Top 16 Foods Containing Zinc
Is that cut on your finger taking forever to heal well maybe you're not getting enough zinc zinc is an overlooked mineral that plays a vital role in your body it's important for wound healing functioning of the immune system and the structure of your skin almost all the cells in your body contain zinc and you need it for proper growth and development zinc also has a key role as a catalyst in a wide range of reactions for about a hundred enzymes naturally your body needs zinc every day and in today's this Article we'll tell you the top foods rich in zinc that can help you fulfill your daily requirement we're talking oysters oatmeal chickpeas lamb mushrooms and more we'll also tell you about the signs to look for if your body isn't getting enough zinc.
Before we begin let's get one thing out of the way how much zinc does your body actually need the recommended intake for children one to eight years old ranges from three to five milligrams increasing as the child gets older males 9 to 13 years old require 8 milligrams of zinc per day after the age of 14 the requirement increases to 11 milligrams per day that is required for all male adults for females over the age of eight the requirement stays stable at eight milligrams per day except for ages 14 through 18 where the recommendation increases to nine milligrams per day pregnant and lactating women have an increased need for zinc at 11 to 13 milligrams per day depending on the age okay with that out of the way let's get into the actual list.
Number one: oysters oysters contain more zinc than any other food although location and conditions in which the oysters are caught can also influence their zinc content wild oysters contain more zinc than farm raised atlantic cod oysters from the east coast of the united states and the gulf of mexico contain more zinc than pacific cod oysters six medium or 64 grams of oysters contain a whopping 33 milligrams of zinc and 4.8 grams of protein with only 43 calories.
Number two: beef sirloin the sirloin cut of beef which comes from the back of the cow is an excellent animal source of zinc 4 ounces or 112 grams of roasted beef bottom sirloin contains 5.2 milligrams of zinc and 29 grams of muscle building protein although beef is relatively high in saturated fat compared to other protein sources this fat supports normal hormone function without significantly increasing cardiovascular disease risk enjoying this list so far we'll keep watching because there's lots more good stuff coming up.
Number three: wheat germ wheat germ is an affordable vegetarian food option to increase your zinc intake it's the wheat's embryo which has the ability to sprout into a new plant if germinated half a cup or 58 grams of unprocessed wheat germ contains 7.1 milligrams of zinc and 13 grams of protein you can sprinkle wheat germ on your yogurt use it as a bread crumb or flour replacement dust it on baked bread or incorporate wheat germ into your nutrient-dense smoothies.
Number four: chickpeas chickpeas are another great plant-based option if you want to up your zinc intake without meat a cup of cooked chickpeas is high in fiber and protein and contains 2.5 milligrams of zinc.
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Zinc Foods |
Number five: dark chocolate although milk chocolate may be unhealthy dark chocolate is actually very healthy as long as it's eaten minimally dark chocolate has a diligent zinc content of about 9.6 milligrams per 100 grams of chocolate zinc in dark chocolate shows its anti-oxidizing properties which helps keep free radicals in check and slows down the aging process.
Number six: watermelon seeds this may be a seed that you usually spit out but dry or roasted watermelon seeds are an excellent source of zinc they contain 10 milligrams of zinc per 100 grams munching on a tablespoon of watermelon seeds twice a day can control any zinc deficiency in your body.
Number seven: oatmeal oatmeal makes for an awesome breakfast food not only is it rich in zinc containing 6.2 milligrams per 156 gram serving but it's also rich in fiber which means that it's a super satisfying way to kick-start your day not just that but oatmeal is very versatile you can mix it with quinoa berries seeds coconut and honey.
Number eight: lamb if you're a meat eater lambs should be high up on your weekly grocery list if you're trying to increase your zinc intake it's an excellent source of zinc with 113 grams containing 3.9 milligrams of zinc this is just over 25 of your daily recommended amount.
Number nine: swiss cheese there are lots of great cheeses on the market including swiss it's an excellent source of zinc with 132 gram serving containing around 5.8 milligrams of the essential mineral there's a caveat however swiss cheese is also rich in bad fats which means you shouldn't overindulge.
Number 10: greek yogurt greek yogurt has so many stellar health benefits and here's another one to add to the list a 200 gram container of plain low-fat greek yogurt packs 1.5 milligrams of zinc.
Number 11: pumpkin seeds so other than tasting delicious these little guys are packed with zinc one cup equates to 6.6 milligrams of zinc we don't recommend having an entire cup of these every day however as a small snack they're a great sink addition.
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Zinc Food |
Number 12: nuts it's time to grab a handful of cashews almonds peanuts or pine nuts to boost your daily zinc intake they're one of the most fuss-free sources of the mineral and promise not just zinc but also other healthy nutrients including healthy fats and fiber if you're looking for the dried fruit or nuts highest in zinc then cashews are a good choice a 28 gram serving of cashews contains roughly 15 percent of your daily zinc requirements.
Number 13: spinach is a superfood which is rich in every nutrient and zinc is no exception a cup of cooked spinach provides 1.4 milligrams of zinc contributing to nine percent of the recommended intake of this mineral.
Number 14: mushrooms mushrooms also deserve special mention because of their high zinc content a cup of cooked white mushrooms contains 1.4 milligrams or 9 of the daily recommended zinc intake this is similar to spinach so if you don't like spinach you can replace it with mushrooms to get the same amount of zinc.
Number 15: kidney beans apart from helping you get adequate amounts of zinc kidney beans also reduce the concentrations of c-reactive protein which is known to cause inflammatory disorders 184 grams of kidney beans contains 5.1 milligrams of zinc which is about 34 of the recommended intake the beans also control blood sugar levels and invariably help in the treatment of diabetes okay so now that you know the best zinc rich foods.
• Let's move on to the symptoms of having low levels of zinc in your body.
Number one: slow wound healing because zinc is essential for your immune health you might become more vulnerable to viral or bacterial infections when you dip into deficiency status cuts and scrapes may take longer to heal as well since your body also relies on it to repair tissues.
Number two: bald patches low zinc levels can cause your hair to fall out some reports also find that people suffering from alopecia and autoimmune disease that causes hair loss on the scalp or other parts of the body are deficient in zinc while some people have seen positive results from topical and oral zinc medications more research needs to be done to fully understand the connection if you don't notice any other symptoms on this list don't freak out just yet as thinning hair could be linked to various other factors only severe cases of zinc deficiency are associated with fewer strands on your scalp.
Number three: face acne some research finds that taking an oral medication or applying a topical treatment that contains zinc may help clear breakouts researchers believe zinc may have anti-inflammatory properties and reduce the amount of triggering oil and bacteria in your skin of course many things could trigger your acne like your makeup or skin care hormones birth control or certain foods in your diet however if you feel like you've tried everything and notice other symptoms on this list it's worth talking to your doctor about zinc deficiency.
Number four: poor neurological function zinc is essential for neurophysiological performance low zinc levels have been linked to attention and motor disorders and infants that persist well into adulthood number five weaker immunity zinc plays a major role in maintaining a strong immune system it's especially vital for t cell growth and differentiation into the white blood cells white blood cells are needed to ward off diseases to kill dangerous bacteria and viruses and for the protective functions of your cell membranes do you get enough zinc in your daily diet what are your go-to foods for upping your zinc intake let us know in the comments section below.
