| Many of the known dietary minerals are | | | | supplements we must consume as part of our |
| considered to be essential to the human | | | | daily diet is calcium which is abundant in milk, |
| metabolism. Among them are salts, trace | | | | cheese, and other dairy products. The other |
| elements, and ions like iron and copper. Usually | | | | necessary minerals include magnesium (in soy |
| nutritional supplements, vitamins, and minerals are | | | | beans and nuts), zinc, iodine, iron (sources include |
| considered to be "essential" due to the fact our | | | | eggs, beans, whole and enriched grains, fish, and |
| body cannot or does not manufacture them on | | | | green leafy vegetables), sodium (in milk and |
| its own. They must be added in through our diet | | | | spinach), chloride (mainly found in table salt), and |
| or supplemental ingredients such as a daily vitamin | | | | potassium (found in legumes, bananas, and |
| and mineral supplement. | | | | tomatoes). Each can be found in a well balanced |
| Our body needs all the basic ingredients to | | | | diet or can be added in through including a daily |
| function properly | | | | vitamin and mineral supplement. |
| Dietary minerals, which are a requirement of all | | | | Dietitians stress the addition of chemical elements |
| living organisms, are chemical elements found in | | | | Dietitians recommend several different chemical |
| the four basic elements: carbon, nitrogen, | | | | (mineral) supplements, many of which occur |
| hydrogen, and oxygen. These comprise the basics | | | | naturally in our body, and others that must be |
| we utilize in our daily life which include calcium, | | | | added on. That calcium which is abundant in diary |
| potassium, zinc, iodine, sodium, and magnesium. | | | | products can also be added in by the addition of |
| Ideally we will get all the necessary ingredients for | | | | fortified foods such as orange juice. The chemical |
| good health in our daily diet but this is often not | | | | elements found in our dietary vitamin supplements |
| the case due to improper eating or foods lacking | | | | are a combination of chemical elements such as |
| in the chemical elements we need. | | | | magnesium or calcium, along with vitamins which |
| Some foods have what we need and some are | | | | provide us with the basic ingredients for good |
| simply found lacking | | | | health and a long life. |
| Among the most beneficial of valuable vitamins | | | | |