Excess minerals, like vitamins, do not improve mineral function.

Fluoride helps fight tooth decay. Fluoride sources are fluorinated water and toothpaste.

Calcium helps build strong bones and teeth, regulate the heartbeat, and contract muscles. Calcium is found in milk products and dark green leafy vegetables (like spinach). You need at least 3 servings of calcium-rich foods (dairy products) every day. Calcium is an extremely important mineral in the diets of children and teens because it helps the growing bone to properly form so that it stays strong for life.

Iron, one of the most important minerals, helps red blood cells carry oxygen throughout the body's bloodstream. Iron-deficient blood makes you feel sluggish because it cannot carry as much oxygen. Iron is supplied by eating dark green leafy vegetables, raisins, cream of wheat, oatmeal, beans, vegetarian chili, eggs, fish, legumes, liver, meat, and poultry. Animal sources of iron (meat, poultry, liver, and fish) provide iron that is more easily absorbed than plant sources of iron. Eating a Vitamin C- rich food along with an iron-rich food will increase the amount of iron your body absorbs.