Minerals in your diet are nutrients your body needs in relatively small amounts, but that does not make them unimportant.
They are involved in many everyday processes, including maintaining bones and teeth, carrying oxygen in the blood, supporting normal muscle and nerve function, helping regulate fluid balance and supporting the immune system.
The good news is that most people can obtain the minerals they need from a varied and balanced diet. The NHS advises that most people should get the nutrients they need from food, although some people may need supplements because of particular circumstances. (NHS)
This is why minerals are best understood as part of the bigger picture of healthy eating rather than as a reason to chase individual “superfoods” or large numbers of supplements.
What Are Minerals?
Minerals are essential nutrients that your body needs to function properly.
Unlike vitamins, which are organic compounds, minerals are elements. Your body cannot manufacture essential minerals, so they need to come from food, water or, when appropriate, supplements.
There are many essential minerals, each with different jobs. Some are needed in larger amounts, such as calcium, magnesium and potassium. Others, such as iron, zinc, iodine and selenium, are required in smaller amounts.
You do not need to memorise every mineral.
The more useful principle is to eat a broad range of foods so that you have a better chance of meeting your nutritional needs. The World Health Organization identifies dietary diversity as one of the four core principles of a healthy diet. (WHO)
1. Calcium
Calcium is probably best known for its role in maintaining normal bones and teeth, but it has other important functions in the body.
It is also involved in normal muscle function, nerve signalling and blood clotting.
Good food sources include:
- milk, yoghurt and cheese
- fortified plant-based drinks and other fortified foods
- some types of fish eaten with their bones, such as sardines
- calcium-set tofu
- some green vegetables
- nuts and seeds
How much calcium a person needs varies with age and other factors.
A varied diet that includes suitable calcium-rich foods is generally a better starting point than automatically reaching for a supplement.
2. Iron
Iron is essential for the production of haemoglobin, the protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen around the body.
Iron is found in both animal and plant foods.
Useful sources include:
- lean meat
- poultry
- fish and seafood
- beans and lentils
- fortified breakfast cereals and breads
- nuts and seeds
- some green vegetables
People do not all have the same iron requirements. For example, menstruating women generally need more iron than adult men, while needs also change during pregnancy and at other stages of life.
Iron deficiency can lead to iron-deficiency anaemia, so persistent tiredness or other possible symptoms should not simply be treated by taking iron tablets without appropriate advice.
3. Magnesium
Magnesium is involved in hundreds of reactions in the body and contributes to normal muscle and nerve function, energy metabolism and maintenance of bones.
Good food sources include:
- nuts and seeds
- whole grains
- beans and other pulses
- leafy green vegetables
- some dairy foods
- fish
A varied diet usually provides useful amounts of magnesium.
Rather than concentrating on a single “high-magnesium” food, it makes more sense to include a mixture of whole grains, pulses, nuts, seeds and vegetables as part of your normal eating pattern.
4. Potassium
Potassium is an essential mineral involved in normal muscle function, nerve signalling and maintaining normal blood pressure.
Fruit and vegetables are useful sources, as are potatoes, beans, lentils, dairy foods, fish and other foods.
The WHO notes that potassium and sodium are both essential minerals, but high sodium intake is associated with increased blood pressure. A diet containing plenty of foods naturally rich in potassium can form part of a healthier overall eating pattern. (WHO)
This is another reason to focus on the overall quality of your diet rather than simply adding one nutrient in isolation.
5. Zinc
Zinc is needed for normal immune function, wound healing, DNA and protein synthesis, and many other processes.
Sources include:
- meat and poultry
- fish and seafood
- dairy products
- eggs
- beans and other pulses
- nuts and seeds
- whole grains
Plant foods can contribute useful amounts of zinc, although the amount your body absorbs can vary depending on the food and the rest of the diet.
Eating a varied diet gives you more opportunities to obtain zinc from different sources.
6. Iodine
Iodine is particularly important because your body uses it to make thyroid hormones.
Those hormones help regulate processes including metabolism and are important for normal growth and development.
Useful sources include:
- fish and seafood
- dairy products
- eggs
- iodised salt, where it is used
Seaweed can also contain iodine, sometimes in very large amounts. More is not necessarily better, and regularly consuming large quantities of seaweed or taking high-dose iodine supplements can provide excessive amounts.
This is a good example of why “natural” does not automatically mean “safe at any dose.”
7. Selenium
Selenium is needed for normal thyroid function, reproduction and protection of cells from oxidative damage.
