Almost everyone knows about vitamins and the importance of good vitamin balance for good health, but the role of minerals and why they are important is somewhat fuzzy to the average person. Here is a primer on minerals and their importance for good health, starting with the question: What is a mineral?

• Your body cannot make minerals. Minerals must be consumed in foods, water, or supplements. The term for this is essential. Minerals are essential to your body.
• Minerals help to keep your body in balance.
• Proper absorption of minerals is very important for good health. The aging process, illness, medications, birth control pills, and other factors can negatively affect the absorption of minerals in your body.
• Vitamins need minerals to function properly.
• Minerals act as catalysts to help with enzyme and metabolic functions.
• Minerals contribute to energy production vital to maintaining your body’s structure.
• Minerals help with repair and healing.
• Your glands’ secretion of hormones is dependent on minerals.
• Minerals can help in the elimination of waste products.

Minerals are needed in differing amounts, some more than others, so minerals are divided into two categories: macro and micro. Both macro and micro minerals are essential for good health.

• Your body needs over 100 mg daily of a macro or major mineral. Calcium, potassium, sodium, magnesium, chloride, phosphorus, and sulfur are macro minerals.
• Your body needs less than 100 mg daily of a micro or trace mineral. Copper, iodine, zinc, cobalt, selenium, molybdenum, chromium, iron, and fluoride are micro minerals.

Since minerals are so important for good health, learning about the different minerals, their sources, and what they specifically do is very important.