Zinc

Recommended Dietary Intakes
adults – 12 mg; 
pregnant women – 16 mg 

This Mineral Is Essential For

• production of genetic material.
• energy production
• bone development and growth;
• wound healing.
• the liver’s ability to remove toxic substances such as alcohol from the body.
• immune function.
• regulation of heart rate and blood pressure.
• healthy brain, teeth, bones and skin.
• hormone production.

Sources

Lean meat and seafood, eggs, soybeans, peanuts, wheat bran, cheese, oysters, brewers yeast, kelp, liver, mushrooms, nuts, oysters, pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds.

Comments

An adequate zinc intake enhances the ability to taste, promotes healthy skin and hair, enhances reproductive functions, and may improve short-term memory and attention span. 

Zinc is sometimes used to treat acne, rheumatoid arthritis, and prostatitis. Levels of zinc may be decreased by diarrhoea, kidney disease, diabetes or too much fibre. Do not take zinc tablets at the same time you take iron tablets. 

Too much zinc can impair immune function and cause nausea, headaches, vomiting, dehydration, stomach aches, poor muscle coordination, fatigue, and possibly kidney failure. Always try to increase your zinc levels by eating the foods rich in this mineral.

Deficiencies Can Cause

Young children, pregnant women, vegetarians, and elderly people are most susceptible to zinc deficiency. 

• Loss of taste
• hair loss or discolouration
• white streaks on the nails
• dermatitis
• loss of appetite
• fatigue
• poor wound healing
• In children, zinc deficiency can retard growth.