Transcription
These are the 16 minerals your body needs, and I guarantee your diet is not covering all of them, even if you eat sufficient protein, fruits, and vegetables. So, in this video, for every mineral, I will show you exactly which foods to eat, how much you really need, and which supplement forms are best absorbed.
I have spent the last 5 years coaching people one-on-one on their nutrition and lifestyle. And this video is everything you need to know about minerals. Let's start with the most misunderstood one: Sodium.
Your body without sodium is like a smart home without electricity. Cut sodium, and you are heading towards low blood pressure, weakness, muscle cramps, and even hospitalization. So, please do not quit salt based on random advice.
"Um, salt." Salt is actually not the problem. It's the hidden sodium in processed foods. Instant noodles, chips, sauces, numpkin, biscuits, cheese, salted butter, processed meats, and most foods with a high shelf life. These are the real sodium bombs. Just one serving packs 800 to 1,500 mg sodium without you realizing it.
Now, public health guidelines recommend 2,300 mg sodium per day. That's about 1 teaspoon of salt. But if you train or live in a hot climate, you are constantly losing sodium through sweat. So you actually need more. For active people, 3 to 5 grams per day is the sweet spot for both health and performance. And this range is also where the cardiovascular risk is shown to be the lowest. Most people land here naturally without any tracking. Just salt your food to taste. Keep your diet mostly whole foods, and your sodium is sorted.
Now, sodium cannot do its job without potassium. They both work as a team through something called as the sodium-potassium pump. Together, they control muscle contractions, fluid balance, and nerve signals across every cell in your body. The problem is most people get enough sodium but not enough potassium. And this imbalance makes you feel unusually weak or heavy, constipation, cramps, and in extreme cases, irregular heart rhythm.
You need 3,500 to 4,700 mg potassium a day. But most people are barely getting half of that. And you cannot just supplement potassium to cover this gap because potassium supplements are capped at 99 mg for safety reasons. So all your potassium has to come from food. Your biggest movers are going to be potatoes, sweet potatoes, avocado, dal, chana, rajma, spinach, coconut water, bananas, and fishes like salmon. In key, one serving easily gives you 700 to 1,000 mg potassium. Here is the list of top 10 sources. You can pause and screenshot.
Beyond these, potassium is meaningfully present in almost all whole foods you eat: milk, curd, chicken, and most fruits and vegetables. Which means if your diet is mostly whole foods with a good variety, then your potassium intake is probably fine, and you don't have to track potassium closely. But if you are eating a lot of ultra-processed foods or ordering fast foods every other day, then you are at double risk: high sodium and low potassium. So avoid that extreme.
Next, chloride. And this one is easy. Chloride comes packaged with sodium because table salt is sodium chloride, NaCl. Recommended intake is 2,300 mg per day, just like sodium. So basically, just don't quit salt, and your chloride is sorted.
Next, very important, magnesium. Now, I can almost guarantee you are not getting enough magnesium. Over 300 processes in your body require magnesium to function. No other mineral on this list touches these many systems at once, which is why magnesium is a macro mineral. Yani, your body needs it in large amounts every single day. The recommended intake is 400 mg for men and 300 mg for women. But if you train regularly, you need at least 20% more. That's 400 to 600 mg per day for most active individuals.
And it's not easy to consume that much magnesium from food alone. Your best options are dark green leafy vegetables like spinach, amaranth, kale, because magnesium literally sits at the center of the chlorophyll molecule, which is what makes these plants green. Seeds and nuts are your next best sources. In key, one good serving gives you roughly 100 mg magnesium. Here are the top 10 magnesium foods. You can pause and read.
Practically speaking, to get sufficient magnesium from food alone requires you to eat large volumes of leafy green vegetables, seeds, and nuts every single day. And almost nobody does that consistently. Plus, modern farming has depleted the magnesium levels in soil by up to 40% to 80%. Means whole foods today carry significantly less magnesium than they used to. And even the magnesium you do get from these plant foods isn't well absorbed in our gut.
As a result, magnesium is the one mineral almost everyone is deficient in, and most people have no idea because magnesium deficiency can't be detected through standard blood work. As only 1% magnesium is floating around in the blood, the rest is logged in your bones and cells. Yeah, your blood work can easily look normal even when your body is significantly depleted.
And the symptoms are extremely common in today's generation: poor sleep quality, waking up tired every morning, then feeling tired the entire day, feeling a little anxious as a default state all the time, excess eye twitching, muscle twitching, midnight leg cramps, and of course, poor workout recovery, where one training session keeps you sore for days. And over time, low magnesium is linked to high blood pressure and insulin resistance, which can lead to type 2 diabetes and PCOS.
