Boron
DRI:
Women and Men: <20 mg |
- Beans
- Dates
- Grapes
- Green leafy vegetables
- Honey
- Nuts
- Pears
- Prunes
- Raisins
|
Function:
- Enhances body’s ability to use calcium, magnesium and vitamin D
- Assists brain function and recognition
Prevention:
- May decrease menstrual pain and arthritis symptoms
|
Calcium
DRI:
Women and Men: 1000 mg / 1200 mg*
*Women and Men 19 – 50 / Women and Men 51 – 70+ |
- Beans
- Fish
- Fruits
- Green Leafy Vegetables
- Milk products
- Molasses
- Nuts
- Seafood
|
Function:
- Needed for formation and maintenance of bones, the development of teeth and healthy gums
- Necessary for blood clotting, stabilization of many body functions, maintenance of regular heartbeat and transmission of nerve impulses
- Helps with protein structuring in DNA and RNA
- Provides energy, breaks down fats, maintains proper cell membrane permeability, aids in neuromuscular activity and keeps skin healthy
Prevention:
- Helps to lower cholesterol, grow muscle and prevent muscle cramps
- Stops absorption of lead into bone
|
Chlorine
(Chloride)
DRI:
Women and Men: 2.3 g / 2.0 g / 1.8 g*
*Women and Men 19 – 50 / Women and Men 51 – 70 / Women and Men 71+ |
- Celery
- Kelp
- Olives
- Table salt
- Tomatoes
|
Function:
- Works with potassium and sodium (electrolytes) to control flow of fluid in blood vessels and tissues
- Regulates acidity in the body
- Forms part of hydrochloric acid in the stomach
|
Chromium
DRI:
Women: 25 mcg / 20 mcg*
Men: 35 mcg / 30 mcg**
*Women 19 – 50 / Women 51+
**Men 19 – 50 / Men 51+ |
- Beef
- Brewer’s Yeast
- Eggs
- Molasses
- Whole grains
|
Function:
- Needed for energy and stabilizes blood sugar levels
- Controls insulin and certain enzymes
- Regulates blood cholesterol
- Synthesis of fats, proteins and carbohydrates
|
Copper
DRI:
Women and Men: 900 mcg |
- Shellfish
- Liver
- Molasses
- Nuts
- Whole grains
- Water carried in copper pipes
- Cooking with copper cooking utensils
|
Function:
- Collagen and elastin synthesis
- Formation of hemoglobin, red blood cells and bones
- Manufactures pigmentation of your hair
Prevention:
- May fight wrinkles and graying of hair
|
Fluoride
DRI:
Women: 3 mg
Men: 4 mg |
- Black tea
- Gelatin
- Food grown in areas where fluorine is present in soil and water
- Seafood
- Water
- Most toothpastes
|
Function:
|
Iodine
DRI:
Women and Men: 150 mcg |
- Eggs
- Fish (Sea based)
- Milk
- Sea food
- Sea vegetables (Kelp, asparagus etc.)
