Some kids may take a multivitamin that also has minerals, but most kids don't need them if they eat a healthy diet. So eat those minerals and stay healthy! Reviewed by: Mary L. Gavin, MD. Larger text size Large text size Regular text size. Let's take a closer look at some of the minerals you get from food. Calcium Calcium is the top mineral when it comes to your bones. Top of the page. Minerals: Their Functions and Sources. Topic Overview The body needs many minerals; these are called essential minerals.
Credits Current as of: December 17, Top of the page Next Section: Related Information. Previous Section: Related Information Top of the page. Current as of: December 17, Needed for proper fluid balance, nerve transmission, and muscle contraction.
Meats, milk, fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, legumes. Meat, fish, poultry, eggs, milk, processed foods including soda pop. Occurs in foods as part of protein: meats, poultry, fish, eggs, milk, legumes, nuts. Just as a lack of key micronutrients can cause substantial harm to your body, getting sufficient quantities can provide a substantial benefit.
Some examples of these benefits:. Although they are all considered micronutrients, vitamins and minerals differ in basic ways. Vitamins are organic and can be broken down by heat, air, or acid.
Minerals are inorganic and hold on to their chemical structure. So why does this matter? It means the minerals in soil and water easily find their way into your body through the plants, fish, animals, and fluids you consume. Many micronutrients interact. Vitamin D enables your body to pluck calcium from food sources passing through your digestive tract rather than harvesting it from your bones. Vitamin C helps you absorb iron. And even a minor overload of the mineral manganese can worsen iron deficiency.
Water-soluble vitamins are packed into the watery portions of the foods you eat. They are absorbed directly into the bloodstream as food is broken down during digestion or as a supplement dissolves. Because much of your body consists of water, many of the water-soluble vitamins circulate easily in your body.
Your kidneys continuously regulate levels of water-soluble vitamins, shunting excesses out of the body in your urine. Although water-soluble vitamins have many tasks in the body, one of the most important is helping to free the energy found in the food you eat. Others help keep tissues healthy. Here are some examples of how different vitamins help you maintain health:.
Contrary to popular belief, some water-soluble vitamins can stay in the body for long periods of time. And even folic acid and vitamin C stores can last more than a couple of days. Just be aware that there is a small risk that consuming large amounts of some of these micronutrients through supplements may be quite harmful.
For example, very high doses of B6—many times the recommended amount of 1. Rather than slipping easily into the bloodstream like most water-soluble vitamins, fat-soluble vitamins gain entry to the blood via lymph channels in the intestinal wall see illustration. Many fat-soluble vitamins travel through the body only under escort by proteins that act as carriers.
Fatty foods and oils are reservoirs for the four fat-soluble vitamins. Within your body, fat tissues and the liver act as the main holding pens for these vitamins and release them as needed.
To some extent, you can think of these vitamins as time-release micronutrients. Your body squirrels away the excess and doles it out gradually to meet your needs. Together this vitamin quartet helps keep your eyes, skin, lungs, gastrointestinal tract, and nervous system in good repair.
Here are some of the other essential roles these vitamins play:. Because fat-soluble vitamins are stored in your body for long periods, toxic levels can build up. Eating a mix of foods is the best way to get all the vitamins and minerals you need each day. Fruits and vegetables , whole grains, low-fat dairy products, lean meats, fish, and poultry are the best choices for getting the nutrients your body needs.
When deciding what to eat, check food labels and pick items that are high in vitamins and minerals. For example, when choosing drinks, you'll find that a glass of milk is a good source of vitamin D, calcium, phosphorous, and potassium.
A glass of soda, on the other hand, doesn't have any vitamins or minerals. You can also satisfy your taste buds without sacrificing nutrition while dining out : vegetable pizzas or fajitas, sandwiches with lean cuts of meat, fresh salads, and baked potatoes are just a few delicious, nutritious choices.
If you're a vegetarian , you'll need to plan carefully for a diet that includes the vitamins and minerals you need.
The best sources for the minerals zinc and iron are meats, fish, and poultry. But you can get these from dried beans, seeds, nuts, and leafy green vegetables like kale. Vitamin B12 is important for making red blood cells and keeping nerves working well. It is found only in animal products. If you don't eat meat, you can get vitamin B12 from eggs, milk and other dairy foods, and fortified breakfast cereals.
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