TRACE MINERALS. What they are and why we need them

Deficiency of the minerals that the body needs weakens it by lowering its defenses and making it vulnerable to diseases. Fortunately, more and more people are becoming interested in maintaining homeostasis in their body in all nutritional aspects, trying to ensure that the vitamins and minerals that are needed come from food.

Nowadays, due to industrialized agriculture and monocultures, the soils where crops are grown have been losing their quality as nutrient providers. One more reason to start growing home gardens and value organic products from biological agriculture.

The big winners in this situation are the laboratories that have created a nutritional supplement industry that, in the long run, if you decide to take them because you feel you are lacking or your doctor has found a deficiency, do so, but also knowing that a diet based on plants, nuts and organic seeds can help you more and better than pills with a quantity of isolated nutrients.

Minerals are inorganic substances with a crystalline structure by nature. Stones, metals, soils, as well as sea water contain minerals. They are energetic, they contain vibrational charges that give them a catalytic potential (that is, to accelerate chemical reactions), which is essential for the human body. Trace minerals are those that the human body needs in milligram or microgram quantities to function optimally.

Of the 103 known mineral varieties, perhaps 18 or more fall into the category of trace minerals, which are necessary for good health. These include iron, zinc, magnesium, manganese, copper, phosphorus, molybdenum, iodine, chromium, potassium, selenium, sodium, chloride, sulfate and boron. All of these are required for the proper functioning of the body.

Main functions of trace minerals

Trace minerals basically serve to strengthen bones, cartilage and other body tissues. Although we may not think so, the bone structure of our body is constantly changing, repairing and renewing itself. Trace minerals function like an architectural framework/grid. Calcium, phosphorus and magnesium all help keep bones healthy and strong.

The cellular system requires trace minerals to produce red blood cells (erythrocytes), which are important for transporting oxygen to the body and producing energy. At the same time, red blood cells require iron to be able to transport that oxygen, without which there would not be the “magnetism” needed to attract oxygen and make it part of the energy production process.

Both the central nervous system and muscles require trace minerals to facilitate nerve impulses. If the body were deficient in potassium and sodium, for example, the heart muscles would not contract, the brain would stop functioning, and the body's organs would not be able to move or flex. Sodium and potassium are needed to maintain water balance within cells.

Zinc is the defender of the immune system, helping to fight infections, heal wounds and repair cellular damage. Selenium, for its part, helps protect the heart muscle, inhibit the formation of cancer cells and optimize the functioning of the thyroid gland.

More minerals, more functions…

Calcium formation of bones and teeth. In blood clotting.

Phosphorus is an essential component of RNA and DNA, controls the acid-base balance of the body and many other functions.

Iron plays an important role in the formation of hemoglobin and cytochromes. It helps form myoglobin and provides energy to cells.

Sulfur An important mineral for several amino acids. Helps form Coenzyme A and B. Benefits hair, skin and nails. Helps detoxify the body of heavy metals.

Iodine Important for the synthesis of thyroid gland hormones T _{3 and} T _4. Indirectly helps control metabolic rate.

Magnesium is a cofactor in the physiological processes of ATP and enzymes. It controls neuromuscular functions.

Chlorine is an important mineral in gastric juice that helps form HCl. It helps maintain acid-base balance.

Calcium fluoride Helps form bones and teeth. On the other hand, sodium fluoride, which is added to water, is toxic.

Copper is essential for activating enzymes. Important for the formation of blood vessels, it helps oxygen to be used by cells.

Cobalt is an important mineral component of cyanocobalamin/B12

Zinc acts as a co-factor for human digestion and more than 200 enzymes. It supports the immune system and helps to maintain healthy skin.

Chromium helps in the catabolic processes of the body and the health of skeletal muscles.

Manganese has antioxidant properties. It helps in the formation of healthy bones, muscles and nerves.

