Mineral (nutrient)
CHEMICAL ELEMENT REQUIRED AS AN ESSENTIAL NUTRIENT BY ORGANISMS TO PERFORM FUNCTIONS NECESSARY FOR LIFE
Trace mineral; Dietary minerals; Macromineral; Macroelement; Macro-element; Macro-mineral; Macro mineral; Macro element; Micromineral; Bulk mineral; Bulk-mineral; Trace-mineral; Trace minerals; Essential mineral; Essential minerals; Macroelements; Mineral supplements; Micronutrient malnutrition; Essential element; Microminerals; Mineral supplement; Mineral nutrients; Mineral nutrient; Dietary trace minerals; Mineral balance; Dietary mineral; Dietary elements; Crude ash; Dietary element; Mineral (nutrition); Essential poisons; Essential trace element; Minor mineral; Nutritional mineral
In the context of nutrition, a mineral is a chemical element required as an essential nutrient by organisms to perform functions necessary for life. However, the four major structural elements in the human body by weight (oxygen, hydrogen, carbon, and nitrogen), are usually not included in lists of major nutrient minerals (nitrogen is considered a "mineral" for plants, as it often is included in fertilizers).