Chapter III
Minerals
— the body's lattice —
« The body is a living geological formation — every mineral becomes an enzyme, a bone, a nerve, a thought. »
Salt — the first mineral
From the edges of seas to the depths of mines, salt is the mineral that tells a story as ancient as humanity itself. It has been a treasure of trade, a currency of exchange, and even an element of sacred rites.
In its purest form — Himalayan salt, sea salt, rock salt — this translucent crystal is a concentrate of telluric energy. Rich in minerals and trace elements, salt is indispensable to the balance of our body fluids and to the proper functioning of our nervous and muscular systems.
More than a seasoning, salt amplifies the flavour of food and, used with measure, reveals its very essence. It is the keeper of our culinary traditions, a vector of memory, a symbol of hospitality and community. Salt is both earth and sea — a small miracle of nature that reunites the elements and balances our being.
Every mineral becomes an electrical signal between our cells. Every signal becomes motion, thought, life.
The body, a living geological formation
We often forget that our body is, literally, a mineral formation. Our bones are calcium phosphate. Our blood carries iron in haemoglobin. Our enzymes function only when carried by metallic cofactors — zinc, copper, magnesium, selenium. Our nervous system transmits impulses only because potassium and sodium dance across cellular membranes.
When the body receives its minerals: deep sleep, radiant skin, strong nails, luminous mood, full energy. The body functions at 100 % — clarity, vitality, presence — because it holds the mineral matter that every enzyme, every bone, every nerve impulse needs to express itself.
The major minerals
| Mineral | Role | Plant sources |
|---|---|---|
| Calcium | Bones, teeth, muscle contraction, nerve signal | Sesame (tahini), kale, almonds, broccoli, figs |
| Magnesium | Muscle relaxation, sleep, +300 enzymes, ATP | Raw cacao, pumpkin seeds, buckwheat, spinach |
| Iron | Oxygen transport (haemoglobin), cellular energy | Spirulina, lentils, parsley, pumpkin seeds |
| Potassium | Water balance, heart rhythm, nerve impulse | Avocado, banana, potatoes, spinach, dates |
| Zinc | Immunity, skin, taste, fertility, DNA synthesis | Pumpkin seeds, sesame, legumes, cashews |
| Iodine | Thyroid, overall metabolism, brain | Seaweeds (kombu, wakame, dulse), unrefined sea salt |
| Selenium | Major antioxidant, immune support, thyroid | Brazil nuts (2 a day are enough), sunflower seeds |
The gesture that releases minerals
The minerals are there — in seeds, grains, legumes, nuts. But they are also locked. To protect itself, the seed encloses its minerals in molecules called phytates (phytic acid). If we eat the seed as is, part of the minerals will not be absorbed — they will leave the body as they entered.
- Soak seeds 4 to 12 hours in slightly acidulated water (lemon juice, cider vinegar): phytates hydrolyse, minerals are released.
- Sprouting: the simple act of waking the seed deactivates its defences and multiplies certain nutrients (vitamins C, B, enzymes).
- Fermenting: miso, tempeh, sourdough bread have seen their phytates strongly reduced by ferments. Minerals become bioavailable.
- Pair with vitamin C: a squeeze of lemon over a plate of lentils or spinach multiplies iron absorption by 3 to 5 times.
“What the rock has patiently held, the body turns into motion”
Virgile Escalant · chef-alchemist
Frequently asked questions
- How to release minerals from a seed?
- Four gestures release the minerals locked by phytates (phytic acid): soak the seed 4 to 12 hours in slightly acidulated water (lemon juice, cider vinegar), sprout it (the simple awakening deactivates its defences and multiplies vitamins C, B, enzymes), ferment (miso, tempeh, sourdough make minerals bioavailable), and pair with vitamin C (a squeeze of lemon on lentils or spinach multiplies iron absorption by 3 to 5).
- What are the essential minerals and where to find them in plants?
- Calcium (sesame, tahini, kale, almonds, figs) — bones and nerve signal. Magnesium (raw cacao, pumpkin seeds, buckwheat, spinach) — muscle relaxation, sleep, +300 enzymes. Iron (spirulina, lentils, parsley, pumpkin seeds) — oxygen transport. Potassium (avocado, banana, spinach, dates) — heart rhythm. Zinc (pumpkin seeds, sesame, cashews) — immunity, skin, fertility. Iodine (kombu, wakame, dulse seaweeds) — thyroid. Selenium (2 Brazil nuts a day) — major antioxidant.
- Which salt to choose for health?
- The most living salts keep all their mineral richness: Himalayan salt (translucent crystal, telluric energy), unrefined sea salt (grey or pink, rich in trace elements), rock salt. We move away from refined table salt, which has lost its minerals through industrial processing. Salt, used with measure, is a concentrate of telluric energy indispensable to body fluid balance and nerve signal.
The booklet
- Opening
The Intelligence of the Body
Precise and accurate knowledge
Intelligence is already here, within our body — perhaps the most sophisticated and subtle technology known to us.
- — I —
Energy
the inner flame
We do not eat — we burn stored light. The body is a solar machine running on two fuels.
- — II —
Proteins
the brick of the living — and its hidden origin
Meat does not contain proteins — it only carries them. The source is the plant.
- — III —
Minerals
the body's lattice
The body is a living geological formation — every mineral becomes an enzyme, a bone, a nerve, a thought.
- — IV —
Recipes & Tips
daily practice
Six engineer's gestures — soak, cook low, tune the umami, vary the oils, dose the acid, sweeten with dates — that wake the full intelligence of living matter.
- — V —
Ingredients & Suppliers
the chain of care
The ingredient is already a spiritual decision — tracing back to the hands that harvested is entering a chain of care.
- — VI —
Ayurvedic Intelligence
six tastes, one fire
A science three thousand years old described, without a microscope, what biochemistry rediscovers today — every meal is a complete sensory pharmacology.
- — VII —
Macrobiotic Intelligence
the Qi of food — Japan & China
The cuisines of East Asia do not nourish matter alone: they set energy in motion. Eating becomes an art of balance — yin and yang, the living Ki, deep umami.
- — VIII —
The Intelligence of Biohacking
giving the body back its signals
The humblest science adds nothing to us: it gives the body back the ancestral signals it has awaited for three hundred thousand years. The most powerful hack is a return.