Minerals are ancient.
Long before they appeared in capsules, powders, mineral drops and wellness products, they were already moving through the earth; from rocks into soil, from soil into plants, from plants into animals and eventually into us.
Some come from the foods we eat. Some are naturally present in water. Others occur in fascinating substances formed through the interaction of geological and organic matter, such as fulvic substances, humic substances and shilajit.
And then there are traditional mineral-rich foods such as seaweed, shellfish, organ meats and mineral waters.
The more you look into minerals, the more interesting the story becomes.
The Mineral Spectrum
Minerals are generally divided according to the amounts the body requires.
Major minerals
These include:
- Calcium
- Magnesium
- Phosphorus
- Sodium
- Potassium
- Chloride
- Sulfur
Trace minerals
These include:
- Iron
- Zinc
- Copper
- Manganese
- Iodine
- Selenium
- Molybdenum
- Chromium
Fluoride is also commonly discussed in nutritional mineral classifications, particularly because of its role in dental health.
Ultratrace or microtrace elements
You’ll also encounter:
- Boron
- Silicon
- Nickel
- Vanadium
- Cobalt
- Lithium
- Rubidium
- Strontium
However, there is an important distinction:
An element being present in the human body doesn’t automatically mean that it is an essential nutrient.
Some have established biological roles, while the essentiality of others remains uncertain.
So when a product proudly announces that it contains “70+ minerals”, don’t automatically interpret that as “70 essential nutrients”.
Why Do We Need Trace Minerals?
Small doesn’t mean insignificant.
Trace minerals participate in some of the body’s most fundamental processes.
Zinc: Zinc is involved in hundreds of enzymatic reactions and plays an important role in normal immune function, cell division, wound healing and protein synthesis. Oysters are particularly rich in zinc.
Iron: Iron is essential for haemoglobin, oxygen transport and energy metabolism.
Copper: Copper is involved in iron metabolism, connective tissue formation, energy production and nervous-system function.
Selenium: Selenium is required for important proteins involved in antioxidant defence and thyroid hormone metabolism.
Iodine: Iodine is essential for thyroid hormone production.
Manganese: Manganese participates in enzyme systems involved in metabolism, connective tissue and antioxidant defence.
Molybdenum: Molybdenum is required for several enzymes involved in normal metabolism.
Chromium: Chromium has been studied in relation to glucose and insulin metabolism, although its nutritional role and supplementation are more complicated than many wellness claims suggest.
For a deeper dive into what different compounds actually do in the body, see our article The Complete Guide to Food Compounds
How Can We Get Minerals Without Supplements?
This is where food becomes fascinating.
Minerals don’t begin in supplement factories.
They come from the environment and enter the food chain.
Zinc
🦪 Oysters
🥩 Beef
🍖 Lamb
🥚 Eggs
🌰 Nuts and seeds
Iron
🥩 Red meat
🫀 Liver and other organ meats
🦪 Shellfish
🌱 Legumes
🥬 Leafy greens
Copper
🫀 Liver
🦪 Shellfish
🌰 Nuts and seeds
🍫 Cacao
Selenium
🐟 Seafood
🥚 Eggs
🥩 Meat
🌰 Brazil nuts
Iodine
🐟 Seafood
🦪 Shellfish
🌿 Seaweed and kelp
Magnesium
🌰 Nuts and seeds
🌿 Leafy greens
🫘 Legumes
🍫 Cacao
Calcium
🥛 Dairy
🐟 Small fish eaten with their bones
🌿 Some leafy vegetables
💧 Certain mineral waters
A varied diet can therefore provide an enormous range of minerals without requiring a cupboard full of supplements.
When Might Adding a Mineral Make Sense?
There are situations where deliberately increasing a particular mineral can be useful; especially when dietary intake is inadequate, requirements are increased, or a deficiency has been identified.
The important part is to think mineral-specific, rather than simply thinking: “I need more minerals.”
For people who don’t regularly eat organs, desiccated organ capsules can provide a convenient whole-food-derived option.
Iron is one mineral where testing can be particularly useful if deficiency is suspected rather than simply taking high-dose iron without knowing your status.