So for magnesium, the most reliable solution to consistently hit your targets is supplementation. But be careful because the form matters a lot. Most products contain magnesium oxide, which is cheap crap, barely absorbed at a 4% rate. The best absorbed forms are magnesium bisglycinate, citrate, orotate. The best time to take magnesium is at night before bed. So I just keep it on my bedside table. I take magnesium bisglycinate. Here, each pill has 150 mg pure elemental magnesium. I take two tablets before bed. This gives me 300 mg magnesium. Plus, the creatine I now use is Creamac, and this gives me 130 mg pure elemental magnesium in each scoop along with creatine. Both these products are from Natural Teen. Very clean formulations, and they have used magnesium bisglycinate in both these products, which is the best absorbed form of magnesium. You can get these on natural.in.in, but they quickly go out of stock. So, good luck. For maximum discount, use coupon code hyper. And remember, do not take magnesium supplement alongside a calcium or a zinc supplement, as these three compete for absorption.
Next, iodine. Iodine's main job is to fuel your thyroid gland to produce thyroid hormones, which then control your metabolism, your energy levels, and your body temperature. Without sufficient iodine, these systems get totally disrupted. You feel tired all the time, gain weight easily, you'll struggle with brain fog, and you'll constantly feel cold, especially cold feet, and in severe cases, a visibly swollen neck.
Now, thankfully, iodine is very easy to get. You only need around 150 micrograms per day. Your best sources are dairy, eggs, and seafood. But the most reliable source is simply iodized table salt. Just half a teaspoon of table salt has all the iodine you need. There's a reason why governments have literally mandated the iodization of salt. But still, blunders happen because of bad internet advice. So again, please do not quit salt. Just use iodized table salt every day. Another blunder that people make is switching to him salt or rock salt or pink salt, Sādhā Namak, because they sound more natural and less processed. But again, these salts are not iodized. Sure, you can use them for flavoring once in a while, but never as your staple salt.
Next, iron. Iron is the mineral that determines how well your blood carries oxygen to every part of your body. Every red blood cell contains hemoglobin, and hemoglobin is made up of iron. So without enough iron, your body literally cannot transport enough oxygen to muscles and organs. Less oxygen means less energy production in muscle and brain. An iron deficiency produces a heavy, exhausted, can't get through the day type of a feeling, which no amount of sleep seems to fix. Other symptoms include dizziness, brain fog, poor workout performance, and breathlessness.
Now, men need around 8 to 10 milligrams per day, but women need double, 18 milligrams per day, because iron is lost every month through menstruation, and most women do not replenish their iron stores at the same rate they lose it. This is why iron deficiency is the most common nutritional deficiency among women worldwide. And if you exercise, your iron requirements increase further by up to 20% and even 50% based on your exercise type.
Now, iron absorption from food depends a lot on whether it is heme iron or non-heme iron. Heme iron is the best absorbed, but it's mostly found only in animal foods. Your top sources are organ meats like liver, kidney, and heart. Next are shellfishes like clams, oysters, or octopus. In just one serving of 100 grams, it gives you a whopping 6 to 12 mg iron in the most bioavailable form that your body absorbs efficiently. Here are top 10 iron foods. You can pause and screenshot.
As you can see, veg sources like spinach, legumes, soya products provide about 3 to 6 mg iron per serving. But the problem is this is plant-based iron, which is non-heme. So it's absorbed poorly. Although vitamin C increases non-heme iron absorption by up to three times. So always squeeze lemon on your dal and add tomatoes to your subzi. It helps, but it doesn't fully close the gap. You are at deficiency risk if you are a vegetarian or a woman or if you exercise regularly, and most at risk if you are all three. Though if you're an omnivorous male like me, then your iron is probably sorted without any extra effort. Otherwise, supplementing a basic maintenance dose can make sense. The best absorbed form is iron bisglycinate, taken every alternate morning on an empty stomach.
Now, I don't supplement iron, but my partner does. The formulation we use is this Natural Teen's Iron Bisglycinate. They have paired it with vitamin C to maximize absorption. Each tablet gives 29 mg elemental iron to help meet her needs. They also have a separate low-dose formulation for males, which makes sense. Now, this is a maintenance dose. Higher doses, up to 100 to 200 mg, might be needed if you have deep iron deficiency, which thankfully can be detected through blood work. Never ever supplement such high iron doses without blood work or medical prescription, as that can lead to iron toxicity and even cancer risk.
Now, today I don't have time to cover iron blood work in detail, but make sure to get all the parameters tested, not just hemoglobin. Serum ferritin is actually the most important marker, which doctors don't routinely check. Optimal levels are between 50 to 100 ng/mL, and levels below 30 µg/mL indicate deficiency. Iron is probably the trickiest mineral to optimize. Going too low risks deficiency, and going too high risks actual toxicity. So only supplement based on your needs and your ferritin levels. But if you do supplement iron, number one, avoid having tea or coffee, as tannins directly block iron absorption. So leave at least a 30 to 45-minute gap. Number two, avoid having dairy or a calcium supplement along with an iron supplement, because calcium competes with iron for absorption.