Selenium is an antioxidant (prevents lipid peroxidation in cells). It is an essential component of the enzyme glutathione. It contributes to the health of the immune system. It is a cofactor for several enzymes. It helps tocopherol (vitamin K) to perform its function.

What is the best brand of mineral supplements that we can find?

Before you rush out to buy a bottle of pills, you need to distinguish between elemental minerals and minerals derived from plants. In fact, plants are the only ones that can provide us with the minerals we need, since they extract the minerals from the soil, convert them, and bind them to organic compounds such as enzymes and amino acids, changing the polarity of these minerals to a negative charge (-).

On the other hand, elemental minerals, or as we find them in nature, have a positive charge polarity (+) and eating a piece of tin or some metal is truly toxic. Let us think about the publicity that has been made to not cook in aluminum pots since in each preparation a little of the metal is released that enters the organism.

Thus, when we eat organic vegetables, it is very possible that our organism will absorb the minerals contained there because the colon has a positive polarity charge and since the plant has done us the favor of changing the charge of the minerals it contains, they can be absorbed and used in the functions mentioned above. Under ideal conditions, the walls of the colon have a positive charge (+); when the elemental mineral enters, it will be immediately repelled as when two poles of the same charge meet. The opposite happens with a mineral derived from plants whose polarity has been changed.

Now, you would think that the best way for the body to absorb a mineral is from a colloidal or suspended source, but again, there is a distinction to be made between elemental mineral colloids and plant-derived mineral colloids.

Mineral colloids derived from plants win again because they are absorbed more easily, are of a more suitable size, are organically bound by substances, and these minerals have a negative charge (-).

The next question that arises would be, if I buy a plant-derived colloidal supplement will I be able to supplement any deficiencies I have?

It's not that easy. It's like buying good materials to build a house, but it still needs to be built, and here the factor that intervenes is TIME.

The digestive system works on a time basis. There is a specific time when food is transported from the stomach to the colon. By this time, the food must have been broken down so that the colon can properly process and absorb it.

People are still not aware that the body is fed during the day so that nutrients are delivered to where they need to perform their functions at night. One more reason why sleep is crucial for human beings and their health. By depriving the body of sleep, we are not allowing it to effectively absorb the minerals, vitamins and nutrients it needs for its health.

It depends on four factors that a mineral can be absorbed: time; quality and form of the mineral in supplement or food; conditions of the body to absorb it; digestive state of the organism to absorb it.

Signs and symptoms of trace mineral deficiency

When trace minerals are present in the bloodstream in sufficient quantities, the product is not very different in composition from sea salt. Surprisingly, healthy blood plasma contains about the same concentration of minerals as ocean water. However, in these times when soils are being eroded by industrial agriculture and other treatments, humans are more prone to deficiencies and these may be some of the characteristics.

• Difficulty adapting to temperature changes
• Lethargy
• Muscle cramps and spasms
• Cloudy thinking
• Hair loss and muscle tone
• Allergies
• Fatigue
• Resistance to overcome flu or colds
• Non-restorative sleep
• Mood swings
• Lack of energy, vigor
• Constipation
• Low sexual appetite

