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Minerals: Their Functions and Sources
Some minerals are essential to your health. Essential minerals are sometimes divided into major minerals (macrominerals) and trace minerals (microminerals). Trace minerals are needed in smaller amounts than major minerals.
Essential minerals
Major minerals| Mineral | What it does | Where it's found |
|---|
| Sodium | Needed for proper fluid balance, nerve transmission, and muscle contraction. | Table salt, soy sauce; large amounts in processed foods; small amounts in milk, breads, vegetables, and unprocessed meats. |
| Calcium | Important for healthy bones and teeth; helps muscles relax and contract; important for nerve functioning, blood clotting, blood pressure. | Milk and milk products; canned fish with bones (salmon, sardines); fortified tofu and fortified soy milk; greens (broccoli, mustard greens); legumes. |
| Chloride | Needed for proper fluid balance, stomach acid. | Table salt, soy sauce; large amounts in processed foods; small amounts in milk, meats, breads, and vegetables. |
| Magnesium | Found in bones; needed for making protein, muscle contraction, nerve transmission, immune system health. | Nuts and seeds, legumes, leafy green vegetables, seafood, chocolate, artichokes, "hard" drinking water. |
| Phosphorus | Important for healthy bones and teeth; found in every cell; part of the system that maintains acid-base balance. | Meat, fish, poultry, eggs, milk. |
| Potassium | Needed for proper fluid balance, nerve transmission, and muscle contraction. | Meats, milk, fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, legumes. |
| Sulfur | Found in protein molecules. | Occurs in foods as part of protein: meats, poultry, fish, eggs, milk, legumes, nuts. |
Some trace minerals known to be essential in small amounts include copper, flouride, iodine, manganese, and zinc.
Credits
Current as of: December 15, 2025
Current as of: December 15, 2025
