Another week and another moment to check in on our mineral balance series. Let’s talk about copper! Even though copper deficiency is rare, there are fewer people today getting the adequate amount of daily copper that they need (1). We know that supporting our health from a nutritionally dense diet and a food first approach isn’t always straightforward or easy, and like with everything in life, we need to find balance. Trace minerals exist the exact same way in the body. If your body doesn’t get enough minerals, or gets too much you may be at risk of inflammation or chronic disease (1). Although we need these trace minerals in a much smaller amount they are critical for our body’s daily function.
You may be familiar with the more well known and major minerals like magnesium, calcium, or potassium but trace minerals are also important! These trace minerals include iron, chromium, copper, zinc, iodine, manganese and selenium (1). Meeting daily required copper intake is an easy thing to do with your diet and food choices, but it's easy to get out of sync and not be able to read the signs of deficiency. Did you know that zinc intake depletes our copper levels in the body (3)? This may be an important time to think about and address our copper levels after a long winter and a very long cold and flu season that may have ramped up your zinc intake.
What role does copper play in the body?
Copper is a key component in energy production. It helps your body make red blood cells which are used to deliver oxygen all over the body, a very important factor in ATP production, which is our energy (2)! Copper also helps our body create healthy connective tissues, breaks down excess estrogen in the liver, is necessary for iron metabolism, and is required for adrenal function (1).
Why you may not be getting enough trace minerals
Poor diet → The number one reason that you may not be getting enough trace minerals is not having a well-balanced diet
Where you live → Trace minerals accumulate in the soil and water are not the same in all parts of the world, so where you live and where your food is grown can impact the quantity and quality of trace minerals in your food.
Gastrointestinal disease → When the gastrointestinal tract becomes inflamed or infected this will interfere with your body's ability to absorb minerals and other nutrients, any GI stress can lead to decreased absorption and excess loss of minerals.
Pregnancy → Trace mineral loss frequently occurs during pregnancy, the increased physiological changes to support the body of the mother and growing fetus lead to increased need for micronutrients.
Even though it is rare to encounter trace mineral deficiency in the modern and western world, mild deficiencies are common and often present with symptoms that aren’t clearly recognized like fatigue, decreased immune system, and brain fog (3).
This week, We have a mineral rich vegetarian entree, mushroom bourguignon! Did you know that a 1-cup serving of mushrooms can provide about one-third of the daily recommended amount of copper (2)?! This dish features local mushrooms simmered with organic onions, carrots, and wine, is seasoned with fresh herbs, and served on a bed of creamy polenta. A healthy diet rich in mineral dense food is the first step to creating harmony in the body. This vegetarian entree is filled with those key minerals and even some extra that you might be lacking. Enjoy!
Copper Rich Foods
Beans
Brazil Nuts
Molasses
Cashews
Peas
Sunflower Seeds
Beef Liver
Dried Apricots
Oysters
Bost, M., Houdart, S., Oberli, M., Kalonji, E., Huneau, J., & Margaritis, I. (2016). Dietary copper and human health: Current evidence and unresolved issues. Journal of Trace Elements in Medicine and Biology, 35, 107–115. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jtemb.2016.02.006
Copper. (2023, January 3). Linus Pauling Institute. https://lpi.oregonstate.edu/mic/minerals/copper
Prohaska, J. R. (2014). Impact of copper deficiency in humans. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 1314(1), 1–5. https://doi.org/10.1111/nyas.12354