Looking for iodine? Seafood and seaweed such as kelp are natural sources. Kelp capsules can be considerably more concentrated than eating seaweed as food, however, so iodine is a good example of why natural doesn’t mean unlimited.
Looking for magnesium? Think pumpkin seeds, almonds, leafy greens, legumes and cacao before automatically reaching for a bottle.
Supplements can have their place when dietary intake isn’t sufficient or there is a specific reason to use one.
Minerals in Water
There’s another mineral source that we often overlook; water.
As groundwater moves through geological formations, it can dissolve minerals from the surrounding rock.
This is why natural mineral waters can have completely different mineral profiles.
One may be particularly rich in calcium. Another may contain more magnesium. Another may be high in bicarbonate or sodium.
Sparkling Water: Look Past the Bubbles
Here’s a surprisingly useful distinction:
“Sparkling” tells you about carbonation, not mineral content.
Carbon dioxide can be naturally occurring or added.
If you’re interested in minerals, turn the bottle around and look for the mineral analysis.
Depending on the water, you may find:
- Calcium
- Magnesium
- Sodium
- Potassium
- Bicarbonate
- Sulfate
- Chloride
- Silica
Compare the quantities per litre, rather than relying on the front label.
And don’t assume that the water with the biggest mineral numbers is automatically the best.
The interesting part is understanding what you’re actually drinking.
Fulvic & Humic Substances
Now we move into a completely different category.
Fulvic acid and humic acid are not minerals.
They’re components of humic substances; complex organic material produced through the transformation and decomposition of plant and microbial matter.
A simplified picture:
Organic matter → humic substances
which can include:
Humic acids
Fulvic acids
Humin
These aren’t single, perfectly defined molecules. They’re complex mixtures whose composition depends heavily on their source and processing.
Fulvic Acid
Fulvic substances are particularly interesting because they can interact with minerals and other compounds.
They occur naturally in organic-rich soils, sediments, waters and geological materials.
This is also why the source matters.
Fulvic acid from one source isn’t necessarily chemically identical to fulvic acid from another.
The raw material, the extraction, the purification and the final composition matters.
So when you see:
“Pure fulvic acid”
the next question should be:
Pure fulvic acid from what?
Where Does Commercial Fulvic Acid Come From?
Depending on the manufacturer, commercial humic and fulvic products can originate from:
- Humic-rich geological deposits
- Oxidised lignite or leonardite
- Organic-rich soils
- Plant-derived material
- Humic-rich natural waters
A simplified production pathway looks like:
Raw material → extraction → separation → purification → concentration → testing
Different processes can produce different finished materials.
This means that two products labelled “fulvic acid” aren’t necessarily equivalent.
Humic Acid
Humic acid belongs to the same broader family of humic substances but has different chemical characteristics from fulvic fractions.
You may see:
Fulvic + humic
on one product, while another focuses mainly on one fraction.
They’re related, but they’re not simply two names for the same thing.
What Should You Look For in a Fulvic or Humic Product?
This is where shopping becomes much more interesting.
Don’t just look for words such as ancient, pure, ionic or mineral-rich.
Look for:
SOURCE: Where did the raw material come from?
EXTRACTION: How was the desired fraction obtained?
PURIFICATION: What was removed?
COMPOSITION: What does the finished product actually contain?
MINERAL ANALYSIS: If minerals are being advertised, are they quantified?
HEAVY-METAL TESTING: Has it been tested for lead, arsenic, cadmium and mercury?
MICROBIOLOGICAL TESTING: Has the finished product been tested?
BATCH-SPECIFIC COA: Can the manufacturer provide a Certificate of Analysis for the actual batch?
The more transparent the manufacturer is, the more useful the product becomes to evaluate.
Ionic Minerals vs Colloidal Minerals
Two other terms you’ll encounter are: Ionic minerals and colloidal minerals.
They sound similar, but they describe different concepts.
An ionic mineral refers to a mineral present as charged particles or ions in solution.
A colloid involves very small particles dispersed throughout another medium.
But neither word, by itself, tells you whether a product is nutritionally useful.
You still need to know:
Which minerals?
How much?
In what chemical form?
From what source?
What else is present?
The word ionic or colloidal shouldn’t replace an actual mineral analysis.
