Plant Minerals vs. Rocks

Minerals are essential to the healthy functioning of all the systems of our body – from bone and tooth health to nerve and muscle function, energy production to immune health. Some minerals, such as calcium and magnesium, are needed in significant amounts. While trace minerals, like boron and strontium, are needed in much smaller quantities.

We can obtain these vital minerals by consuming whole foods and supplements. However, in order for our body to use them, we must not only ingest them, they must also be absorbed through the cell membrane of our digestive tract and into our bloodstream. While many vitamins are easy to absorb, minerals are not usually as bioavailable. Here’s a breakdown of the two main sources of minerals, and how they may or may not benefit our body.

Plant Minerals

Plants absorb minerals from the soil and water through their roots and into their cells. Unfortunately, these days much of the soil where our crops are grown is depleted, therefore a lot of our produce doesn’t have the mineral punch that it did in our grandparent’s day. That’s one reason why so many people today have mineral deficiencies, and why a bioavailable mineral supplement is often needed.

But as with most things, mineral supplements vary widely and can be composed of food or plant-derived minerals, synthetic mineral "salts," or inorganic minerals found in rocks, such as limestone or calcium carbonate. Plants, through the process of photosynthesis, attach compounds to minerals found in soil or water. These compounds, often proteins, act like a "passport" to aid the transfer of the minerals into the cells of our body and assist the cells’ utilization of the delivered minerals. In effect, the plants help make the minerals more bioavailable in some cases, so they're better utilized by our body.

Rocks

In contrast to plant minerals, most mineral supplements contain minerals that are derived directly from rocks - for example calcium carbonate is the rock known as limestone. Alternatively, they may be chemically produced in a lab to create a mineral salt. Our body is not accustomed to utilizing minerals that are not found in the form of food so the rock minerals are much less bioavailable and can even be irritating to the gut, causing more distress than good.

Covering All Your Bases

Our Bone Renewal® formula has calcium and magnesium, which provide our foundation of mineral support, much like bricks and mortar provide the structure for a strong building. We also include vitamin D3, which controls the absorption of calcium into the blood. The addition of K2 controls where that calcium ends up, including laying calcium into bone, and keeping it out of soft tissue like the arteries and kidneys.

Vitally important boron, vanadium, strontium, and silica are included in their correct trace amounts. The addition of highly researched botanical extracts elevate the formula to new heights of efficacy and provide an even deeper synergy of health support.

With Bone Renewal, you know you’ll get the minerals that your body so desperately needs – and more importantly, in the plant-based form your body will be able to absorb.

5 Years ago