In general, no it is not necessary if our complete and varied diet is mainly rich in fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Thus all our mineral requirements are covered but there may be special cases of deficiency that results in an extra dose supplementation or (recommended by a specialist) as in the case of iron deficiency anemia, osteoporosis and calcium deficiency magnesium, iodine in thyroid diseases, diabetes chromium or zinc in immune problems.

General functions of minerals

* Bone and dental structure.
* Regulation of water balance, acid-base and osmotic pressure.
* Nerve excitability, muscle contraction, transport …
* Immune system, cell growth.

Foods rich in minerals

* Calcium: seaweed, dairy products, sardines, sesame seeds, almonds and spinach provide us with a good dose of calcium.
* Magnesium: millet, rice, wheat and oat, soybeans and beans. Spinach, corn and banana
* Phosphorus: fish, whole grains, meat, soy.
* Potassium vegetables, dried fruits, potatoes, mushrooms, cabbage, bananas and vegetables in general.
* Sodium: Low Sodium foods are fruits, vegetables, cereals, legumes and seeds, by contrast are high in sodium sausages, cured meats, pickled, canned, prepared foods and table salt.
* Iron: a dose or important contribution of this mineral can be found in meat, soy, lentils, chickpeas, wholemeal bread, seaweed, spinach, millet and oats
* Zinc: Oysters, meat, sesame seeds and pumpkin bread.
* Selenium: nuts, seafood in general, milk and eggs.
* Fluoride: fish, tea and spinach, soybeans, wheat bread.
* Iodine: sea salt, fish, shellfish and seaweed.
* Manganese: black tea, whole grains, bananas, soya bean and sugar beet
* Copper: food such as cocoa, grains, vegetables, cheese and mushrooms provide us a good deal.

credit to: María Suriguez

Constitute only five percent of body mass and of the 28 existing only a dozen is considered essential, according to their amount or dose required divided into two groups:

* The macro: whose needs exceed 100 mg daily calcium, magnesium, potassium, sodium, chlorine, sulfur and phosphorus. The functions of these minerals are linked to bone formation, regulation of body fluids and digestive secretions.

* The micro or trace elements: whose needs are less than 100 mg daily. Within this group of minerals, the most important are iron, zinc, selenium, copper, iodine, manganese and chromium. Its functions are related to biochemical reactions, we protect against disease, help reduce fatigue and achieve better mental and physical condition.Mineral deficiency may be the beginning of a myriad of diseases, eg lack of calcium during the growth stage may result in osteoporosis in adulthood, as well as zinc to immune system problems and lack of magnesium and selenium can lead to heart disease.

Balancing dietary minerals

In our diet, it is important to respect the proportion of each mineral in the body because they work interdependently, this means that high doses or concentrations of some may inhibit the absorption of other because they compete with each other. Thus potassium intake should be four to seven times higher than that of sodium for transport into cells is optimal.

credit to: María Suriguez