Mind your Minerals

Minerals are essential for thousands of metabolic reactions in the body; including but not limited to helping muscles function, supporting proper brain function, assisting in oxygen delivery to cells and boosting and balancing metabolism.

Simply stated, we all need them, and, in many cases, we don’t get enough! The best sources of minerals are whole foods that contain them. Below is a list of essential minerals and where to find them in your diet

Calcium- great sources of calcium are Dark Green Leafy Vegetables (DGLVs and my nursing professor used to call them). Almond, chick peas (organic only due to hormone disrupting chemical sprayed on the commercially grown kind and this inhibits mineral absorption), broccoli, and flax seeds to name a few. Notice Dairy is not on this list. That’s because the calcium in dairy is only bioavailable for baby cows! Mind Blown I know! http://www.baytallaah.com/bookspdf/196.pdf

Magnesium is best found in spinach, chard, pumpkin seeds, brown rice, dark chocolate and avocado to name a few!

Iron is best found in organic and pastured meat, organic beans, raisins, apricots and peas. The research shows that animal sources of iron “heme” iron is better absorbed and assimilated by the body. A vegan “hack” to boosting iron absorption is adding foods rich in vitamin c to your iron rich meal to boost absorption.