Minerals are essential

Minerals are essential for many bodily functions

Very little functions properly in the body without minerals; they are simply essential to life. The latest health tip takes a close look at the foods that provide them to us.
Minerals are nutrients which regulate the body's metabolism. They are important, for example, in bone formation and for ensuring that muscles and nerves function correctly. Since the body cannot produce them itself, they must be ingested through food. Minerals are resistant to heat, light and oxygen, which means that – unlike vitamins – they are not lost during cooking. Nevertheless, you should be careful when washing or preparing vegetables as minerals can leach out through water.

Minerals at a glance

Since the body needs different quantities of the various minerals, they are subdivided into bulk elements and trace elements. A balanced diet with natural foodstuffs provides the body with an adequate supply of minerals. The eight most important minerals are calcium, chromium, iron, potassium, magnesium, selenium, silicon and zinc.

  • Calcium is usually absorbed from dairy products or calcium-rich mineral water.
  • Chromium is only required by the body in very small quantities, which can be found in wholemeal products, fruit and meat products.
  • Iron is absorbed from foods of animal origin such as red meat and seafood.
  • Good sources of potassium include fruit, nuts, potatoes and vegetables.
  • High levels of magnesium are present in nuts, pulses, green vegetables and dark chocolate.
  • As far as selenium is concerned, the key factor is where the food comes from. In Switzerland the best sources of selenium are fish, eggs and meat; Brazil nuts also contain a lot of selenium.
  • The body absorbs silicon mainly from barley, oats, spinach, potatoes and peppers.
  • Meat, seafood and lentils provide the body with zinc.

You can visit the Swiss Nutrition Society website to find out more about other minerals, plus a wealth of information on the subject in general.

SWICA supports healthy nutrition

A balanced diet strengthens wellbeing and health over the long term. As a holistic healthcare organisation, SWICA focuses on the health of its customers and not on their illnesses. That's why SWICA customers enjoy prevention contributions of up to CHF 900* per year plus a wide range of health offers relating to nutrition.

*Click here for details of the contribution.


18.09.2019
In the event of further health-related questions, SWICA customers can contact the santé24 telemedicine service free of charge on +41 44 404 86 86. A telemedicine practice licence allows santé24 physicians to provide additional medical services in cases that are suited to a telemedicine approach. SWICA customers can also use the BENECURA medical app to carry out a digital SymptomCheck and receive recommendations about what to do next. During a subsequent phone call with santé24, customers can decide for themselves whether to release their information from SymptomCheck to santé24.