Another one of the essential minerals in the human diet, copper helps with iron-rich foods to make the haemoglobin that is responsible for transporting oxygen in the blood. Copper is essential if you want to maintain normal healthy growth as well as it helps to promote the development of collagen, which is the fibrous protein that occurs in bone, cartilage, tendons and other connective tissues that cover the nerves.

The current recommendation for copper is set at 0.9 mg per day for both men and women and is particularly important for those women who are pregnant. Unfortunately about half of the current population is meeting their needs so this is something that you should definitely look into if you are hoping to achieve optimal health.

When a deficiency develops, it can lead to the development of high cholesterol levels as well as coronary heart disease. It is also associated with premature births, chronic diarrhea as well as a variety of stomach conditions.

You can most often find this mineral in such sources as vegetables, fruits, grains, dried beans, almonds, and seafood. It can also be sometimes found in drinking water as well so you may not even need to make a conscious effort to consume it if this is the case (assuming you are getting a regular intake of water).

It is important to make sure you are not taking in abnormally high levels however as it can cause symptoms such as irritation of the nose, mouth and eyes, vomiting, diarrhea, stomach cramps as well as death if taken in such high doses.