Minerals such as zinc play an important role in human health. It’s used by over 300 enzymes in the body and involved in many essential metabolic processes. It helps in the metabolization of nutrients, growth and repair of the body tissues, and maintenance of the immune system.
Zinc doesn’t store in your body, so you need to eat enough every day to meet your daily needs. Zinc is recommended as part of the daily diet for men and women. The recommended daily intake (RDI) of zinc for men is 11 mg and for women is 8 mg. The recommended dose for women during pregnancy is 11 mg per day, and 12 mg per day for lactating mothers.
Women who are pregnant or breastfeeding are at a higher risk of a zinc deficiency, as are young children and pregnant women. Zinc-rich foods found in a healthy, balanced diet should be sufficient for everyone. Following is a list of 10 zinc-rich foods.
1 Meat
Zinc is an excellent source of nutrition in meat. Ample amounts of iron can be found in all kinds of meat, including pork, beef, and lamb – red meat being the richest source. Raw ground beef is loaded with 4.8 mg of zinc in 100 grams (3.5 ounces), which provides 44% of the RDI. 10 grams of fat, 175 calories, 18 grams of protein are also provided by this amount of meat. It’s also a great source of iron, vitamin B complex, and creatine, among other essential nutrients.
There is some evidence that consuming red meat, especially processed meat in large amounts, may increase the risk of certain cancers and heart disease. It is likely that you don’t have to worry about this as long as you consume unprocessed red meat and eat a diet rich in fiber , fruits, and vegetables.
If you carefully plan your diet, you can still get enough zinc if you’re a vegetarian or vegan. However, people on plant-based diets may require 50 percent more zinc than recommended. On this list you will find plenty of non-meat sources of zinc. Filling your plate with plants is also good for your body. In a study published in The Journal of Nutrition, following a nutrient-dense plant based diet was associated with a lower risk of heart diseases, cancers, and mortality among American adults.
