Which Minerals Do We Need To Stay Healthy?
Hi Musers, welcome back to the 5th, and final, part of my nutrition series. In part 1, we talked about the macros of our diet – protein, carbs and fat. In part 2, we covered the deeply unsexy but necessary topic of fibre. Part 3 delved into the salty topic of sodium. Last time we discussed vitamins and if multivitamins are necessary. Phew! That’s a lot! Today we going to round things off with the question which minerals do we need to stay healthy. We’re also going to discuss the best way to meet our daily needs.
For each part of my nutrition series, I’m going to start with my trigger warning. There will never be any discussion of diets, intentional weight loss strategies or calories here at CMooMuses. Ever. I think it is important to discuss how to look after and properly nourish your body though. It makes such a massive difference to your health and how you feel. If you think this would be triggering for you due to an eating disorder, orthorexia in particular, or just cos it all seems too close to diet talk for you to handle, feel free to skip these posts. I look forward to seeing you back here soon 🙂
Still here? Great 😃 Let’s begin…
Calcium
Let’s start with an easy one. We all know what calcium is needed for – it gives us strong, healthy teeth and bones! We also know where to get it dairy, especially milk. How much milk though? What if you’re vegan? Do soy or nut milks have calcium? What if you just don’t like milk? Luckily there are alternatives! Green leafy vegetables such as kale also contain large amounts of calcium. Milk alternatives such as soy have very little calcium but many manufacturers add so vegans have this as an option too.
How Much?
The average adult needs between 800mg and 1000mg per day. It is recommended women over 50, breastfeeding mothers and teenagers have more. How do you get your allowance? Here are a few ideas:
8oz natural yoghurt – 425mg
1 Cup Milk – 300mg
1 oz cheddar cheese – 205mg
Half cup soya beans – 131mg
Half cup kale -90mg
1 cup oatmeal/porridge – 215mg
So you see, it shouldn’t be hard to get enough calcium each day. If you don’t get enough regularly then as well as weaker teeth and bones you can also experience cramps and muscles spasms. Let’s all reach for the dairy and the oatmeal, shall we?
Iron
Another one we all know about. It makes up haemoglobin which is what makes our blood red. It’s vital in the renewal of these cells and if we don’t get enough we suffer from anaemia, feel tired and feel weak. So how do we get it? A great source is liver which many (most) people can’t stand. I actually love it though. You can also get it from lean red meats, shrimps, eggs and for the vegans among us dark green vegetables, whole grains and legumes.
How Much?
Children and men need 10mg a day but women of childbearing age and teenage boys need 18mg. It doesn’t seem a lot so we should be able to meet our daily needs quite easily. Here are a few foods that give you the biggest bang for your buck.
100g beef liver – 6.5mg
1 cup cooked lentils – 6.6mg
100g minced beef – 2.7mg
100g spinach – 2.7mg
28g pumpkin seeds – 2.5mg
For my Scottish followers although Irn Bru says it’s “Made in Scotland from girders” the amount of iron in it is negligible 🤣 Not a viable option for your daily allowance I’m afraid.
Potassium
You may not have heard of this one outside the science lab but it is an important mineral that our bodies need a steady amount of. Potassium is critical in balancing the fluids in our bodies and also aids in nerve function. Luckily getting it isn’t hard, it’s in a lot of foods such as bananas, oranges, cereals and meat. If you don’t get your daily amount regularly then you might experience muscle weakness and even paralysis but thankfully potassium deficiency is rare.
How Much?
Believe it or not, there is no recommended daily amount even though it’s important. Here are some foods rich in potassium for you. Almost all have other great benefits like fibre, vitamin a or vitamin c too.
100g spinach – 558mg
100g sweet potato – 475mg
100g bananas – 358mg
100g avocado – 485mg
100g farmed salmon – 385g
Magnesium
Another one from the science lab. Magnesium is necessary for building strong bones, nerve and muscle function, the release of energy, regulating our body temperature and fat metabolism. That’s a lot, isn’t it? Luckily, it’s in the majority of the food we eat so getting enough is easy. If you didn’t get enough though then you could experience muscle cramps in your legs or feet, twitching muscle, aching muscles, migraines, tooth pain, brain fog, anxiety/irritability and restless legs.
How Much?
We need 300-350mg a day and here are some foods that make it easy to get enough.
28g dark chocolate (yaaaas!) – 64mg
1 medium avocado – 58mg
28g Brazil nuts – 106.6mg (Brazil nuts are also rich in Selenium which can boost your mood too!)
28g pumpkin seeds – 150mg
178g salmon – 53mg
1 large banana – 37mg
Pretty easy right? A mid-morning snack of an ounce each of chopped Brazil nuts, dark chocolate and pumpkin seeds and you’re there. If nuts and seeds aren’t your thing, then a large salmon fillet with an avocado-based salad and a banana afterwards will get you most of the way too.
Phosphorus
Really doesn’t sound like it belongs in the human body does it? In fact, phosphorus works with vitamin d and calcium to build strong bones and teeth. For this reason, your recommended daily intake is 800mg to keep it in line with calcium. If you have too much or too little phosphorus it can leech the calcium out of your bones and weaken them.
How much?
As I said above 800mg per day is the sweet spot. Here’s your list of foods rich in phosphorus.
140g roast chicken/turkey – 300mg
85g salmon – 284mg
1 cup cooked oats – 180mg
100g tofu – 190mg
100g beef – 197mg
Trace Minerals
Those are the main types but there are trace minerals you need too. These include zinc, iodine, copper, manganese, fluoride, chromium, selenium and molybdenum. They are necessary and beneficial in small amounts but toxic in large amounts. The amounts required are so small that if you eat a balanced diet you’ll get enough of each one.
Omega 3
Omega 3 isn’t normally listed when asking which minerals do we need but it is important. It helps preserve brain health and there are even studies to see if it protects against Alzheimer’s disease. Omega 3 can be found in oily fish such as salmon, sardines and mackerel. If you’re vegan or just not a fan of fish you can also find it in leafy vegetables, nuts, seeds and soya products. This is a really important substance and one many health professionals suggest you take as a supplement if you can’t be sure you’re eating enough of it.
How Much?
There is no official amount yet but many sources say if you can’t guarantee you’ll eat 2-3 portions of oily fish per week you should consider adding a supplement.
All Done!
Phew! That was a long one to finish off with. I know discussing nutrition is new at CMooMuses so I’d really like to know what you think. Love it? Hate it? Meh? Let me know in the comments 👇 or contact me direct. See you soon Musers.
Love CMoo xx