Food sources of minerals

Minerals	Men	women	Sources
Calcium	700 mg	700 mg	Green leafy vegetables, broccoli, cabbage, okra, nuts, seeds, thyme, oregano, dill, cinnamon
Iodine	0.14 mg	0.14 mg	Iodized sea salt*, nori seaweed, wakame, strawberries
Iron	8.7 mg	14.8 mg	Walnuts, asparagus, cumin, parsley, turmeric, olives, green leafy vegetables, watercress, kale, chard, tomato
Beta Carotene	7 mg	7 mg	Green and yellow leafy vegetables, spinach, carrot, red pepper, mango, melon and peach
Boron	-6 mg	-6mg	Green vegetables, fruits and nuts
Chrome	250 mcg	250 mcg	Lentils, spices, nutritional yeast
Cobalt	150 mcg	150 mcg	Nuts, green leafy vegetables, broccoli, spinach
Copper	1.2 mg	1.2 mg	Nuts, mushrooms, spinach, seeds, vegetables, cashew nuts, walnuts
Magnesium	300 mg	300mg	Nuts, spinach, cocoa, chard, seaweed, tomato, ginger, cumin and cloves
Manganese	-0.5 mg	- 0.5 mg	Tea, nuts, green vegetables like peas
Phosphorus	550 mg	550 mg	Vitamin D regulates the use of calcium and phosphorus, but is found in seeds such as pumpkin, chia, flaxseed and sesame.
Potassium	4500 mg	3000 mg	Bananas, vegetables, seeds and nuts, legumes, papayas, spinach, chard, sweet potatoes and turmeric
Selenium	0.08 mg	0.06 mg	Brazil nuts, mustard, mushrooms, seeds
Sodium chloride	- 6 g	- 6 g	Sea salt, wheat germ
Zinc	9 mg	9 mg	Mushrooms, spinach, peas, seeds, miso

* Iodized sea salt. Yes, just as you read. In the periodic table you can see that in the group of elements that contains iodine, there is also chlorine and phosphorus, elements that evaporate when they come into contact with oxygen.

So no matter how natural the environment, sun-dried sea salt loses iodine, so if you want to take advantage of the iodine in sea salt, you must get it with added iodine or consume seawater.

Germinated, a mineral factory

One of the best ways to supply the mineral ration in our body is through sprouts, considering so many benefits at the health and environmental level.

Germinated	Protein	Vitamins	Amino acids	Minerals	Further
Alfalfa	35%	A, B, C, E, K		Calcium, Magnesium, Potassium, Iron, Zinc	As much carotene as carrots
Azuki bean	25%	A, C, E	All except Tryptophan	Iron, Niacin, Calcium
Saracen	15%	A, C, E		Calcium	Lecithin
Nail	30%	A, B, C, E		Calcium, Magnesium, Potassium, Iron and Zinc	Trace elements
Fenugreek	30%	TO		Iron, Niacin, Calcium	Digestive aid
Chickpea	20%	A, C, E		Iron, Magnesium, Calcium
Lentil	25%	A, B, C, E		Iron, Calcium, Phosphorus
Mung Beans	20%	A, C, E		Iron
Peas	20%	A, B, C	All the essentials		Carbohydrates
Radish	Yeah	C		Potassium	Chlorophyll
Sunflower greens	Yeah	B, E complex		Calcium, Iron, Phosphorus, Potassium, Magnesium	Chlorophyll
Wheat and rye sprouts	15%	B, C, E complex		Magnesium, phosphorus	Pantothenic acid, phosphorus

http://sproutpeople.org/growing-sprouts/sprout-nutrition

In addition to their high content of trace minerals and other nutrients, see 10 more reasons to consume sprouts and, better yet, grow them at home.

1. According to experts, there are 100 times more enzymes in sprouts than in raw vegetables and fruits.

2. The protein quality of seeds, nuts and some beans improves when they are sprouted

3. The fiber content in seeds, nuts and some beans increases dramatically

4. Vitamin content increases dramatically. Some research has shown that mung bean sprouts increase Vitamin B1 by 285%, Vitamin B2 by 515% and Vitamin B3 (Niacin) by 256%.

5. The fatty acid content increases during the germination process

6. During germination, minerals attach to the proteins of seeds, nuts and beans, making them more usable in the body. This is the case of alkaline minerals such as Calcium, Magnesium and others that help the chemical balance of the body in weight loss and improved health.

7. By sprouting yourself, you are helping the planet and ensuring that your sprouts do not contain any undesirable pesticides, additives or any other chemicals harmful to your health.

8. The energy contained in seeds, nuts and some beans is unleashed by soaking and sprouting them

9. Sprouts are alkalizing agents for the body.

10. Sprouts are not expensive. So you can get the most nutritious food possible in the comfort and ease of your home. (http://www.care2.com/greenliving/10-reasons-to-eat-sprouts.html)