Which mineral’s deficiency is rare and often found in various foods?

Magnesium is a mineral that is essential for numerous biological functions, including muscle and nerve function, blood glucose control, and bone health. Its deficiency is relatively rare because it is widely available in a variety of foods, such as green leafy vegetables, nuts, seeds, whole grains, and legumes.

While conditions that can lead to magnesium deficiency do exist—such as certain gastrointestinal diseases, excessive alcohol consumption, and prolonged use of diuretics—it is still uncommon in healthy individuals who consume a balanced diet. This high availability in foods contributes to the rarity of deficiency in the general population. Additionally, the body has mechanisms to regulate magnesium levels, making significant depletion less likely under normal dietary conditions.

In contrast, other minerals listed in the choices can have more common deficiencies in specific populations or under certain dietary habits, which is why the answer highlights magnesium's rarity of deficiency.