Next, zinc. Zinc is the one mineral that can genuinely change your life if you fix it. If you are running low on zinc, you will face poor immunity. Yani, you get sick easily, frequently, and you stay sick for longer. Sex hormone issues: for men, that means suppressed testosterone levels; for women, that means irregular cycles, PCOS, and unwanted hair growth. Poor skin health: y persistent acnes, dry skin, and a constantly itchy and flaky scalp. You know the kind that keeps coming back no matter which shampoo you try. Plus, increased tendency of hair fall and hair thinning.
Now, if you have never paid attention to zinc, chances are that you are deficient. Also, zinc deficiency cannot be reliably detected through blood work because most of the zinc is stored inside your cells, not floating in your blood. The most rational way then is to simply do a diet assessment. Are you getting sufficient zinc? Let's see. Men need around 11 milligrams a day, and women around 8 milligrams a day. That's the RDA. If you strength train, your requirements increase at least by 20%. So men need around 20 mg a day, and women around 40 mg a day. But most people are barely getting 4 to 6 mg in their diet, and vegetarians even less, because the highest zinc foods are hardcore non-vegetarian, like oysters, which is the single richest source of zinc on the planet. Just one oyster covers your entire zinc requirement. Other top sources are lobsters, crabs, and all red meats, plus organ meats like liver, kidney, heart, and also dark chicken meat. Here are the top 10 zinc foods. You can pause and screenshot.
As you can see, vegetarian may you don't have a lot of needle movers. Seeds and nuts may provide some zinc. But again, zinc from plant-based foods is poorly absorbed, just like iron and magnesium. Basically, for optimal zinc intake, you have to eat red meat or shellfishes at least three times a week. If you eat those, good for you. The rest of us would be wise to supplement zinc. And if you do supplement, avoid zinc oxide, just like magnesium oxide. It's the commonly available cheap form, very poorly absorbed. The best absorbed forms are zinc bisglycinate, monomethionine, picolinate, or citrate. Standard dose is 10 to 20 mg of elemental zinc, taken with food every day. I personally take one tablet of zinc monomethionine every morning after breakfast. This gives me 17 mg elemental zinc. The product I'm using here is from Natural Teen. As usual, a very clean formulation, perfectly dosed, and no unnecessary fillers. All the products I use are linked in the description. And remember, do not take zinc along with an iron or a magnesium supplement, because they all compete for absorption, so space them out.
Next mineral, copper. Copper doesn't get talked about much, but it deserves at least 60 seconds. Copper helps your body use iron properly. It's also important for connective tissue, joint health, and collagen production. You need just about 1 milligram per day, and thankfully, this is not very hard to get. Your richest sources are again shellfishes and organ meat, especially liver, but there are a lot of vegetarian sources too. So you have legumes, potatoes, seeds and nuts, mushroom, cocoa powder, and even rice. Here is the top 10 list. So basically, if you eat a mostly whole foods diet, your copper intake is going to be fine. Just don't make the mistake of me doing zinc carelessly. That can accidentally create a copper deficiency because zinc and copper compete for absorption. But for the zinc doses I recommended you, there is no risk.
Next, phosphorus. Phosphorus is a macro mineral. It's critically important for bone mineralization alongside calcium, and also a core component of ATP. The P in ATP literally stands for phosphate, and ATP is your primary energy currency. You need about 700 mg a day. Thankfully, that's very easy to get because phosphorus is present in almost every protein-rich food: meat, eggs, dairy, fishes, legumes, etc. Basically, just eat enough protein, and your phosphorus intake will be sorted.
Next, selenium. Selenium works closely with your thyroid gland, just like iodine. Basically, iodine produces thyroid hormones, but selenium activates those hormones into their active, usable form. Low selenium shows up as fatigue, brain fog, poor immunity, and over time, increased thyroid dysfunction risk. Now, you need only 55 micrograms per day, and you get this much in just two Brazil nuts or three whole eggs. Other top sources include fishes, dairy, meat, and grains. Here are the top 10 selenium foods. Bottom line, if your diet is mostly whole foods, your selenium intake is probably fine.
Next, calcium. Now, calcium is the most common mineral present in the body, 99% of which is in your bones. So, of course, calcium is important for bone health, but it's also critically important for muscle contraction, nerve signaling, and blood clotting. In fact, it is so important that your body will maintain stable blood calcium levels no matter what. Even when your dietary intake is insufficient, your body will simply pull calcium from its own bones to keep the blood level stable, which means your bones will silently weaken while your blood tests will look completely normal. And this is very common in India, especially among parents and elders. This is exactly how a calcium deficiency goes undetected for years until the bone mineral density is significantly compromised for direct osteoporosis diagnosis.
