Minerals like dietary calcium, potassium, magnesium and phosphorus are called "micronutrients"—but there's nothing "micro" about them when it comes to the role they play in your health. Adequate intake of these and other minerals is essential for immune system health, sturdy bones, healthy blood pressure and overall well-being.

In fact, the word "micronutrient" doesn't mean they aren't important; it means that, just like with vitamins, the body needs nutrients like magnesium, potassium and phosphorus in smaller amounts than macronutrients like protein, carbs and fats. While you might need less calcium, than, say, carbohydrates, that doesn't mean you should chance not getting enough.

So, why are minerals vital for whole-body health? Here's the lowdown on these necessary nutrients—plus a "cheat sheet" listing the most important minerals, their health benefits and food sources.

What are minerals?

Minerals are life-sustaining compounds that are naturally present in soil and water. Like vitamins—except for fat-soluble vitamin D—your body (and other living organisms) cannot produce minerals, so you must get them from your diet.

We get the minerals in our diet from plants and animals. The mineral chain starts with plants absorbing minerals from the soil; then, animals get their minerals by eating plants (fish get them from water) or by eating other animals that eat plants. So, when you're enjoying a hefty salad with roasted potatoes and a juicy steak, you're not just getting proteins, carbohydrates and fats; you're also getting minerals and vitamins.

Why are minerals important?

Simply put, staying healthy would not be possible without minerals. A lack of micronutrients, including the essential minerals, can negatively impact overall health. And by the same token, healthy mineral levels can enhance your well-being.

What do minerals do?

These nutrients act as helper molecules, assisting enzymes (or specialized proteins) in biochemical reactions that regulate:

• Blood pressure
• Nerve cell signaling
• Digestion
• Immune system
• Metabolism and energy production
• Sleep and stress management
• Bone mass, muscle contraction, and more
• If this sounds like a lot, it is! To simplify things, it's safe to say that minerals serve four main purposes within the body:
• Structure—One of the main functions of minerals is that they help form and maintain the structure of our bodies, including in cells, proteins, bones, organs, glands, and more.
• Chemistry—Minerals are vital for biological processes that depend on biochemical reactions. For example, magnesium is crucial in ATP (cellular fuel) production; selenium and iodine are essential for thyroid hormone and thyroid function; the body needs zinc for immune health.
• Whole-body health—Minerals help maintain healthy mineral levels in the body, which are necessary for optimal health. When the body doesn't have enough magnesium, for example, it can affect cardiovascular and metabolic health.
• Communication between nerves—Minerals are essential for nerve signaling. Sodium, potassium, magnesium, and calcium are vital for every nerve and other cells to perform optimally.

Minerals vs. Vitamins: Are They Different?

Vitamins are fat-soluble and water-soluble compounds that are more complex than minerals. Some vitamins, like vitamin C or B vitamins, are produced by living organisms (not your body, though).
For example:

• Folate (or folic acid), a B-vitamin, is produced by leafy greens like spinach and chards.
• Vitamin C is produced by fruits like cantaloupe or oranges, and vegetables like broccoli.
• Vitamin D is one of the few vitamins our bodies can produce.
• Vitamin A is found in carotenoid-rich foods like beets and carrots; beta-carotene, one of the active compounds in colorful-root vegetables, can be converted to vitamin A.
• Vitamin K is produced in small amounts by the bacteria in our gut.

Vitamins are classified in two groups:

• Water-soluble vitamins

: Vitamin C, vitamin B complex (thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, pyridoxine, biotin, folate or folic acid, and cobalamin.)

• Fat-soluble vitamins

: Vitamin D, vitamin A, vitamin K and vitamin E.

As mentioned above, minerals originally come from rocks and dirt, so living organisms can't produce them. While it's not ideal or recommended, in theory, you could get some of your minerals by eating rocks—your teeth may not be happy about it!

Plant foods absorb minerals from the Earth, and their mineral content depends on the quality of soil. In other words, soil depletion affects the mineral and vitamin content in your fruits and veggies, resulting in less nutrient-rich foods than in years past.

Essential minerals: Major minerals vs. trace minerals

As you probably guessed by now, essential minerals are nutrients necessary for a long and healthy life. Both major minerals and trace minerals (or microminerals) are equally indispensable for your health; the only difference is how much the body needs each one.

• Macro minerals

: Your body needs them in larger amounts. They include calcium, magnesium, sodium, potassium, chloride, sulfur and phosphorus.

• Trace minerals

: Your body needs these in very small amounts. Iron, selenium, manganese, copper, iodine, cobalt, zinc, fluoride, molybdenum, chromium, fluoride.

Good sources of minerals? List & good sources

You're probably familiar with calcium, potassium, magnesium, sodium and phosphorus, but there are a total of 16 minerals. They are classified by the quantity needed to sustain health and well-being.