Now don’t start swallowing pennies but there are some health benefits to having the proper levels of copper in our bodies.  Copper is an important mineral for several bodily functions including energy production, maintaining adequate growth schedules, utilizing the iron that we take in, proper enzyme utilization, and maintaining healthy hair, eyes, and connective tissue.  It is also beneficial to a healthy heart rhythm, thyroid, cholesterol levels and helping with healing wounds and arthritis.

Our bodies do not produce copper naturally so we must keep up with a daily intake through our food.  This valuable mineral helps us to maintain a healthy metabolism with the help of many other vitamins and amino acids.  A copper deficiency can lead to serious health problems. Some of these health complications include: anemia, osteoporosis, low white blood cell count, brittle bones, low body temperature, low white blood cell count, high cholesterol levels, lowered resistance to fighting infections, birth defects, Thyroid problems, low skin pigmentation, and an irregular heartbeat.  Symptoms of a copper deficiency include: paleness, hair loss, anorexia, stunted growth, dermatitis, lethargy, bleeding under the skin and diarrhea.

In order to maintain the adequate levels of copper in our systems we need to eat foods that are a rich source of this ital mineral.  Foods such as liver, meat, seafood, beans, whole grains, wheat bran, beets, oats, almonds and other nuts, avocado, garlic and lentils are wonderful sources of copper.  Fresh oysters are also a rich source of copper as well as drinking water because most tap water is carried through copper pipes.