Healthrapp - a health page covering complementary medicine (reiki, acupuncture, aromatherapy uk, chiropractic), medical information (from head lice treatment to meningitus symptoms), vitamin information and vitamins minerals chart.

Mineral Name	Source	Benefits / Deficiencies
Calcium	Dairy products, tofu, fish, meat, eggs, wheatflour, brown rice, barley, sesame seeds, nuts, chickpeas, cabbage, soyabean, kelp, parsley, watercress, broad beans.	It is important for strong bones and teeth. Helps the brain, nerves, muscles and heart to function properly. It has been associated with the prevention of bowel and intestinal cancer and high blood pressure. It has been suggested that long term calcium can reduce premenstrual symptoms. Deficency causes osteoporosis, increased susceptibility to allergies and increased anxiety.
Phosphorous	Cheese, lentils, wholemeal bread, eggs, meat, fish, brown rice, sunflower seeds, barley, kelp, sesame seeds, almonds, rye, millet.	Important for the strengthening of bones and teeth, maintaining the ph balance of the blood and the functioning of brain cells. It is also important for energy production in the body and helping muscle contraction (encouraging a regular heartbeat). However too much intake of phosphorous in the form of phosphoric acid can stop calcium being absorbed.
Potassium	Seafood, brewer�s yeast, dates, mushrooms, cabbage, meat, bananas, watercress, honey, tomatoes, yoghurt, wholemeal bread, kelp, soya beans, dandelion, barley, leeks, nettles.	Works together with sodium to maintain body fluids which helps the muscular and nervous system to function properly, along with a regular heartbeat. It is believed to help prevent high blood pressure. Deficiency causes muscular cramp, depression, fatigue and in extreme cases even heart failure.
Fluoride	Present in many water supplies, tea, oats, rice, watercress, most fresh vegetables, goats� milk.	Helps stop tooth decay and helps bone formation.
Magnesium	Peanuts, brazil nuts, soya beans, wholemeal flour (wheatgerm), brewer's yeast, bananas, avocados, chocolate, lentils, parsley, kelp, almonds, sesame seeds, spinach.	Helps the absorption of calcium, Vitamin C, Sodium and Potassium (helping to maintain a healthy circulatory system). It helps remove toxins such as ammonia out of cells and its presence is needed to break down glycogen to glucose in the liver to give the body energy. It is thought to prevent heart attacks. It is also believed to help alleviate PMS and hay fever. Lack of it will lead to bone and teeth problems, learning difficulties, fatigue and depression, irritability, high blood pressure, muscular problems (spasms and convulsions) and may even cause heart attacks.
Iron	Liver, red meat, oysters, cocoa, treacle, honey, parsley, lentils, peas, haricot beans, kelp, sesame seeds, wholemeal bread, eggs, watercress, dried fruit, cabbage, leeks, dandelion.	Deficiency causes anaemia, poor growth and mental performance and frequent infections. Vitamin C helps the absorption of iron within the body.
Manganese	Tea, honey, whole cereals, beans and peas, nuts, pineapple, grapes, beetroot, watercress, kale	Important for nursing mothers. It is associated with the formation of connective tissue and bone, with growth, carbohydrate and lipid metabolism, the development of the inner ear, reproductive function and brain function.
Zinc	Meat, oysters, cheese, lentils, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, rye, olives, haricot beans, eggs, nuts.	Helps the brain to function and wounds to heal. Deficiency causes infertility, hair loss and dandruff, white spots on nails, skin problems, behavioural problems and problems with taste, smell and vision.
Iodine	Iodised salt, white fish, yoghurt, kelp, eggs, almonds, wholemeal bread, spinach, strawberries, turnip, okra, cabbage	Iodine is needed in pregnancy for the development of the baby�s nervous system Deficiency causes problems with the body�s metabolism. Iodine is needed in thyroid hormone (thyroxin) production. Thyroxin is important in the production of energy within the body.
Sodium	Table salt, shellfish, meats, eggs, tinned and processed foods.	Works with potassium to regulate the body's water content and maintain the permeability of the cells walls. It also facilitates nerve and muscle impulses. Too much has been connected with high blood pressure.
Chlorine	Table salt, olives, shellfish, meats and eggs.	Chlorides work with sodium and potassium to maintain balanced fluid levels throughout the body, regulating the body's acidity and helping electrical impulses travel along the nerves.
Molybdenum	Beans, legumes, dark green leafy vegetables, and whole grains. Hard tap water can also be a source	Helps body metabolism e.g. the metabolism of iron, and cell growth. It changes purine into uric acid so an excess of molybdenum could cause an excess of uric acid in the body producing gout like symptoms. Too much molybdenum interferes with the absorption of copper into the body.
Selenium	Seafood, meat, fish, whole grains, eggs, tomatoes, garlic, dairy products, broccoli and other products grown in or raised on selenium-rich soil.	There is strong evidence that it helps prevent cancer. It also helps protect the skin from UV light Infertilty, muscular dystrophy, rheumatoid arthritis, and heart disease are associated with low levels of Selenium.
Copper	Shellfish, kidneys, whole grain wheats, nuts, mushrooms, raisins, bananas and spinach. Drinking water running through copper pipes is also a source.	Copper helps to release iron to make haemoglobin and helps maintain myelin which protects nerve cell. It is needed for bone formation and for the formation of the skin pigment melanin. Deficiency can cause anaemia.
Sulphur	Protein-rich food such as eggs, meat, poultry, milk and fish,	Helps protein metabolism. Found in insulin which regulates the level of blood sugar. Keeps hair, skin and muscle healthy.