Food sources include:
- fish and seafood
- meat and poultry
- eggs
- dairy products
- cereals and grains
- nuts, particularly Brazil nuts
Selenium illustrates another important principle: the amount you need is relatively small.
Brazil nuts, for example, can contain very different amounts of selenium, so eating large quantities specifically to obtain selenium is unnecessary.
A varied diet is generally a more sensible approach than trying to obtain one mineral from a single food.
Which Foods Provide Minerals?
There is no single food that supplies every mineral your body needs.
A varied diet can include:
Vegetables and fruit
These provide potassium and contribute a range of other vitamins, minerals and beneficial plant compounds.
Beans, peas and lentils
These can provide iron, magnesium, potassium and zinc, as well as protein and fibre.
Whole grains
Foods such as oats and wholegrain breads can contribute magnesium, iron, zinc and other nutrients.
Nuts and seeds
These can provide magnesium, zinc, selenium and other minerals.
Dairy foods and suitable alternatives
These can be useful sources of calcium, and fortified alternatives may provide added nutrients.
Fish and seafood
These can contribute minerals including iodine, selenium, zinc and iron.
Meat, poultry and eggs
These provide several minerals, including iron and zinc.
This kind of variety is much more useful than trying to find one supposedly perfect mineral-rich food.
The WHO recommends a diet containing a wide variety of nutrient-dense foods, including fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts, seeds and lean animal-source foods, to help provide essential vitamins and minerals. (WHO)
Do You Need Mineral Supplements?
Most people should be able to obtain the nutrients they need through a varied and balanced diet, according to the NHS. However, some people may need supplements because of particular dietary restrictions, life stages, medical conditions or other circumstances. (NHS)
A supplement can be useful when there is a genuine reason for taking it.
That is different from assuming that everyone needs a daily collection of mineral tablets.
Supplements can also create problems when taken unnecessarily or in excessive amounts. Some minerals have relatively narrow margins between an adequate intake and an excessive intake.
The sensible question is therefore not:
“Which mineral supplement should I take?”
It is:
“Am I getting what I need, and is there a reason I need more?”
Your doctor, pharmacist or dietitian can help answer that question when your circumstances make it relevant.
Can You Get Too Many Minerals?
Yes.
Minerals are essential, but essential does not mean unlimited.
Too much of certain minerals can cause adverse effects. Excessive amounts may come from supplements, fortified products or unusually large intakes of particular foods.
This is one reason not to treat supplements as a harmless insurance policy.
The risk can also depend on your health, medications and other factors. Someone with a medical condition affecting kidney function, for example, may need specific dietary advice about certain minerals.
Food-first nutrition is therefore a useful principle for most people, while supplementation should have a clear purpose.
How to Get More Minerals From Your Diet
You do not need to redesign your entire diet.
Instead, make variety do the work.
Try to:
- include vegetables and fruit regularly
- eat a mixture of whole grains and other nutritious carbohydrate foods
- use beans, lentils and other pulses
- include nuts and seeds where they suit your diet
- vary your protein sources
- choose dairy foods or suitable fortified alternatives
- include fish when you can
- use fortified foods appropriately
- avoid relying on a single “superfood” for one nutrient
Small improvements across the whole diet are generally more useful than obsessing about one mineral.
Minerals in Your Diet and the Bigger Picture
Minerals matter, but they are only one part of good nutrition.
A healthy eating pattern also needs a range of nutrients, including minerals in your diet, protein, carbohydrates, fats and fibre.
That is why our approach to nutrition is always about the overall pattern rather than individual miracle foods.
A varied, balanced diet gives you many opportunities to obtain the nutrients your body needs.
You do not need a perfect food list. You need a sustainable way of eating a wide range of nutritious foods.
For the wider principles of healthy eating, see our Balanced Diet: The Evidence Based Guide to Healthy Eating.
You can also read Why Variety Matters in a Healthy Diet for practical ways to broaden the range of foods you eat.
Medical Disclaimer
This information is provided for general educational purposes only. It is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any medical condition and should not be considered a substitute for advice from a qualified healthcare professional.
Nutritional needs vary from person to person. If you have a medical condition, food allergy, are taking medication, are pregnant, or have specific dietary requirements, speak with your doctor, pharmacist or another appropriately qualified healthcare professional before making significant changes to your diet or taking mineral supplements.
Do not rely on this article as a substitute for individual medical assessment or professional guidance.