Are You Getting Enough Zinc? | 8 Food Sources of Zinc
If You've Had a Cold Recently, Someone Might Have Mentioned Consuming More Zinc. It's Already Present in Plenty of Foods and Can Also Be Supplemented. It Can...
If you've had a cold recently, someone might have mentioned consuming more zinc. It's already present in plenty of foods and can also be supplemented. It can be hard to know if you're getting enough when you don't know which foods you'll find it in. So, what is this micronutrient and where can you get it from?
What is Zinc?
Zinc is an essential mineral required by the body for the immune system to function, for healing and recovery, the manufacture of cells and activity of enzymes, protein synthesis and many other aspects of cellular metabolism. That's a pretty important micronutrient if you ask us.
As the body has no special storage system for zinc, it needs to be taken into the body either in your food or by a supplement every day.
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Zinc Deficiencies
Too Little?
Although zinc is abundant in many foods, the World Health Organisation estimates up to a third of us are deficient in this mineral. The recommended daily intake for zinc varies slightly for males and females, it is between 5.5-9.5 mg for men and 4-7 mg for women.
Too Much?
Excessive zinc in the diet can reduce the body’s ability to absorb the mineral copper so be aware of your intake, especially if you are supplementing.
There are many foods that contain zinc so that you can contribute towards your daily intake, here are some examples:
Sarah Jenkins is a veteran tech journalist with over 12 years of experience covering artificial intelligence, mobile innovations, and digital ethics. Her insights have appeared in leading technology publications worldwide.