Mineral Form Matters
The mineral itself is only part of the story.
Minerals can exist in different chemical forms, and the form can influence properties such as solubility, absorption and tolerability.
For example, magnesium can be found in different salts and complexes.
So instead of asking only:
“How much magnesium?”
also ask:
“What form of magnesium?”
The same principle applies to many other minerals.
Minerals Interact With Each Other
Minerals don’t simply enter the body one by one and operate independently. They can compete for absorption, influence each other’s transport and metabolism, or work together as part of the same biological processes.
These interactions become particularly relevant when large doses of individual mineral supplements are used. At normal dietary levels, the body generally manages these relationships much better, and food provides minerals within a much more complex matrix.
Zinc ↔ Copper
Probably one of the best-known examples. High amounts of supplemental zinc can interfere with copper absorption. This is one reason long-term, high-dose zinc supplementation shouldn’t be treated as harmless simply because zinc is an essential mineral.
Iron ↔ Zinc
Large supplemental doses of iron can reduce zinc absorption, particularly when the minerals are taken separately from a normal meal. The interaction appears much less concerning when they are consumed as part of ordinary food.
Calcium ↔ Iron
Calcium can reduce iron absorption during a meal or when taken as a supplement. However, the longer-term effect of ordinary calcium intake on iron status appears much less clear, so this isn’t a reason to avoid calcium-rich foods.
Calcium ↔ Magnesium
Calcium and magnesium have overlapping roles in the body and can influence each other’s absorption and metabolism. The relationship is complex, and an ordinary balanced diet is very different from taking large amounts of either mineral in isolation.
Zinc ↔ Magnesium
At extremely high supplemental doses, zinc can interfere with magnesium absorption and alter magnesium balance. This is another example of why “more” isn’t necessarily better.
Manganese ↔ Iron
These two minerals can compete with each other for aspects of absorption, particularly at higher intakes. Their relationship is another reason mineral nutrition is better understood as a network rather than a collection of isolated nutrients.
Sodium ↔ Potassium
These two minerals have a particularly important relationship in fluid balance, nerve signalling and muscle function. They aren’t simply competing for absorption; their concentrations and movement across cell membranes are tightly interconnected.
Iron ↔ Copper
Copper is involved in iron metabolism, so adequate copper status is important for normal iron utilisation. This is a good example of an interaction that isn’t simply “one mineral blocking another”—sometimes minerals are dependent on each other to perform their biological roles.
Mineral nutrition isn’t about collecting as many minerals as possible. It’s about form, dose, balance and context. A food naturally containing several minerals is not equivalent to taking a handful of high-dose mineral supplements and more of one mineral can sometimes work against another.
Minerals Also Interact With Other Compounds
Minerals don’t exist in isolation. What you eat alongside them can influence how much is absorbed and used by the body.
Iron + Vitamin C
Vitamin C can increase the absorption of non-heme iron, the form found mainly in plant foods. Pairing iron-rich foods such as lentils or leafy greens with berries, citrus or other vitamin-C-rich foods can therefore improve iron absorption.
Iron + Phytates
Phytates naturally occur in foods such as grains, legumes, nuts and seeds. They can bind minerals, particularly iron and zinc, reducing their absorption. Preparation methods such as soaking, sprouting and fermentation can reduce phytate levels.
Calcium + Oxalates
Oxalates occur naturally in foods such as spinach, beet greens and some other plants. They can bind calcium and reduce its absorption. This is one reason that the amount of a mineral present in a food isn’t necessarily the same as the amount your body can absorb.
Minerals + Polyphenols
Plant polyphenols, including tannins found in tea and coffee, can influence the absorption of some minerals, particularly non-heme iron. This doesn’t make these foods “bad” — it simply shows how the entire meal can affect mineral availability.
A food can contain a mineral without all of that mineral being absorbed. The mineral’s chemical form, the foods it’s eaten with, preparation methods and the overall composition of the meal all matter.
This is why looking beyond a label’s mineral number can tell you much more about the quality of a food or supplement.
Shilajit: The Ancient Mineral-Organic Substance
Shilajit is one of the most fascinating substances in this entire category.
