Manganese

Needed in the work of the enzymes

Sources:
Wheatgerm, liver, kidney, green leafy vegetables, red meat, tea, whole grains, legumes, seeds, nuts, chocolate

Especially Needed By:
Pregnant women, or women undergoing the menopause.

Phosphorus

Needed for the teeth and bones, and release of energy.

Sources:
Meats, fish poultry, eggs, dairy products, and grains, fruit and vegetables.

Especially Needed By:
Those under stress

Potassium

Needed for heart, muscles and maintenance of normal blood glucose levels.

Sources:
Lean meat, pulses, wheat germ, whole grains, potatoes, bananas, nuts, orange juice, avocados, apricots.

Especially Needed By:
Those under stress.

Selenium

Needed to work with the detoxifier glutathione as a co-factor and antioxidant.

Sources
Liver, kidney, meat, seafood, dairy products, whole grains, pineapples

Especially Needed By:

Zinc

Needed for bones and enzymes

Sources:
Oysters, herring, milk, meat, egg yolks, corn, beets, peas, almonds, pulses.

Calcium

Needed for bones, teeth and muscles. Adequate Vitamin D is necessary for its absorption.

Sources:
Dairy products, dark green leafy vegetables, citrus fruits, and canned fish with edible bones, pulses.

Especially Needed by:
Pregnant and lactating women, children, junk-food eaters, dieters, women on the Pill or HRT or undergoing the menopause, insomniacs and the elderly.

Chromium

Necessary for blood sugar control.

Sources:
Whole grains, shellfish, nuts, mushrooms, and wheatgerm.

Especially Needed By:
Those under stress 

Vitamin D (Calciferol)

Needed for the absorption and use of calcium (bones and teeth). Might also be involved in maintaining the appetite. It is manufactured in exposed skin in sunlight. It is fat-soluble, and is fairly stable in cooking, although it is destroyed by light and oxygen

Richest Sources:
Cod liver oil, halibut liver oil, egg yolk, herring, sardine, eel, mackerel and other oily fish, oysters, tinned salmon, dairy products and liver.

Especially Needed By:
Infants and adolescents, pregnant and lactating women, vegetarians, women going through the menopause, the elderly and those with dark skins living in more northerly countries.

Vitamin E (Tocopherylacetate)

Important for protecting the body joints from oxidation and may also protect against heat disease. It is fat-soluble. Little is lost in home cooking, except when frying in fat, but it is unstable when frozen. Oils lose E content when exposed to light.

Carbon Steel versus Stainless Steel

The great debate rages on. Carbon steel advocates claim that their knives take a keener edge, hold it longer and are easier to resharpen than stainless steel knives. Stainless steel users claim that carbon steel knives are unsanitary, leave an off taste in foods and that stainless knives hold an edge longer than their carbon counterparts.

Who’s right? Depends on your definitions and your environment. It’s not as simple as carbon versus stainless.

Carbon steels range from simple iron/carbon combinations to high-alloy tool steels that will cut through concrete without losing their edge. Stainless steels vary from very soft, extremely stain resistant dive knives to super stainless alloys, like Crucible Particle Metals’ S30V, a steel purpose-designed for the custom cutlery industry.

In the far less demanding realm of the kitchen, however, the carbon steel devotees are right. At least until they actually have to use their knives. Then it’s a different story.