Foods Rich in Mineral Salts

Javier Colomer 8 min. of reading Minerals Leave a comment

Getting your body into an optimal state of health means keeping the balance of certain Essential Elements, like Mineral Salts, which are crucial for the proper functioning of countless biological processes

What are Mineral Salts?

Mineral Salts are a group of inorganic ionic molecules. In nature (soil, rocks, stones…) these elements aren’t found in their ionic form, meaning that to be absorbed and used by our body, they must be bound to an organic molecule like enzymes, proteins, or amino acids.

We get mineral salts from various foods that we need to include in our daily diet

Functions of Mineral Salts

Inside the body, they perform a series of functions, where even a slight deficiency can be critical, related to:

Immune system
Nervous system
Bone system
Muscle function
Body pH control
Energy production

Types of Mineral Salts

When classifying mineral salts, we mainly talk about two types:

Macrominerals, which we need to consume in amounts over 100mg/day. This group includes: Sodium, Chloride, Potassium, Calcium, Phosphorus, Magnesium, and Sulfur.
Microminerals, which we only need in trace amounts. Also known as Trace Elements, including: Zinc, Iron, Iodine, Selenium, Copper, Manganese, Fluoride, Chromium, and Molybdenum.

Fruits and vegetables are important sources of mineral salts, and they should be part of any diet

What are Mineral Salts good for?

Mineral	Function	Deficiency
Sodium	Fluid regulation; Nerve transmission; Muscle contraction	Can cause fatigue
Chloride	Acid-base balance regulation; Stomach acid synthesis (hydrochloric acid)	Muscle weakness; loss of appetite; dehydration
Potassium	Nerve transmission; Muscle contractile function; Energy production	Edema, constant thirst, hypoglycemia, dry skin, general weakness
Calcium	Joint and bone health; Muscle relaxation and contraction; Nervous function; Blood clotting; Blood pressure regulation; Immune system support	Brittle hair and nails; Memory loss; Risk of osteoporosis; Muscle spasms and cramps
Phosphorus	Lecithin production; Neutralizes blood acidity; Energy production	Nervousness; Insomnia; Fatigue; Difficulty breathing; Skin numbness
Magnesium	Nervous function; Muscle function; Energy production; Bone and joint health	Muscle cramps; General fatigue; Anxiety; Irregular heart rhythm
Sulfur	Antioxidant; Detoxifier; Anti-inflammatory; Cardiovascular health; Skin health	Acne; Arthritis; Brittle nails and hair; Seizures; Intestinal problems

Mineral salts perform essential functions in the human body

How do we lose Mineral Salts?

We need to pay special attention to factors that cause our body to lose mineral salts.

Diuretics: some substances promote the movement and excretion of body fluids, like coffee.
Exercise: doing sports or any physical activity is a great way to stay healthy. However, training at certain times of day or in extreme weather (very cold or very hot) speeds up mineral loss through excessive sweating.
Alcohol, Carbonated Drinks, and Excess Sugar: cause rapid depletion and excretion of calcium, potassium, magnesium, and lead to bone demineralization.
Excess Grain Foods: because phytic acid binds minerals and partially blocks their intestinal absorption.
Illness: especially those affecting the digestive system, or during recovery from surgery. Also due to vomiting, diarrhea…
Medications: many medicines (antacids, contraceptives, antibiotics…) can deplete mineral salt levels in the body. In some cases, they also prevent proper absorption from food.
External factors: which affect us indirectly, with the main one today being soil quality, which is mineral-poor. The use of certain farming techniques, like fertilizers or pesticides, means foods don’t contain the ideal mineral concentrations they used to have. Similarly, the animals we eat are often not fed the best mineral-rich feed; and even for free-range animals, it’s unclear if the soil is mineral-rich. Modern era problems.

To fix possible mineral deficiencies, you should adjust and deepen your diet, and in some cases, even add Mineral Supplements

Why are Mineral Salts important?

These elements are needed in certain amounts to carry out vital functions, meaning they’re essential for our body, and therefore for life.

They must be supplied through our diet, as they’re constantly fluctuating in many reactions inside the body. So, our goal is to have a highly varied diet to have a wide range of sources providing these important elements.

A varied diet guarantees meeting our mineral requirements and needs

Foods Rich in Mineral Salts

Here’s a roundup of foods ranked by concentration of the main mineral salts. The percentage shown is relative to the NRV (Nutrient Reference Values established in Regulation (EU) 1169/2011 of 25 October 2011), sourced from http://nutritiondata.self.com.

Generally, the list falls into these food groups: