Minerals and nutrition

Minerals are substances that the body does not itself to. We need to get them through food. A varied and healthy diet is important for a good mineral supply.

Each product group from the food pyramid provides certain minerals. The overview below gives in alphabetical order a brief explanation about the different minerals and their (natural) sources.

Calcium
Calcium occurs mainly in dairy products such as milk and cheese. Bread, vegetables, pulses and potatoes contain much less calcium than dairy products, but wear though of the total calcium supply.

Below is some important calcium sources for the quantity as a percentage of the recommended daily allowance (RDA). Starting point is the requirement of an adult, namely 1000 mg of calcium a day

Natural food sources% RDA man and woman
Semi-skimmed milk (1 glass) 18
48 + cheese (1 slice) 16
Green beans (cooked 200 grams) 11
Broccoli (cooked, 200 grams) 7
Whole wheat bread (1 slice) 1

Chloride
Because chloride is often in the form of salt is taken in the same foods as sodium chloride comes for. Sodium chloride, and therefore, is present in almost all foods and drinks. Chloride is in the form of salt during the manufacturing process, preparing the meal or added at the table.

There are no general information available about the amount of chloride in foods in Netherlands.

Chrome
Grain products with a high content of bran are high in chromium. It is not clear whether chromium from these products are also good. Advance chrome mainly in Brewer's yeast, whole wheat bread, vegetable, cane molasses, meat and liver. Meat, poultry, and fish contain per serving between 1-2 micrograms of chromium. The content of chromium in fruits and vegetables is very variable.

There are no general information available about the amount of chromium in foods in Netherlands.

Phosphorus
Phosphorus comes almost in all foods. Foods as milk, fish, meat and bread contain relatively much phosphorus. Also phosphorus, as a binding agent, in the form of phosphate salt added to food products.

Below is for some products the quantity as a percentage of the recommended daily allowance (RDA) is displayed. Starting point is a need of 700 milligrams of phosphorus per day. This is the lower limit of the RDA for adults.


Natural dietary sources% RDA man and woman
Chicken breast (75 grams) 36
Semi-skimmed yoghurt (1 dish) 25
Semi-skimmed milk (1 glass) 22
Whole wheat bread (1 slice) 10
White cabbage (cooked, 200 grams) 7

Iron
Iron is found in meat and meat products, potatoes, bread and vegetables. The main suppliers for iron in the Dutch diet are bread and meat (were).

Below is for some products the quantity as a percentage of the recommended daily allowance (RDA) is displayed. Starting point is a need of 9 milligrams of iron per day for men and a need of 15 milligrams of iron per day for women.

Natural food sources% RDA (male)% RDA (female)
Corn salad (raw, 100 grams) 44 27
Apple syrup (1 slice) 25 15
1 Meatball (75 grams) 15 9
Whole wheat bread (1 slice) 8 5
Currants/raisins (1 tablespoon) 3 2

Iodine
Iodine occurs naturally in sea water, in soil and in drinking water. Through these roads is iodine in food as sea fish and vegetables. Milk and milk products also contribute to the iodine intake. In the consumer goods Act stipulates that bread and bread substitutes, meat products and common salt and common salt substitutes may be enriched with iodine.

There are no general data on the amount of iodine in foods in Netherlands.

Potassium
Potassium comes almost in all foods. Major sources of potassium are potatoes, bread, milk and milk products, meat and meat products and vegetables.

When potatoes and vegetables with plenty of water be boiled potassium is lost.

Because there is no recommended daily allowance in Netherlands has been prepared for potassium, there is no percentage of this quantity.

Copper
Copper occurs mainly in organ meats, fish & seafood, nuts and cereal products. Also fruits and vegetables and cocoa products contain copper.

Below is for some products the quantity as a percentage of the recommended daily allowance (RDA) is displayed. Starting point is a need of 1.5 milligrams of copper per day. This is the lower limit of the RDA for adults.

Natural food sources% RDA man and woman
Beef liver (75 grams) 550
Peeled shrimps (75 grams) 36
Cashew nuts (1 tablespoon, 20 g) 23
Sprinkles, pure (1 slice) 20
Whole wheat bread (1 slice) 5

Magnesium
Magnesium found in almost all foods for. The content of magnesium varies by food. Cocoa and dark chocolate, shellfish, shrimp, soybeans and nuts contain more than 100 milligrams of magnesium per 100 grams. Also green vegetables, Brown grains and nuts are rich in magnesium. Drinking water can make an important contribution to the intake of magnesium. This depends on the magnesium content of the drinking water.

Below is for some products the quantity as a percentage of the recommended daily allowance (RDA) is displayed. The calculation is based on a need of 300 milligrams magnesium/day for men and a need of 250 milligrams magnesium/day for women.


Natural food sources% RDA (male)% RDA (female)
Soybeans (cooked, 100 grams) 50 60
Peanuts, unsalted (1 tablespoon) 14 17
Whole wheat bread (1 slice) 8 9
Semi-skimmed milk (1 glass) 6 7
Sprinkles (1 slice) 6 7
Manganese
Manganese is found in cereals, rice, nuts, leafy vegetables, fruit, meat, fish and tea. There are no general information available about the amount of manganese in foods in Netherlands.

Molybdenum
Molybdenum occurs mainly in legumes, grains and nuts. Other good sources of molybdenum are organ meat, milk and eggs. The concentration of molybdenum in plant food depends on the amount of molybdenum in the soil in which the food grow.

There are no general information available about the amount of molybdenum in foods in Netherlands.

Sodium
Sodium is present in almost all foods and drinks. In some foods and drinks sodium comes naturally. Furthermore, sodium in the form of salt during the manufacturing process, preparing the meal or added at the table. Because there is no recommended daily allowance has been established by the Health Council of the Netherlands, are below for several products as a percentage of the amount of the recommended intake of 2.4 grams of sodium (= 6 grams of table salt). There only allow foods to which sodium is added.

Dietary sources% of 2.4 grams of sodium
Salt (1 teaspoon, 3 grams) 49
Sauerkraut (cooked, 200 grams) 25
Whole wheat bread (1 slice) 7
48 + cheese (1 slice) 7
Nuts (1 tablespoon, 15 grams) 6
Selenium
Selenium is present in almost all foods. The content of selenium in plant products depends on the Selenium content of the soil. Grains are generally richer in selenium than vegetables.

Meats such as liver and kidney contains a lot of selenium and the same applies to fish and shellfish.

Below is for some products the quantity as a percentage of the recommended daily allowance (RDA) is displayed. Starting point is a need of 50 micrograms of selenium per day. This is the lower limit of the RDA for adults.

Natural food sources% RDA man and woman
Nice guy (145 grams) 140
Beef liver (1 piece, 75 grams) 59
Tuna, canned in oil (25 grams) 45
Wheat bread (1 slice) 4
Semi-skimmed milk (1 glass) 3

Zinc
Zinc occurs primarily in meat, fish, herring, whole wheat bread, pulses and rice.

For more information about minerals