Now, calcium is a macro mineral. You need about 1,000 mg a day. But for strength trainees and growing individuals, at least 1,300 mg is needed. And unlike magnesium, this is actually very achievable through food. Your best source is going to be dairy. Just one cup of milk gives you about 300 mg calcium. Next best source is small fishes eaten with bones, like sardines and salmon. Here's the list of top 10 calcium foods.
Vegetarian may tofu and leafy greens like spinach, kale, and broccoli also have high calcium on paper. But calcium from plants is poorly absorbed, just like magnesium or iron, because of anti-nutrients. So in practice, to get sufficient magnesium from food, you must eat dairy or otherwise small fishes with bones, otherwise you are at risk of deficiency, which will not be detected through blood work until it's too late. In such cases, consider supplementation. The best absorbed form is calcium citrate. Avoid the commonly available calcium carbonate, as it can cause you bloating and constipation.
Now, I don't have to supplement calcium, but Natural Teen has a very good formulation of calcium citrate as well. And remember, if you are supplementing calcium or vitamin D3 but ignoring your magnesium, then you're wasting most of it because without sufficient magnesium, your body cannot properly use calcium or vitamin D3.
All right, the next five minerals are super easy to get. Chromium supports insulin signaling, helping your body regulate blood sugar and use glucose more efficiently. You need just 25 to 35 micrograms, and it's found in almost all the common day-to-day foods, as you can see here. Just eat a whole foods diet, and your chromium intake would be sorted.
Next, molybdenum. This one is essential for your enzymes, and it also acts as an antioxidant. You need just 45 micrograms per day. Legumes, nuts, grains, and most animal proteins are abundant sources.
Next, manganese. Manganese supports your bone formation, cartilage, and connective tissue health. Of course, very important for strength training. Men need about 2.3 mg a day, and women about 1.8 mg. It is found abundantly in plant-based foods: oats, brown rice, leafy greens, legumes, nuts, and tea. Basically, just don't eliminate plant-based foods from your diet, and you will get sufficient manganese.
Next, sulfur. Just like phosphorus, your sulfur intake is sorted if you're eating sufficient protein because it is present in the amino acids methionine and cysteine. So, no need to worry about sulfur.
Next, fluoride. Fluoride helps strengthen your teeth and makes them more resistant to cavities and demineralization. That's why it's added to your toothpaste. Nothing much to do here.
All right, that was a lot of information. So, let me summarize everything into one practical mineral protocol you can actually use in your daily life.
Number one, use iodized table salt every day. This single habit covers sodium, chloride, and iodine automatically.
Number two, eat a 90% whole foods diet. And I mean a variety of plant and animal foods. Eat three whole eggs daily. This will give you all the selenium you need and a meaningful amount of zinc. Eat at least 500 grams of fruits and vegetables and one to two servings of legumes or potatoes. These are your staples. And just eating a whole foods diet will ensure a lot of things. You will not overshoot on your sodium. You will get sufficient potassium. Plus, you will easily cover copper, chromium, molybdenum, manganese, and selenium.
Next, eat organ meats two to three times a week if you can. Especially important for women because they completely cover your iron along with copper, selenium, and also a meaningful amount of zinc. If you can't eat this, consider supplementing iron. But first, get blood work done.
Next, do not quit dairy needlessly. If you do, consider supplementing calcium.
Next, hit your protein target for obvious reasons. Plus, this covers your sulfur and phosphorus.
And lastly, essential supplementation. Two minerals, magnesium and zinc, are genuinely very hard to get through food alone. So supplementation is the most reliable solution here for most people. Also, do not supplement iron, magnesium, zinc, or calcium together at the same time because they compete for absorption. Space them out. This is the protocol that I recommend my clients. You can pause and screenshot.
And no, you cannot get everything in a multivitamin. Either the doses are too low, or the forms used are cheap ones which are poorly absorbed. You need to supplement specifically based on the nutrient gaps you have, the right forms in the right doses, as shown here. And always buy your supplements from a well-tested and a trusted brand. My recommendation is Natural Teen. For maximum discount on natural.in, use coupon code hyper.
Also, none of what I said in this video applies to you if you have any kidney issues. In that case, everything changes. Strictly follow your doctor's instructions.
Also, if your goal is weight loss and body transformation and you're looking for a step-by-step training and diet plan, then check out my coaching details at hypertro.com. We take care of everything for you, telling you exactly what to put on your plate and what to do in the gym. And we provide you full support through each step of your transformation journey.
Baky, if you want to learn about the best to worst protein foods, then check out this video. And if you want to learn about best to worst fiber foods, then check out this one. And I'll see you guys in the next video. Stay fit.