Top Plant Sources of Minerals for the Human Body

Plant sources of minerals are a great option for vegan people as well as nonvegans. 

To live a healthy life, the human body needs six basic nutritious elements- carbohydrates, protein, vitamins, minerals, fats, and water. 

The minerals are the elements that are needed for a particular type of body function.

Calcium, for example, is needed for bone health, and iron, another mineral that is important for blood.

This element is crucial for human health as they are not vastly found in the food charts. 

Unfortunately, the minerals are not usually visibly added to the daily diets, unlike the other five elements.

But, without getting a balanced amount of the essential minerals, your body might collapse to misery. 

Then again, a lot of people have some wrong prejudices that minerals are found exclusively in meats, fishes and dairy products only- hence that it must be expensive to get all the minerals. And, the vegan people get anxious as to how they could find proper minerals. 

Don’t worry. We’re here to provide you with information about the plant sources of the 6 most important minerals for the human body- Calcium, magnesium, iron, iodine, potassium, and sodium.

6 Important Minerals with Their Plant Sources:

Calcium:

Calcium is essential for your bones and teeth. Lacking calcium might lead you to bone and teeth troubles including osteoporosis. 

To avoid all those troubles, one needs to intake sufficient calcium-rich foods. Let’s take a look at plant-based foods that are rich in calcium. 

• Green vegetables are always considered to be super healthy. Well, they are nutritious and are great sources of calcium. Broccoli, kale, cabbage are some of them. And what’s even better is- their calcium value remains even after being cooked! So, you can eat green vegetables both raw and cooked without worrying and still can get strong bones! 
• Leafy vegetables are just as good as green vegetables. Spinach, for example, is another great source of calcium. Especially cooked spinach can offer a great amount of calcium to strengthen your bones. 
• Some fruits can provide you with calcium as well. One orange contains 55 grams of calcium. Grapes, berries, apples, and pomegranates are rich in calcium too. One fruit a day can surely get rid of bone and tooth troubles. 
• Soybean and soya chunks are also great for adding calcium to your meal. Did you know that vegans eat soy products as a replacement for meats? Not only do they taste similar, but they also have similar food values as well. 
• All sorts of beans and peas are yet another source of calcium. They, too, don’t lose their calcium value after being cooked. That is quite fun, right?  
• Tofu is considered vegan cheese. Tofu is a great plant source of calcium and an amazing replacement for dairy products. They have just the same amount of calcium like milk and cheese. 
• And, nuts and seeds of all kinds are super rich in calcium too! You don’t even need to cook them. They can be eaten as easy snacks and help your bones and teeth remain strong. 

Read: Top 16 healthy food for weight loss | 100% Natural Diet

Magnesium:

Magnesium helps with your enzymes and keeps your energy level okay. It is also beneficial to your heart.

Let’s heed to the list of plant sources of magnesium. 

• Seeds, especially pumpkin seeds contain a good amount of magnesium. What’s even more advantageous is, these seeds can be stored dry for a long time. You can eat them either like chips or can cook them. 
• Almonds are another simple snack that can provide you with magnesium. You can eat almonds casually, or can have almond butter- both will be just fine to up your energy. 
• Eating greens are always helpful. Leafy vegetables, especially spinach, are helpful to meet the need for magnesium. 
• Avocados are rich in magnesium. One avocado alone can fulfill your daily need for that mineral. 
• Oatmeal is a common meal for health-conscious people. Especially the ones who want to keep their hearts healthy. This is because oatmeal is a good source of magnesium. 
• All sorts of nuts and beans are rich in a lot of mineral elements; magnesium is one of them. Including beans and nuts in your diet can fulfill your lack of magnesium. 
• Edamame– the preparation of baby soybeans is also a source of magnesium. They are super healthy and all their preparations are super tasty too! 

Iron:

Iron is a very important mineral that keeps your blood fine. Lacks of iron might lead you to severe anemia as well as liver and heart issues. People tend to think that iron is hard to find in veg items; well, we are here to prove that assumption wrong by providing the list of plant-based iron sources. 

