our heartbeat steady, assists in impulses to the nerves, facilitates proper cellular health and energy metabolism, and supports proper brain activity, to name a few. Sounds like a perfect recipe for health! There are two kinds of minerals: macro-minerals and trace minerals. You need larger amounts of macro-minerals. These include calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, sodium, potassium, chloride and sulfur. You only need small amounts of trace minerals. These include iron, manganese, copper, iodine, zinc, cobalt, fluoride and selenium.
What do minerals actually do?
Calcium: Helps to build bones and keep teeth strong, and is important for nerve function, blood clotting, and blood pressure
Chloride: Helps maintain fluid balance and stomach acid
Chromium: Helps maintain normal blood sugar levels and helps cells use blood sugar for energy
Copper: Helps metabolize fuel, make red blood cells, and regulate neurotransmitters. A high copper level can lead to anxiety.
Iodine: Helps with cognitive function, releases stored energy, and maintains normal skin
Iron: Helps support the immune system and make hemoglobin, which carries oxygen within red blood cells
Magnesium: Helps build bones and teeth, and is important for muscle function, blood pressure, and blood sugar regulation. Magnesium is responsible for over 300 biochemical processes in the body.
Manganese: Helps to build bones and metabolize amino acids, cholesterol, and carbohydrates
Molybdenum: Helps break down toxins and prevents the buildup of harmful sulfites in the body
Phosphorus: Helps maintain normal teeth and bones, and is important for metabolic functions
Potassium: Helps maintain a steady heartbeat, regulate nerve and muscle health, and balance fluids in the body
Selenium: Helps maintain normal hair and nails, and has antioxidant properties. Selenium and iodine balance each other.
Sodium: Helps maintain fluid balance, nerve transmission, and muscle contraction
Sulfur: A component of cartilage, hair, and nails. Helps protect the DNA from damage
Why are we more at risk for mineral deficiency these days?
In our practice, we have found that when testing mineral status via blood work, many patients have suboptimal levels. So, why is this happening? It has been determined with agricultural studies that over-farming, over-tilling of soil and soil erosion has caused significant loss of soil nutrients over the last several decades. Nitrogen stores have decreased by 42%, phosphorus by 27%, and sulfur by 33%. To grow optimally, plants require these nutrients for photosynthesis, enzymes, protein synthesis, and more. With less plant and soil nutrition coupled with processed, mineral-void foods in the standard American diet, it is an uphill battle for the population to meet their needs.
How can mineral loss in our plants and crops be prevented?
Rotating crops, reducing tilling, using mulch, proper irrigation, applying compost, and soil testing to see what depletions exist and then replenishing them to the soil have been shown to improve mineral content. While these applications can be helpful, they are not always incorporated into current agriculture practices.
What can we do now to boost our mineral intake?
Outside of taking good-quality, targeted minerals in a capsule form, focusing on dietary sources that are rich in minerals can also influence our health for the better. Our research has found that herbs like hibiscus, red raspberry leaf, horsetail, nettle, alfalfa, oat straw, rooibos, and yerba mate teas contain the highest amounts of minerals. Green tea is also a good source of minerals and offers antioxidant support to the body. Tea offers a calming effect and a sensory enjoyment. You certainly can benefit from teas individually or consider getting several of the above as organic loose-leaf teas, mix them together and store in a large glass container. The best places to purchase these herbs for loose leaf tea, will be Mountain Rose Herbs, Frontier Co-op, or a ready-to-steep nourishing blend like FEMfusion. You can either steep them for one cup at a time in a stainless steel tea infuser or make a larger batch and store in the refrigerator as iced tea. Enjoy a glass or two daily or reheat for hot tea to help boost your body’s mineralization.
References:
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27670741/
- https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4003800/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30855111/
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0889157507000336
- https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3724376/