Macrominerals and Microminerals
Calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, sodium, potassium, chlorine, and sulfur are the so-called macrominerals. Microminerals or trace elements include iron, copper, zinc, manganese, molybdenum, selenium, cobalt, and iodine, among others. Our body needs minerals to function properly. We cannot produce them ourselves and must obtain them through food. It's important that we neither get too little nor too much of these minerals. Vitamins cannot function without minerals. Not only the daily amount of minerals is important, but also the correct proportions.
Mineral Supplements
A mineral supplement can consist of a single mineral, for example, a magnesium supplement like Mega Food's Magnesium tablets. This is a good choice when a mineral, such as magnesium, is so important in the body that supplementation is always desired. Mineral supplements can also consist of a complex of all the essential minerals, for example, Klaire Labs' Multi-Minerals Complex. In this case, you are assured of an adequate intake of all the essential minerals in the correct quantity and proportion.
Magnesium, Calcium, Zinc, and Selenium
Minerals are essential and crucial for the proper functioning of the body, even though they are taken in milligrams and often micrograms. At least twenty minerals are now known to support biochemical processes and mechanisms in the body. Some minerals, although classified as trace elements, such as selenium and zinc, may still be highly desirable to supplement individually. MegaFood's minerals, such as magnesium, calcium, zinc, and selenium, are 100% natural and do not contain pesticides, herbicides, gluten, or soy. The Pure Advantage brand also offers some good minerals in our webshop, such as Zinc Spray or Molybdenum Drops.
Are All Trace Elements Essential?
Trace elements or trace metals are present in smaller amounts in our bodies than macrominerals. Whether all trace and ultratrace elements are essential is still a matter of debate. Some are known to be essential, while for others, there is insufficient evidence. There are also different opinions on the essential nature of various ultratrace elements, even based on the same data. For example, there is no scientific consensus on whether chromium is an essential trace element in humans. The United States and Japan consider chromium an essential nutrient, but the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) classified chromium as non-essential in 2014.