|
Function:
- Production of hormones (such as thyroxine, thyroxin) by the thyroid gland
- Regulates conversion of fat to energy, stabilizes body weight and controls cholesterol levels
- Formation of bones
Prevention:
- Keeps skin, nails, hair and teeth in healthy condition
- May help prevent breast and uterine cancer
|
Iron
DRI:
Women: 18 mg / 8 mg*
Men: 8 mg
*Women 19 – 50 / Women 51+ |
Heme Types:
Non-Heme types:
- Beans
- Cereals
- Fruits
- Grains
- Vegetables
|
Function:
- Production of hemoglobin and myoglobin (the form of hemoglobin found in muscle tissue)
- Oxygenation of red blood cells
- Maintains healthy immune system
- Needed for energy production
|
Magnesium
DRI:
Women: 310 mg / 320 mg*
Men: 400 mg / 420 mg**
*Women 19 – 30 / Women 31 – 70+
**Men 19 – 30 / Men 31 – 70+ |
- Apples
- Apricots
- Avocados
- Bananas
- Cocoa
- Dairy products
- Dark Green Vegetables
- Fish
- Legumes
- Meat
- Nuts
- Seafood
- Whole grain cereals
- Water (hard water and mineral water)
Note: Processing of milk and cheese may lead to destruction of the vitamin |
Function:
- Formation of bone and teeth
- Absorption of calcium and potassium
- Relaxes muscles
- Cellular metabolism and production of energy
- Used for muscle tone of heart and controls blood pressure
- Together with vitamin B 12, may prevent kidney stones
- Aids process of vitamin D
Prevention:
- Prevents depression, dizziness, muscle twitching, and pre-menstrual syndrome
- Prevents cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, and certain forms of cancer
- May reduce cholesterol levels
|
Manganese
(Ascorbic acid)
DRI:
Women: 1.8 mg
Men: 2.3 mg |
- Avocados
- Brown Rice
- Coffee
- Eggs
- Leafy Greens
- Nuts
- Spices
- Tea
- Whole grains
|
Function:
- Enables body to utilize vitamin C, B1, biotin and choline
- Manufacture of fat, sex hormones and breast milk
- Neutralizes free radicals
- Normal nerve and brain function
- Growth of connective tissue
Prevention:
- Aids in prevention of diabetes
|
Molybdenum
DRI:
Women and Men: 45 mcg |
- Dark Green Leafy Vegetables
- Grain
- Lima Beans
- Liver
- Milk
- Peas
- Spinach
|
Function:
- Normal cell function and nitrogen metabolism
- Breakdown of sulfite toxin build-ups in the body. Sulfites are found in protein food and chemical preservatives in certain foods and drugs. If you can’t break them down, a toxic build-up may occur, resulting in an allergic reaction
Prevention:
- Cavity prevention
- Fighting nitrosamines associated with cancer
- Anemia prevention
|
Phosphorus
DRI:
Women and Men: 700 mg |
- Apples
- Asparagus
- Bran
- Brewer’s Yeast
- Broccoli
- Carrots
- Corn
- Eggs
- Fish
- Meat
- Milk
- Poultry
|
Function:
- Formation of bone and teeth formation
- Metabolic actions in the body, including kidney functioning, cell growth and contraction of the heart
- Conversion of food to energy
Prevention:
- Aids body in vitamin use (especially some B group vitamins)
|
Selenium
DRI:
Women and Men: 55 mcg |
- Brazil nuts
- Brown rice
- Chicken breast
- Eggs
- Shellfish
- Tuna
- Turkey
- Whole grains
|
Function:
- Rids body of harmful free radicals that contribute to skin cancer and aging process
- Tissue elasticity
- Promotes more energy in the body
- Tissue elasticity and pancreatic function
Prevention:
- Protects against skin cancer
- Has anti-aging properties and can rid body of free radicals, and toxic minerals such as mercury, lead and cadmium
- Fighting infections, cold sores and shingles
|
Potassium
DRI:
Women and Men: 4.7 g |
- Fish
- Fruit
- Molasses
- Unprocessed meats
- Vegetables
- Whole grains
|
Function:
- Growth, building muscles, transmission of nerve impulses, heart activity
- In conjunction with sodium works together for nervous system function and regulating the contraction of muscles
|
Sodium
DRI:
1.5 g / 1.3 g / 1.2 g*
*Women 19 – 50 / Women 51 – 70 / Women 71+ |
- Anchovies
- Bacon
- Table Salt
|
Function:
- Required to manufacture hydrochloric acid in stomach, which protects body from infections present in food
|
Zinc
DRI:
8 mg |
- Brewer’s yeast
- Eggs
- Fish
- Grains
- Muscle Meat
- Nuts
- Poultry
- Seafood
- Seeds
- Protein rich foods
|
Function:
- Collagen synthesis for healthy skin and protection against wrinkles
- Necessary for healthy immune system
- Cell division
- Protein synthesis
- Growth and maintenance of muscles
- Children, for normal growth and sexual development
- Controls oil glands
|