• Taro stem is probably the most underrated iron-rich food. Not a lot of people know about this. This tropical plant can be eaten only after going through three phases- boiling, straining the water, and cooking well. This is a popular recipe in India and Bangladesh. But, the taro stem can trigger allergic reactions. So, even though this food is super rich in iron; you need to avoid it if you’re allergic. 
• All sorts of leafy vegetables– spinach for example are rich in iron. Eating them can surely fulfill your daily iron needs. 
• Button mushrooms too are rich in iron. They are super tasty as well; because they taste the same as meat if cooked properly- you might say, this is a great iron option for the vegans.
• There are a lot of fruits that are rich in iron. Bananas, apples, and olives are just a few of them. Eating at least one fruit every day can lessen the chances of iron deficiency.
• Peas and beans are yet another source of precious iron. These veg proteins are easy to cook, taste good, and have high nutritions as well as high amounts of iron. 

Iodine:

Iodine is considered a sea mineral. They are largely found in seafood. Iodine deficiency can cause cretinism and mental deficiencies.

This is why sufficient iodine intake is important.

Don’t worry. We’ll provide a list of plant-based foods where you’ll find the precious iodine without spending much. 

• Just as mentioned before, iodine is known as a sea mineral. Seaweeds are a great source of iodine. Even after drying the seaweeds, they’ll still have the exact amount of iodine.
• Organic potatoes have a great amount of iodine in their skin. If you are looking for an easy and cheap way to get iodine, cook the potatoes without peeling their skin. Potato skin can help you meet the need for iodine easily. 
• Some fruits have a high amount of iodine. Strawberries, cranberries, and prunes are some of them. Eating at least one of those fruits can keep your iodine intake proper and balanced. 
• Cabbage-type vegetables- be it watercress or kale, are rich in iodine too. Their iodine value remains just as fine as before even after cooking. Amazing, right? 

Read: The most abundant sources of carbohydrates are easy to find

Potassium:

Potassium is important for muscle health. When someone lacks potassium, it leads to muscle weakness, high blood pressure, and fatigue.

Let’s take a look at the plant sources of potassium to avoid all those troubles.

• Lentils and pulses are common meals in the Indian subcontinent. These oriental grains are great sources of potassium. Lentil soup or cooked pulses can provide you with the proper dose of potassium. 
• Dates are known as the desert fruit. Did you know that this desert fruit is highly rich in potassium? There is more; dates can be dried and stored. Their potassium value won’t reduce at all with these processes. 
• Beets and beet greens can provide you with a good amount of potassium too. Don’t hold back because of how they taste- as long as they can keep your muscles strong, you should eat them.
• Artichoke is a popular edible flower bud in France. These flower buds could look pretty after blossoming, but before that, they are nutritious with a great amount of potassium. 
• Nectarines, avocados, and bananas– these three fruits are great for potassium value. Just one piece of either one of them shall be enough to provide you with the right amount of potassium. 

Sodium:

A low amount of sodium in the human body leads to hypothermia. A deadly condition. 

Sodium is quite hard to find in plant sources. But there still are some plant sources that can provide a good amount of sodium.

Let’s take a look at them.

• Tomatoes. Raw, ripe, dried- tomato in all forms are rich in sodium. Even after cooking and storing with some lengthy processes- their sodium value remains constant. 
• Beets. All sorts of beets are good sources of sodium. You can process them or cook them, they will still provide the perfect amount of sodium. 
• Watermelon and pears contain the perfect amount of sodium that will help your body. 
• Celery stalk, or celery leaves– no matter how you eat them, they will make sure to provide you with precious sodium. 

Conclusion

In conclusion, plant-based sources offer a diverse array of minerals crucial for overall health and well-being.

Contrary to common misconceptions, these minerals, vital for various bodily functions, can be obtained through a well-rounded vegan or non-vegan diet.

Calcium-rich green vegetables, fruits like oranges and berries, soy products, nuts, and seeds fortify bones and teeth. Magnesium from seeds, nuts, greens, and oats aids enzyme function and heart health.

Iron, vital for blood health, is abundant in leafy greens, mushrooms, and fruits. Iodine sources like seaweed, potatoes, and certain fruits ensure mental wellness.

Potassium from lentils, fruits like dates and avocados, and vegetables helps maintain muscle health. While sodium is less prevalent, tomatoes, beets, watermelon, pears, and celery provide essential amounts.

Embracing these diverse plant sources ensures a balanced intake of vital minerals for a robust and thriving body.

Before you finish planning your diet plan with the aid of this article, we’d like to remind you once again that you always need to check on your conditions to see if there’s something that might trigger your allergic reaction or cause trouble to your health. 

We only aim to aid you with the basic information, but for any medical suggestions, please contact the experts in person.

We hope it was helpful for you all to know about the plant sources of minerals.