Rock Lore

Did You Eat Your Rocks Today?

Did you know humans need to eat rocks to stay alive? It's true! From A to Z, we need minerals to stay healthy! Where do these minerals come from? From foods produced from the earth, which is full of minerals!

We need major essential minerals or 'macro minerals' including: sodium, chloride, potassium, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium and sulphur. Check out the charts below to discover how your body uses essential minerals and more!

Major minerals (Macro or Essential minerals)

Mineral	Function	Sources
Sodium	Needed for proper fluid balance, nerve transmission, and muscle contraction	Table salt, soy or soy-free cooking sauces (coconut sap), processed foods, small amounts in milk and fortified alternative milk products (almond milk, etc.), whole grain breads, vegetables, and unprocessed meats
Chloride	Needed for proper fluid balance, stomach acid	Table salt, soy or soy-free cooking sauces (coconut sap), large amounts in processed foods, small amounts in milk and fortified alternative milk products (almond milk, etc.), meats, whole grain breads, and vegetables
Potassium	Needed for proper fluid balance, nerve transmission, and muscle contraction	Meats, milk and alternative milk products (almond milk, etc.), fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, legumes
Calcium	Important for healthy bones and teeth; helps muscles relax and contract; important in nerve functioning, blood clotting, blood pressure regulation, immune system health	Milk and milk products and fortified alternative milk products (almond milk, etc.), canned fish with bones (salmon, sardines), greens (broccoli, mustard greens), legumes
Phosphorus	Important for healthy bones and teeth; found in every cell; part of the system that maintains acid-base balance	Meat, fish, poultry, eggs, milk and fortified alternative milk products (almond milk, etc.), processed foods (including carbonated drinks)
Magnesium	Found in bones; needed for making protein, muscle contraction, nerve transmission, immune system health	Nuts and seeds, legumes, leafy, green vegetables, seafood, dark chocolate, artichokes, natural mineralized drinking water
Sulfur	Found in protein molecules	Occurs in foods as part of protein: meats, poultry, fish, eggs, milk, legumes, nuts

Our bodies also require smaller amounts of 'trace' or micro minerals including iron, zinc, iodine, selenium, copper, manganese, fluoride, chromium and molybdenum. Other trace nutrient minerals (and metals) the body may benefit from in very small amounts are nickel, silicon, vanadium, cobalt, and gold! Check out the chart to see how your body uses some of these trace minerals.

Mineral	Function	Sources
Iron	Part of a molecule (hemoglobin) found in red blood cells that carries oxygen in the body; needed for energy metabolism	Organ meats, red meats, fish, poultry, shellfish (especially clams), egg yolks, legumes, dried fruits, dark, leafy greens, iron-enriched breads and cereals, and fortified cereals
Zinc	Part of many enzymes; needed for making protein and genetic material; has a function in taste perception, wound healing, normal fetal development, immune system health	Meats, fish, poultry, leavened whole grains, vegetables
Iodine	Found in thyroid hormone which helps regulate growth, development, and metabolism	Seafood, foods grown in iodine-rich soil, iodized salt, bread, dairy products
Selenium	Antioxidant	Meats, seafood, grains
Copper	Part of many enzymes; needed for iron metabolism	Legumes, nuts and seeds, whole grains, organ meats, drinking water
Manganese	Part of many enzymes	Widespread in foods, especially plant foods
Fluoride	Involved in formation of bones and teeth; helps prevent tooth decay	Drinking water (either fluoridated or naturally containing fluoride), fish, and most teas
Chromium	Works closely with insulin to regulate blood sugar (glucose) levels	Unrefined foods, especially liver, brewer's yeast, whole grains, nuts, cheeses
Molybdenum	Part of some enzymes	Legumes, breads and grains, leafy greens, leafy, green vegetables, milk, liver

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