Minerals Your Body Needs Daily: A Complete Overview

Minerals vs Vitamins — the Basic Split

Vitamins are organic compounds; minerals are chemical elements the body needs in small but regular amounts. Neither provides energy by itself, but both take part in the processes that keep the body running. The label on a supplement states minerals in milligrams (mg) or micrograms (µg) per daily serving, together with the percentage of the Nutrient Reference Value (NRV) defined by Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011.

The Minerals in the Nutri-Leaf Formulas

Three minerals appear across the Nutri-Leaf range, each with an authorised nutrient-function claim:

• Zinc — contributes to the normal function of the immune system, and to the maintenance of normal hair, skin and nails. Present in the Immunity Complex (10 mg, 100% NRV) and in Skin, Hair & Nails (3.5 mg, 35% NRV).
• Selenium — contributes to the normal function of the immune system. Present in the Immunity Complex (50 µg, 91% NRV).
• Copper — contributes to normal skin and hair pigmentation. Present in Skin, Hair & Nails (1.0 mg, 100% NRV).

Each statement is narrow on purpose: "contributes to the normal function of" is the regulated ceiling of what a food supplement may claim.

Minerals in Everyday Food

Before reaching for a supplement, the practical question is what your meals already provide:

• Zinc: meat, legumes, seeds, whole grains, nuts.
• Selenium: varies strongly with the soil the food grew in; fish, eggs, and Brazil nuts are among the richer sources.
• Copper: nuts, seeds, legumes, whole grains.

Soil content matters more for minerals than for vitamins — the same crop can carry very different mineral levels depending on where it grew. That variability is one honest reason mineral intake can differ between people with similar-looking diets.

How to Read a Mineral on a Label

• The amount: mg or µg per daily serving — check that the unit is what you think it is; 50 µg and 50 mg differ by a factor of 1000.
• The %NRV: how much of the daily reference value one serving provides. 100% means the full reference amount; values above 100% are common for some nutrients.
• The form: the chemical form in brackets — for example "zinc gluconate" — tells you what is actually in the capsule.

Do not exceed the recommended daily intake, and check for overlap if you combine products: the Immunity Complex label notes that additional selenium-containing or zinc-containing food supplements should not be taken alongside it. See the Immunity Complex Capsules for the full declared formula, and what the numbers on a label mean for a deeper read.

Food supplements are not a substitute for a balanced and varied diet and a healthy lifestyle.