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Zinc Nutrition

Zinc is an essential mineral that the body requires to function. Zinc is found in many enzymes and proteins. It is a trace mineral. That means that your body only needs to take in a small amount of zinc for nutrition purposes. Despite this, more than 2 billion people in developing countries suffer from zinc deficiency.

For proper zinc nutrition, the recommended daily intake is 10-15 milligrams per day. The most common source of zinc in the American diet is red meats such as lamb or beef, the dark meat from chicken or other poultry is also a good source of zinc. If you are a vegetarian you are more likely to require a supplementary source of zinc. If it is present in sufficient quantities in the soil, it is possible to get zinc from wheat, but this is not always the case.

Most multivitamin and mineral supplements contain zinc as one of the minerals. The only trace mineral that has a greater presence in the body is iron. One of zinc’s most interesting bodily applications is the “zinc fingers” that read DNA sequences during DNA replication. Zinc is also believed to aid the healing process. Zinc is also a vital part of cough drops or other lozenges for its soothing effects on the throat.

 

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