Essential Mineral Fact Sheet

MINERAL	CATEGORY	WHERE IS IT FOUND?¹	WHY IS IT ESSENTIAL?²	HOW MUCH SHOULD YOU CONSUME PER DAY (RDA)?³
Calcium	Major Mineral	Yogurt, cheese, milk, tofu, sardines, salmon, fortified juices, broccoli, kale.	Helps to build and protect teeth and bones. Aids with muscle function, blood clotting, nerve impulse transmission, hormone secretion and enzyme activation.	Male: 1g Female: 1g
Chloride	Major Mineral	Salt (sodium chloride), soy sauce, processed foods.	Balances fluids in the body and forms part of the stomach acid, which helps to digest food.	Male: 2.3g Female: 2.3g
Chromium	Trace Mineral	Meat, poultry, fish, eggs, potatoes, some cereals, nuts, cheese, brewer’s yeast.	Boosts insulin activity, helps to maintain normal blood glucose levels, and is required to free energy from glucose.	Male: 35mcg Female: 25mcg
Copper	Trace Mineral	Liver, shellfish, nuts, seeds, whole-grain products, beans, prunes, cocoa, black pepper.	Important for iron metabolism and the immune system. Helps to make red blood cells.	Male: 900mcg Female: 900mcg
Fluoride	Trace Mineral	Fluoridated water, toothpaste with fluoride, marine fish, teas.	Strengthens bones and stimulates new bone formation. Prevents tooth decay.	Male: 4mg Female: 3mg
Iodine	Trace Mineral	Iodized salt, processed foods, seafood.	Necessary for synthesizing thyroid hormones, which help to maintain body temperature and influence nerve and muscle function.	Male: 150mcg Female: 150mcg
Iron	Trace Mineral	Red meat, poultry, eggs, fruits, green vegetables, fortified bread and grain products.	Helps to transport oxygen through the body. Required for chemical reactions in the body and for making amino acids, collagen, neurotransmitters and hormones.	Male: 8mg Female: 18mcg
Magnesium	Major Mineral	Spinach, broccoli, legumes, cashews, sunflower and other seeds, halibut, whole wheat bread, milk.	Necessary for chemical reactions in the body. Aids in muscle contraction, blood clotting and regulation of blood pressure. Helps to build bones and teeth.	Male: 400mg Female: 310mg
Manganese	Trace Mineral	Fish, nuts, legumes, whole grains, tea.	Helps to form bones and metabolize amino acids, cholesterol and carbohydrates.	Male: 2.3mg Female: 1.8mg
Molybdenum	Trace Mineral	Rich Food Sources: Legumes, nuts, grain products, milk.	Forms part of several enzymes, including one that protects against potentially deadly neurological damage in infants.	Male: 45ug Female: 45ug
Phosphorus	Major Mineral	Milk and dairy products, meat, fish, poultry, eggs, liver, green peas, broccoli, potatoes, almonds.	Builds and protects bones and teeth. Forms a part of DNA and RNA. Helps to convert food into energy. Helps to move nutrients into and out of cells.	Male: 700mg Female: 700mg
Potassium	Major Mineral	Meat, milk, fruits, vegetables, grains, legumes.	Helps to balance fluids in the body. Helps to maintain a steady heartbeat and send nerve impulses. Required for muscle contractions.	Male: 3.4g Female: 2.6g
Selenium	Trace Mineral	Organ meats, seafood, walnuts, sometimes plants (depends on soil content), grain products.	Acts as an antioxidant and helps to regulate thyroid hormone activity.	Male: 55mcg Female: 55mcg
Sodium	Major Mineral	Salt, soy sauce, processed foods, vegetables.	Helps to balance fluids in the body. Helps to send nerve impulses. Needed for muscle contractions. Impacts blood pressure.	Male: 1.5g Female: 1.5g
Sulfur	Major Mineral	Protein-rich foods, such as meat, fish, poultry, nuts, legumes.	Helps to shape and stabilize protein structures. Necessary for healthy hair, skin and nails.	Male: 850mg Female: 850mg
Zinc	Trace Mineral	Red meat, poultry, oysters and some other seafood, fortified cereals, beans, nuts.	Helps to form enzymes and proteins and to build new cells. Frees vitamin A from storage in the liver. Vital for the immune system, taste, smell and wound healing.	Male: 11mg Female: 8mg