Week 8

2 Visit the SCDiet website. Using the Mineral Wheel, show which minerals antagonize zinc in the body. Pick one mineral that you found interesting, what did you learn about it? What foods can the mineral be found in and what minerals antagonize this mineral? Report your findings in a blog entry.

I've been a bad student lately, mostly due to a crazy schedule and several weeks of illness. Now I think I'm gettin back on the wagon, so here is what I've found regarding my chosen blog req's:

Interactive Mineral Wheel

Calcium, Copper, and Phosphorous are all antagonists for zinc. I'm not sure what else I'm supposed to write about this discovery, because the question seems to lead into a second part...about a mineral I find interesting.

So I'm pretty interested in learning more about Potassium (K). I was told as a track runner in high school that Potassium is important for people who use their legs a lot, and later learned that Magnesium is necessary for preventing muscle cramps and Charlie horsing in the legs as well. As an electrolyte, Potassium is essential for proper neurological functioning, and ensures good nerve firing and signaling. It's also important for balancing sodium in the body, too much of which leads to high blood pressure because it causes too much water to be retained in the cells (leading to higher blood volume, too much water in the blood). It is good for muscles because it inhibits muscle contraction.


Potassium is best found in plant foods like bananas, avocados, oranges, tomatoes, and soybeans. There are several mineral antagonists to Potassium, including Manganese, Sodium, and Iron.