Essential minerals all play an important role in human health.
Depending on the quantity of each mineral that the human body needs, they can be classed as either major minerals or trace minerals.
The body needs major minerals in relatively high (>100 mg/day) amounts. Major minerals include calcium, chloride, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, and sodium.
In contrast, humans only need trace minerals in small (<100 mg/day) amounts. Trace minerals include chromium, cobalt, copper, iodine, iron, manganese, molybdenum, selenium, and zinc.
This article provides a guide to these essential minerals alongside their recommended daily allowance (RDA) and the best dietary sources.
Calcium
Calcium is a major electrolyte mineral, and according to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, it is one of the nutrients of concern alongside magnesium and vitamins D and E (1).
In other words, a large proportion of people do not consume enough calcium. According to the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), over 40% of adults had an inadequate intake of these nutrients (2).
Calcium is the most prevalent mineral in the human body, and it plays a vital role in maintaining healthy bones and teeth (3).
The mineral also has functions that support blood clotting, muscle contraction, nerve impulses, and more (4).
Generally speaking, the best source of calcium is dairy foods. However, some non-dairy options are relatively high in the mineral.
Copper is a trace mineral that is present in a wide range of different foods.
This trace mineral has several crucial functions within the body, and it is a vital part of several important enzymes and proteins within the body (14).
As a result, copper plays an important part in enzymes and proteins that ensure the optimal function of the cardiovascular system and the nervous system, among others (15).
Iron is an essential trace mineral that can be found in two different dietary forms (23):
Heme iron (animal foods)
Non-heme iron (plant foods)
Both can be good sources of the mineral, but heme iron is more bioavailable and can be a more reliable source if iron intake is only borderline sufficient (24).
A sufficient intake of iron is vital for producing hemoglobin, which is a compound that carries oxygen within the blood (25).
For this reason, inadequate iron intake is a risk factor for developing iron deficiency anemia (26).
Manganese is an essential trace mineral that the body requires in relatively low amounts.
It is also one of the most prevalent minerals in food, and a wide range of plant-based and animal-based foods contain it.
Manganese is a co-factor for several important enzymes, including superoxide dismutase and arginase (34).
Superoxide dismutase is an enzyme located in the body’s mitochondria that protects against oxidative damage. Hence manganese plays a crucial role in the body’s antioxidant defense system (35).
Manganese also plays a role in glucose and fatty acid metabolism (36).
Phosphorus is one of the major minerals, and it is an important component of bone (42).
This essential mineral is also vital for storing and transferring energy, and for the overall growth, development, and repair of the body’s tissues (43).
Potassium is one of the major essential minerals, and it is also an important electrolyte.
In this regard, potassium plays a critical role alongside sodium (and chloride) in determining fluid balance inside and outside of cells (46).
Due to this, potassium also has a primary role in regulating blood pressure (47).
On this note, higher intakes of potassium to sodium generally result in lower blood pressure. A recent systematic review and meta-analysis supports these benefits of increased potassium intake (48).
The human body needs potassium in relatively high amounts, and the mineral has many important functions.
There is currently no RDA for potassium, but an adequate intake (AI) level has been set by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (49).
Selenium is an essential trace mineral that forms an integral part of several antioxidant enzymes and proteins (51).
As demonstrated in a recent randomized controlled trial, maintaining adequate selenium levels may help to reduce oxidative stress within the body (52).
In addition to the mineral’s role in the human antioxidant system, selenium is also essential for thyroid hormone metabolism (53).
There is no set recommended daily allowance for sodium intake, but the 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend an upper intake of 2,300 mg per day (57).
There are numerous essential minerals that the human body requires.
Some of these minerals are required in higher amounts, while the body only needs a small intake of others.
As is usually the case, the best approach to consume an adequate amount of these minerals is to emphasize nutritious, whole foods, and limit ultra-processed food.
Michael works as a nutrition educator in a community setting and holds a Master's Degree in Clinical Nutrition. He believes in providing reliable and objective nutritional information to allow informed decisions.
