Minerals

Minerals are essential nutrients that our bodies need in small amounts to function properly and stay healthy

Assorted fresh fruits and healthy grains displayed in various bowls and plates, including watermelon, strawberries, blueberries, pomegranate, oranges, and nuts.

Minerals and a healthy diet

You can use this page to find out what these minerals do, how much you need, how to get them through a healthy, balanced diet and what happens if you have too much.

We can’t make minerals in our body so we must get them from our diet.

Minerals and food sources

Our bodies need many kinds of minerals in small amounts to stay healthy and support important functions. These include:

  • calcium
  • phosphorous
  • magnesium
  • sodium chloride (salt) 
  • potassium
  • iron
  • zinc
  • iodine
  • selenium
  • copper
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