It has been used traditionally for centuries in Ayurvedic and Siddha medicine, particularly in mountainous regions of the Indian subcontinent.
In Ayurveda, it has traditionally been regarded as a rasayana — broadly associated with rejuvenation, vitality and maintaining health.
Shilajit is a dark, resinous substance associated with mountainous rock formations and contains a complex mixture of organic and inorganic constituents.
Its composition can include:
- Fulvic substances
- Humic substances
- Minerals
- Organic compounds
- Other naturally occurring constituents
But here’s the important distinction:
Shilajit is not simply fulvic acid.
Fulvic substances may be an important component, but shilajit is much more chemically complex.
Why Is Shilajit So Interesting?
Shilajit sits at an unusual intersection:
plant material + microbial transformation + geology + minerals + time.
That combination is part of what makes it so fascinating.
Modern research has investigated shilajit’s chemistry and potential biological effects, but the human clinical evidence remains much more limited than the wellness industry sometimes suggests.
Traditional use is worth understanding.
It just shouldn’t automatically be turned into a modern medical promise.
Raw vs Purified Shilajit
This is one place where “raw” isn’t necessarily better.
Natural geological materials can contain unwanted substances.
Potential contaminants can include:
- Lead
- Arsenic
- Cadmium
- Mercury
- Other metals
- Microbial contamination
That means purification can actually be an important part of producing a quality product.
Instead of asking:
“Is it raw?”
ask:
“What was in the raw material, what was removed, and what remains in the finished product?”
Choosing Shilajit
If you’re considering shilajit, look for:
✔ Clearly identified geographical source
✔ Transparent purification process
✔ Information about the finished composition
✔ Quantified active components where appropriate
✔ Heavy-metal testing
✔ Microbial testing
✔ Batch-specific Certificate of Analysis
✔ A manufacturer willing to show its testing
A beautiful photograph of Himalayan mountains is not a laboratory report.
Kelp & Ocean Minerals
Kelp gives us another fascinating example of obtaining minerals directly from nature.
Seaweeds have been eaten by coastal cultures for centuries and naturally accumulate minerals and other compounds from their marine environment.
Kelp is particularly notable for its iodine content.
It can be consumed as:
- Whole dried seaweed
- Seaweed flakes
- Kelp powder
- Kelp capsules
- Other marine-mineral preparations
But concentration matters.
A little seaweed used as food isn’t necessarily equivalent to a concentrated kelp supplement.
And because iodine intake can become excessive, kelp products deserve the same respect we should give any concentrated mineral source.
Whole Food vs Isolated Minerals
There isn’t necessarily one winner.
Whole foods provide minerals within a broader nutritional matrix.
Think:
Oysters → zinc
Liver → iron, copper and other micronutrients
Seafood → iodine, selenium, zinc and other minerals
Kelp → iodine and other marine nutrients
Pumpkin seeds → magnesium, zinc and other minerals
Eggs → selenium, iodine and other micronutrients
Mineral water → calcium, magnesium, bicarbonate and other dissolved minerals
And then there are concentrated supplements designed to provide particular nutrients.
The question isn’t: “Which one is best?”
It’s: “What am I actually trying to obtain, and what is the most appropriate source?”
A Mineral Shopping Checklist
Whether you’re choosing mineral water, kelp, a fulvic product or shilajit, start asking the same questions.
SOURCE: Where did it originate?
COMPOSITION: What is actually in it?
FORM: What chemical form are the minerals or compounds in?
PROCESSING: How was it extracted, purified or concentrated?
DOSE: How much are you actually consuming?
TESTING: Has the finished product been independently tested?
TRANSPARENCY: Can the company show you the evidence?
And perhaps most importantly:
Don’t be hypnotised by a big mineral number.
“Contains 70+ minerals” sounds impressive.
But which ones?
How much?
Are they essential?
What form are they in?
And have unwanted elements been tested for?
That’s the difference between understanding a mineral product and simply buying its story.
Explore Whole-Food Mineral Sources
At Eirholt, we’re particularly interested in whole-food and naturally sourced ingredients rather than simply chasing isolated nutrients.
Our Skadi’s Forage brings together bee pollen, rosehip, bilberry and juniper berry.
