Food Group for Minerals

Minerals are essential for good health and come from many different food sources. Minerals cannot be made by living organisms and you get minerals into your diet directly from plants or indirectly from animal sources, according to the Linus Pauling Institute for Micronutrient Research at Oregon State University. Eating a wide variety of healthy, nutritious foods can help you get the right amount of minerals into your diet.

Function

Minerals are used in your body for many different purposes. Minerals can help to strengthen your bones, make hormones, affect your heart beat, help in nervous system function and much more. Macrominerals, or minerals that your body needs in larger amounts, include calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, chloride, sodium and sulfur. Your body needs less of the trace minerals, some of which include zinc, selenium, iodine and fluoride.

Food Sources

Many types of food and food groups contain different amounts of each type of mineral. For example, green, leafy vegetables can provide you with calcium, iron and magnesium, while meat can provide you with zinc, phosphorus and additional iron. Milk and other dairy products are good sources of calcium. Medline Plus, the medical encyclopedia from the National Institutes of Health, recommends eating a well-balanced diet that includes healthy foods from all the food groups to make sure you get enough minerals.

Supplements

Nutritional supplements, which usually include vitamins and minerals, are becoming increasingly popular to ensure adequate nutrient intake. While taking mineral supplements can be beneficial in some cases, MayoClinic.com suggests that getting minerals from whole foods is ideal. It reports that whole foods provide your body with additional nutrients, including complex phytochemicals and antioxidants.

Benefits

Eating a well-balanced diet that includes foods from all the food groups is also important for lowering your risk of developing some chronic diseases and conditions. The "Dietary Guidelines for Americans," published by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services reports that a diet full of nutritious foods that stays within your calorie needs can help protect you from heart disease, type 2 diabetes, some types of cancer, osteoporosis and obesity.

Recommendations

The amounts of food from each food group you need depends on your specific characteristics. The "MyPyramid" program from the U.S. Department of Agriculture can provide you with an estimate of your daily calorie needs based on your age, gender, height, weight and physical activity habits. It can also provide you with recommendations on what foods to choose to fill your calorie needs. The "MyPyramid" program follows the Dietary Guidelines and can help you get enough minerals into your diet.