The Mineral Minder

The Mineral Minder

Minerals help your body form bones, regulate the heart, and synthesize enzymes, but experts say too many, or too few, can lead to heart disease, diabetes, or even cancer. Here are the FDA's daily values and where to get them.

Calcium

Daily value - 1 gram.

    1 cup hard ice cream - 0.18 g

    1 cup nonfat milk - 0.3 g

    2 oz. Cheddar cheese - 0.41 g

    8 oz. Nonfat yogurt - 0.45 g

What it does: Helps form strong bones and teeth. Helps regulate heartbeat, muscle contractions, nerve function, and blood clotting.

What it may do: May reduce the risk of high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and colon cancer.

Food sources: Milk, cheese, butter and margarine, green vegetables, legumes, nuts, soybean products, hard water.

Supplementation: Most Americans don't consume enough calcium, but megadoses are not recommended. High intakes may cause constipation and increase some men's risk of urinary stones.

Iron

Daily Value – 18 milligrams.

    1 slice whole wheat bread - 1 mg

    3 scrambled eggs – 2.1 mg

    3 oz. Lean sirloin steak, broiled - 2.6 mg

    3 oz. Fried liver – 5.3 mg

    1 packet instant oatmeal - 6.7 mg.

What it does: Vital in forming hemoglobin (which carries oxygen in blood) and myoglobin (in muscle).

Food sources: Red meat, poultry, liver, eggs, fish, wholegrain cereals, and breads.

Supplementation: Often (but not always) recommended for dieters, endurance athletes, strict vegetarians, menstruating women, pregnant women, infants, and children. Large doses may damage the heart, liver, and pancreas.

Energy saves the world. Photo by Elena

Phosphorus

Daily value – 1 gram.

    6 scallops – 0.2 g

    1 cup nonfat milk - 0.25 g

    3 oz. Broiled trout - 0.26 g

    1 cup tuna salad - 0.28 g

    1 cup low-fat cottage cheese.

What it does: Helps form bones, teeth, cell membranes, and genetic material. Essential for energy production.

Food sources: Nearly all foods, including red meat, poultry, liver, milk, cheese, butter and margarine, eggs, fish, wholegrain cereals and breads, green and root vegetables, legumes, nuts, and fruit.

Supplementation: Not recommended. Deficiencies in Americans are virtually unknown. Excessive intake may lower blood calcium level.

Potassium

Daily value - 3,500 milligrams.

    1 cup nonfat milk - 406 mg

    1 banana - 451 mg

    1 baked potato, with skin - 844 mg

    1 cup cooked spinach - 839 mg.

What it does: Needed for muscle contraction, nerve impulses, and function of heart and kidneys, Aids in regulation of water balance in cells and blood.

What it may do: May fight osteoporosis and help lower blood pressure.

Food sources: Unprocessed foods such as fruits, vegetables, and fresh meats.

Supplementation: Not usually recommended. Take only under a doctor's supervision.

Iodine

Daily Value - 150 micrograms.

    1 oz. Cheddar cheese - 12 mcg

    1 tsp iodized salt - 400 mcg.

What it does: Necessary for thyroid gland function and thus normal cell metabolism. Prevent goiter (enlargement of thyroid).

Food sources: Milk, cheese, butter and margarine, fish, whole-grain cereals and breads, iodized table salt.

Supplementation: Not recommended. Widely dispersed in the food supply so even if you eat little iodized salt, you probably get enough iodine.

Magnesium

Daily value - 400 milligrams.

    1 slice pumpernickel bread - 22 mg

    1 tbsp. Peanut butter - 28 mg

    1/2 cup peas - 31 mg.

    1 baked potato - 55 mg

    1/2 cup cooked spinach - 79 mg

What it does: Aids in bone growth, basic metabolic functions and the functioning of nerves and muscles, including the regulation of normal heart rhythm.

Food source: Milk, fish, whole-grain cereals and breads, green vegetables, legumes, nuts, and hard water.

Supplementation: Not usually recommended. Deficiency is rare.

Zinc

Daily value – 15 miligrams.

8 oz lowfat fruit yogurt – 1.52 mg

1 cup boiled lentils – 2.5 mg

3.5 oz. Roast turkey, dark – 4.4. mg

What it does: Stimulates enzymes needed for cell division, growth, and repair (wound healing). Helps immune system function properly. Also pays a role in acuity of taste and smell.

Food sources: Red-meat, fish, seafood, eggs, milk, whole-grain cereals and breads, legumes.

Supplementation: Not recommended, except by a doctor for the few Americans who have low zinc levels.

Copper

Daily Value - 2 milligrams.

    2/3 cup seedless raisins – 0.31 mg

    1 oz. Dry roasted pistachios – 0.34 mg

    ½ cup boiled mushrooms – 0.39 mg.

What it does: Helps in formation of red blood cells. Helps keep the bones, blood vessels, nerves, and immune system healthy.

Food sources: Red meat, poultry, liver, fish, seafood, whole-grain cereals and breads, green vegetables, legumes, nuts, raisins, mushrooms.

Supplementation: Not recommended. A balanced diet includes enough copper