What's the difference between vitamins & minerals?
Most people have heard the phrase “vitamins and minerals.” We know we need them, and we know we need them together - but what’s the difference?
THE ANSWER
Organic vs. Inorganic
Vitamins are organic, which means they contain carbon and can be made by plants and animals.
It’s important to know that humans cannot make all vitamins, including Vitamin A, Vitamin B1, B2, B5, B6, B7, B9, B12, Vitamin C, Vitamin E and Vitamin K, so we must get these from supplements, or plants and animals that can make these vitamins.
Minerals are inorganic, which means plants and animals (including humans) cannot create their own minerals.
THE ANSWER
How do we get minerals?
When you think of minerals, you probably think of rocks or metals, and you’re not wrong. Minerals are in the earth, so how do we get them?
The answer is quite simple:
Plants obtain minerals from the soil. We as humans can get minerals by eating plants. We can also get minerals indirectly by eating animals who eat plants containing minerals.
Vitamins get all the attention, but minerals are just as key.
10 Key Minerals Your Body Needs to Function
Each one plays a role in hundreds of body functions. It may take just a very small quantity of a particular mineral, but having too much or too little can upset a delicate balance in the body.
Essential metals are needed to activate enzymes in the human body - molecules with many important jobs. Let’s take a look at the most valuable minerals on the planet (to your body, not the economy).
