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Difference between Organic and Inorganic Minerals

We hear day in and day out that we need more minerals. "Vitamins and minerals" are words that go hand in hand when promotion healthy diet items and supplements. In fact, the body needs about 70 different minerals to carry out all the functions a body is required to do. But many may not realize there are two types of minerals: organic and inorganic. Between those two types, it may be easy to recognize which one does a body good. Ever hear people tout the benefits of an inorganic diet?

Here is a brief overview of the differences between these two:

• Organic minerals- these are once living, or are living and can bring life to cells. These contain carbon, and their electrons spin clockwise, just like those of the human body. Additionally, these cells can form an ionic bond with the body and can easily break down into materials to help with bodily function, such as tissue repair.


• Inorganic materials- these were never living, without carbon and cannot bring life to cells. The body treats these metals like toxins and are tightly held together; they cannot be easily broken down. And, their electrons spin counterclockwise, out of sync with the rest of the body.

Let's look further at what negative effects inorganic minerals have. Inorganic minerals are removed from water during nature's water cycle, that is, during evaporation from the sun, only the water itself is removed, with the inorganic chemicals behind. The distillation process is one filtering process that mimics what nature does on its own. So, why are these minerals removed from pure drinking water?

Inorganic minerals are picked up as the water supply runs through the ground. These inorganic, or non-living, minerals cannot be utilized by humans or animals. However, plants can. And, they are the organisms that turn them into the organic minerals we can use through photosynthesis. But, the inorganic minerals that pass into our drinking water cannot help us and can in fact, harm us.

This is because inorganic chemicals cannot absorb as nutrition into the cell walls and thus gets deposited elsewhere into the body. This can cause arthritis, joint pain, kidney and gallstones and even clogged arteries. Lime (calcium carbonate) is one of these minerals. Just think about what that does to your bathtub! Yeah- takes a special cleaner and a lot of elbow grease to scratch the surface of those deposits. (Remember- this is the main ingredient in cement!) In fact, some people suffer from such high concentrations of lime that their hands and fingers can become massively disfigured.

Dr. Norman W. Walker, who wrote a book on this area of water, says that of a person drinks two pints of water a day in a 70-year life span, it will total 4,500 gallons. If it is not distilled, Dr. Walker estimates this water will include 200 to 300 pounds of rock, including lime, magnesium and other mineral deposits that the body cannot use. He does note that much of this will be collected by the body's water, blood and lymph systems to be eliminated through excretory channels. However, some of will stay in the body, causing those problems mentioned above.

Does your water contain these inorganic minerals? Fill up a pot and let it evaporate. As note above, the water cycle only takes the hydrogen and oxygen from the liquid and leaves behind what else is left. If you've got mineral deposits in your pot, you may want to look into getting only distilled water or getting a reverse osmosis filtration system.

Read Next: Are Minerals in Drinking Water Healthy?

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