Bee pollen naturally contains a range of minerals, although its nutritional composition varies according to its botanical and geographical origin.
Our Essence of Beyla brings together leatherwood honey, fresh royal jelly, bee bread, bee pollen and propolis — a collection of whole hive foods with their own naturally occurring nutritional compounds.
If you’re curious about exploring minerals through whole-food bee products rather than isolated mineral tablets, take a look at our range.
Explore our Nectar of Eir Collection
As always, the nutritional composition of naturally sourced foods can vary, and products should be used according to their intended directions.
Sources & Further Reading
Minerals & Human Nutrition
-
NIH Office of Dietary Supplements — Zinc Fact Sheet for Health Professionals
Zinc functions, food sources, absorption, mineral interactions and safety. -
NIH Office of Dietary Supplements — Iodine Fact Sheet
Iodine, food sources and its role in thyroid hormone production. -
NIH Office of Dietary Supplements — Iron Fact Sheet for Health Professionals
Iron forms, absorption, food sources and factors affecting iron availability. -
NIH Office of Dietary Supplements — Magnesium Fact Sheet for Health Professionals
Magnesium forms, absorption and interactions. -
NIH Office of Dietary Supplements — Copper Fact Sheet for Health Professionals
Copper’s role in iron metabolism, food sources and zinc–copper interaction.
Mineral Interactions & Bioavailability
-
Iron availability: An updated review
Reviews how vitamin C, phytate, polyphenols and other dietary factors influence iron availability. -
Revisiting phytate–element interactions: implications for iron, zinc and calcium bioavailability
Examines how phytate can affect the bioavailability of iron, zinc and calcium and how processing such as germination and fermentation may alter this.
Fulvic & Humic Substances
-
Yousaf et al. (2026) — Advances in fulvic acid extraction from lignite: techniques, challenges, and applications
Reviews fulvic acid, humic substances, natural sources and extraction methods, while highlighting variability between raw materials and extraction processes. -
Molecular Features of Humic Acids and Fulvic Acids from Contrasting Environments
Useful background on the chemical differences and source-dependent characteristics of humic and fulvic acids. -
Humic acids: Structural properties and multiple functionalities for novel technological developments
Reviews the complex and variable chemistry of humic substances.
Shilajit
-
Safety and efficacy of shilajit (mumie, moomiyo)
Review of traditional use, composition and the available evidence surrounding shilajit. -
Hazardous or Advantageous: Uncovering the Roles of Heavy Metals and Humic Substances in Shilajit
Examines shilajit’s variable composition and the importance of heavy-metal safety and testing. -
Quantifying of thallium in Shilajit and its supplements
Highlights why testing and purification matter when choosing shilajit products.
Bee Pollen, Bee Bread & Royal Jelly
-
Comparison of Physicochemical Properties of Bee Pollen with Other Bee Products
Examines mineral and elemental composition across bee pollen, bee bread, royal jelly, propolis and honey. -
Elemental composition and evaluation of noncarcinogenic risks of bee pollen from different Turkish areas
Demonstrates the diversity of minerals and trace elements found in bee pollen and how composition varies between floral/geographical sources. -
Bee pollen and bee bread nutritional potential
Reviews the nutritional composition of bee pollen and bee bread. -
Trace and mineral elements in royal jelly and homeostatic effects
Investigates mineral and trace-element concentrations in royal jelly and associated honey. -
Potentially toxic trace elements in bee bread, propolis, beeswax and royal jelly
Particularly useful for understanding why geographical origin, environment and testing matter for hive products.
Australian Food & Labelling Guidance
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Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) — Nutrition, health and related claims
Guidance on nutrition-content and health claims under Standard 1.2.7. -
FSANZ — Getting Your Claims Right
Practical guidance for food businesses making nutrition and health claims.
A note on the Eirholt products
The mineral information discussed in this article refers to minerals reported in the relevant foods and ingredients in scientific literature. The mineral composition of bee pollen, bee bread, royal jelly and other hive products can vary according to botanical origin, geography, soil, climate and environmental exposure.
Therefore, the article does not represent the mineral lists as a laboratory analysis of Skadi’s Forage or Essence of Beyla themselves. Exact nutrient quantities in a finished product would require product-specific analytical testing.
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