The minimum number of essential minerals humans require is:

• A. Twelve minerals
• B. Fourteen minerals
• C. Thirteen minerals
• D. Sixteen minerals

Answer: (B)

Essential minerals are nutrients the body cannot make and must obtain from food to support major roles like building bones and teeth, maintaining fluid and electrolyte balance, enabling enzyme activity, and supporting oxygen transport and antioxidant defense. When scientists identify which minerals are truly required, a common baseline is fourteen minerals. They’re divided into major minerals, needed in larger amounts, and trace minerals, needed in smaller amounts. Major minerals include calcium, phosphorus, potassium, sodium, chloride, magnesium, and sulfur; trace minerals include iron, zinc, copper, manganese, iodine, selenium, and chromium. This fourteen-mineral count is the standard minimum you’ll see in nutrition texts and exams, though some lists discuss additional elements or debate the essentiality of certain items.