Where is zinc found?
Zinc is mainly found in red meat and seafood. Cheese, bread, and wheat germ are also good sources of this mineral, as well as mushrooms (especially shiitake), and green peas. Other non-meat sources include spinach, lima beans, soy sprouts, asparagus, broccoli, okra, and sweet corn. However, we should note that zinc is not as bioavailable in plant-based foods as it is in animal-derived products, so it is interesting for those of us who do not eat red meat or seafood to keep that in mind.
How does our body absorve zinc?
This is important. As you may already know, bioavailability is the speed at which our body absorbs a nutrient (or supplement). This factor is clearly important as it influences the amount we will need to achieve an active effect. Since many plant-based foods and cereals contain high levels of phytate, a potential inhibitor of zinc absorption, those of us who do not eat red meat or seafood in sufficient quantities could suffer from a deficiency in this mineral. Zinc deficiency, which is relatively rare in the Western world but concerning in developing countries, is related to growth problems or slow growth, weight loss, and issues with wound healing.
How to get enough zinc?
According to scientists, the four main intervention strategies to combat zinc deficiency include dietary modification or diversification, supplementation, fortification, and biofortification. Biofortification, as you probably already know, is the process of improving the micronutrient content of a crop above that of a standard crop and can be achieved through different methods. And as you may also know, this is a controversial topic, so we won’t delve into it here (beyond saying that the manufacturer that work with us does not use genetically modified ingredients in any of its products).
Now you know. Zinc is significantly important for humans for a variety of reasons. And we should be aware of this, as well as our ability to obtain a sufficient amount through diet to help prevent the potential health risks described earlier. But, as mentioned before, it should be relatively easy to achieve through one of the four intervention strategies suggested by scientists. If you decide to use nutritional supplements, take a look at our website. There is a lot of information that can be helpful to you.
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