Foods High In Trace Minerals

Trace minerals are nutrients needed by the human body in very small quantities, typically less than 100 mg daily. Important trace minerals include iron, manganese, copper, selenium, zinc and molybdenum. They perform many functions in the body, such as aiding in energy metabolism, according to the University of Delaware Cooperative Extension. Most of the requirement for other trace minerals, such as flouride and iodine, come from specific sources, such as flouridated water and iodized salt. Some foods, such as beans, beef and seeds are excellent food sources of several trace minerals.

Beans

Beans and legumes are an extremely nutrient-dense food. According to the World's Healthiest Foods website, they are rich in protein, carbohydrates, dietary fiber and many vitamins and minerals, including trace minerals. Most beans, including black, pinto, navy, soy, lima, garbanzo and kindey beans, as well as lentils, contain molybdenum, iron, copper and manganese. One cup of garbanzo beans, cooked, contains more than 160 percent of the recommended daily value for molybdenum, nearly 85 percent for manganese, 29 percent for copper and 26 percent for iron. One cup of cooked lentils meets nearly 200 percent of the recommended daily value for molybdenum, 50 percent for manganese, 36 percent for iron and 25 percent for copper.

Beef

Lean beef is high in protein as well as many minerals, according to the University of Delaware Cooperative Extension. A 3-oz. serving of lean beef tenderloin, broiled or grilled, meets about 40 percent of the recommended daily value for zinc and selenium and 15 percent for iron. According to the National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements, the iron in beef is a different form than that found in plant foods, such as legumes. The iron in meat is known as heme iron and is better absorbed and utilized by the body. Venison, an extra-lean game meat, is a good food source of four of the trace minerals. A 4-oz. portion of cooked venison provides slightly more iron than beef, meeting 28 percent of the recommended daily value. It also contains 20 percent of the recommended daily value for each selenium and zinc, as well as 17.5 percent for copper.

Seeds

While nuts are very nutritious, in general, seeds are higher in trace minerals according to the World's Healthiest Foods. For example, 1/4 cup of roasted pumpkin seeds contains more than 50 percent of the recommended daily value for manganese, 29 percent for iron, 24 percent for copper and 17 percent for zinc. Sesame seeds are another trace mineral powerhouse. Just 1/4 cup contains nearly 45 percent of the recommended daily value for copper, making them an excellent food source, as well as nearly 19 percent for zinc.