5 Basic Minerals You Need in Your Diet

The human body is pretty amazing. If you really stop and think about it, it performs miracles every day. But in order to keep it in tip-top shape, like any machine, you need to make sure you’re taking good care of it. And part of that care involved incorporating important minerals into your diet. Here are five of the most important and most common minerals you’ll want to make sure you’re getting in your diet.

Potassium

Raise your hand if you like bananas! If you do, then good news – they are chock full of this necessary element. Potassium is essential for the electrical happenings in your heart, as well as for breaking down proteins, carbs, and maintaining optimal blood pH. If you don’t like bananas, you can also snag this from potatoes, lima beans, fish, chicken, and cantaloupe.

Chloride

Playing a big part in producing those all-important digestive juices and balancing the levels of various bodily fluids, chloride (usually found as a compound in sodium chloride AKA table salt) is pretty important to your well-being.

Phosphorus

Found in dairy, meats, and whole grains, this mineral builds up strong bones and teeth, repairs cells within the body, and produces necessary proteins. As an adult, you should be targeted a daily consumption of 700 mg.

Calcium

Alongside phosphorus, this well-known mineral is famous for also building strong bones, but it does so much more. It also has a hand in nerve transmissions, hormones, and basic muscle functions. We all know it is readily found in dairy products, but you can also get decent amounts from green, leafy vegetables such as kale and cabbage.

Iron

Another darling of leafy greens, iron can also be found in apricots, beans, and even tofu. Iron is essential for blood-related health, as it is a part of hemoglobin (the main substance in red blood cells that transport oxygen throughout your body).