High-protein, low-carbohydrate diets are back in the spotlight, thanks to the Paleo, South Beach and Atkins trends. While protein is a necessary nutrient for the body in order to build lean muscle, synthesize hormones, grow hair and nails, and maintain organs, information about how much protein we really need and in what form seems to be misleading and/or lacking. Here?s the skinny?

We don?t eat rocks or dirt, but did you know that they are actually an important part of the food chain? Minerals in the earth are absorbed by water and plants, and then we absorb those same minerals when we eat plants or drink water. We also get minerals when we eat or drink foods that come from animals that consumed the mineral-rich plants and water.