What is Acai Berry? Acai (pronounced ah-sigh-EE) is a small, dark purple berry that grows on acai palm trees (Euterpe oleracea) native to the Amazon rainforest regions of Brazil and other parts of South America. While marketed as a "superfood" with numerous health claims, acai is essentially a
What is Barium? Barium is a soft, silvery-white alkaline earth metal (chemical symbol: Ba, atomic number 56) that is not an essential nutrient for human health. It naturally occurs in the environment in rocks, soil, and water, and can contaminate food, drinking water, and dietary supplements. Critical Point: Unlike vitamins
What Is Arsenic? Arsenic is a naturally occurring metalloid element found throughout the Earth's crust in rocks, soil, water, air, and living organisms. The chemical symbol is As. It exists in both inorganic and organic forms, with vastly different toxicity levels. Essentiality status: Arsenic is NOT recognized as
What Is Aluminum? Aluminum (or aluminium, Al) is the most abundant metal in the Earth's crust and the third most abundant element overall (after oxygen and silicon). It is a lightweight, silvery-white metal found throughout the environment in soil, water, air, and numerous consumer products. Essentiality status: Aluminum
What Is Zinc? Zinc is an essential trace mineral that is critical for human health and is the second most abundant trace mineral in the body (after iron). The chemical symbol is Zn. Every cell in your body contains zinc, and it's required for the activity of over
What Is Vanadium? Vanadium is a trace element found in small amounts in the Earth's crust, the human body, and various foods. The chemical symbol is V. In biological systems, vanadium exists in different oxidation states, primarily as vanadyl (V⁴⁺) and vanadate (V⁵⁺) compounds. Essentiality status: Vanadium is
What Is Tin? Tin is a trace element found in the Earth's crust, in small amounts in the human body, and in various foods and environmental sources. The chemical symbol for tin is Sn (from the Latin "stannum"). In biological systems, tin typically exists as inorganic
What Is Silicon? Silicon is a trace element found abundantly in the Earth's crust (second most abundant element after oxygen), in the human body, and in many foods and water sources. In biological systems, silicon typically exists as silicic acid or silicate compounds rather than as elemental silicon.
What Is Selenium? Selenium is an essential trace mineral that functions as a powerful antioxidant in the body. It's incorporated into proteins to make selenoproteins, which are important antioxidant enzymes that protect cells from damage. Selenium is found in soil, water, and certain foods, and is necessary for
What Is Nickel? Nickel is a trace element found in the body, food, water, and environment. Important distinction: Nickel is not officially recognized as an essential nutrient for humans by major health organizations (FDA, NIH, WHO). While some animal studies suggest it may have biological functions, its necessity in human
What Is Molybdenum? Molybdenum is an essential trace mineral found in the body and various foods. It acts as a cofactor for several important enzymes that catalyze critical biochemical reactions in your body. The name comes from the Greek word "molybdos," meaning lead-like. What It's Used
What Is Manganese? Manganese is an essential trace mineral element required by the human body in very small amounts but critical for numerous physiological functions. The adult human body contains approximately 10-20 mg of total manganese, distributed throughout various tissues with the highest concentrations in bones, liver, pancreas, kidneys, and
