Minerals and trace elements

Physically speaking our body is a mixture of carbon (C), oxygen (O2) and hydrogen (H2). Together with 3.3% nitrogen (N), they account for approximately 90% of total body weight. When we talk about carbohydrates, proteins and fats we mainly talk about these elements. In order to get these substances moving and to keep them moving you need other substances. These substances we know as minerals and trace elements and through their reaction with each other and with carbon, hydrogen and oxygen they determine how your body functions on food, light and air.

Minerals can be divided into metals and non-metals. Higher living organisms, such as humans or cows, mainly consist of non-metals. For example C, H, O, N, P, S, and Cl account for some 98% of our total body weight, whilst metals account for 1.9%. The real trace elements in the human body amount to 0.012% (8.6 gr – assuming a body weight of 70 kg). However, these 8.6 grams control the chemical processes that actually keep us alive. Therefore it is categorically wrong to say that trace elements are not that important in soil and fertilisation advice.