Cow cheeses generally showed the highest zinc content (1.83–7.75 mg/100 g cheese), followed by sheep cheeses (1.34–3.69 mg/100 g), and cheeses from mixed milk (0.39–4.54 mg/100 g). The only cheese from buffalo milk (Mozzarella di Bufala Campana PDO) showed a zinc content of 2.14 mg/100 g.
The best source of zinc is oysters, but it's also plentiful in red meat and poultry. Other good sources are beans, nuts, crab, lobster, whole grains, breakfast cereals, and dairy products.
In addition to being rich sources of calcium, milk and yogurt are delicious and nutritious sources of zinc. According to the USDA, 1 cup of nonfat milk or low-fat milk contains 1.1 mg and 1.05 mg, respectively, offering some of the mineral.
Dairy products (milk and cheese) and brown bread decreased zinc absorption, as indicated by a significant drop in peak serum zinc levels. Zinc absorption was decreased when zinc was given in the fasting state with the same amounts of purified phosphate or phytate as those found in foods above.
One large hard-boiled egg contains 0.53 milligrams of zinc (4.8% RDA for men, 6.6% RDA for women). Eggs are a complete protein, meaning they provide all nine essential amino acids — none of which your body can produce on its own, so you have to get them through food.
Although bananas are rich in carbohydrate, fiber, protein, fat, and vitamins A, C, and B6 they are largely deficient of iron (Fe), iodine, and zinc (Zn).
High zinc fruits include avocados, blackberries, pomegranates, raspberries, guavas, cantaloupes, apricots, peaches, kiwifruit, and blueberries. These fruits provide 2-12% of the daily value per cup.
Zinc deficiency can happen in people who have problems absorbing nutrients, for example, older people and those who have some gut diseases. Some medicines can also increase the loss of zinc through urine.
Phytate, which is present in staple foods like cereals, corn and rice, has a strong negative effect on zinc absorption from composite meals. Inositol hexaphosphates and pentaphosphates are the phytate forms that exert these negative effects, whereas the lower phosphates have no or little effect on zinc absorption.
Cow cheeses generally showed the highest zinc content (1.83–7.75 mg/100 g cheese), followed by sheep cheeses (1.34–3.69 mg/100 g), and cheeses from mixed milk (0.39–4.54 mg/100 g). The only cheese from buffalo milk (Mozzarella di Bufala Campana PDO) showed a zinc content of 2.14 mg/100 g.
Most known for its high calcium content, yogurt is also a good source of zinc. Just one 8-ounce container of yogurt provides 15% of your daily value.
Potatoes are an excellent, low-fat source of carbohydrates, with one-fourth the calories of bread. When boiled, a single medium sized potato contains about half the daily adult requirement of vitamin C, as well as significant amounts of iron, potassium, fiber and zinc.
A serving of peanut butter provides 0.85 mg of zinc. This is 7.7 percent of the recommended daily intake of 11 mg for men, and 10.6 percent of the RDA of 8 mg for women. Zinc is necessary for immunity, protein synthesis, and DNA formation.
A zinc deficiency can be diagnosed using a blood test, urine test, or hair analysis. As some conditions can lead to a zinc deficiency, your doctor may do additional testing to discover the root cause.
Zinc from animal foods like red meat, fish, and poultry is more readily absorbed by the body than zinc from plant foods. Zinc is best absorbed when taken with a meal that contains protein.
Zinc Concerns
Phytates, an antioxidant in coffee, may inhibit absorption of zinc. Coffee has been found to affect the bio-availability of zinc, in lab tests, by up to 21 percent or 32 percent. The recommended daily intakes of zinc for men is 11 milligrams each day and 8 milligrams for women.
Nuts and seeds high in zinc include squash seeds, pumpkin seeds, pine nuts, cashews, sunflower seeds, pecans, chia seeds, flax seeds, Brazil nuts, and almonds.
4.2.
Phytate, which is a natural component of plants, severely decreases intestinal zinc bioavailability and is regarded as the main nutritional inhibitor of zinc absorption.
How to test for zinc. Have the patient “hold two teaspoonfuls (10 mL) of liquid Zinc Test (approx. 5 mgs of zinc sulfate) in the mouth for at least 10 seconds. A lack of taste or a delayed taste perception in the mouth may indicate a possible zinc insufficiency.
There is a lot of evidence linking zinc to blood clotting. Zinc is released from cells called platelets that control blood clotting, and scientists have found unwanted blood clots can form when zinc levels in the blood are faulty.
High zinc fruits include avocados, blackberries, pomegranates, raspberries, guavas, cantaloupes, apricots, peaches, kiwifruit, and blueberries. These fruits provide 2-12% of the daily value per cup.
Blueberries contain iron, phosphorous, calcium, magnesium, manganese, zinc, and vitamin K. Each of these is a component of bone. Adequate intake of these minerals and vitamins contributes to building and maintaining bone structure and strength.
Phytic acid impairs mineral absorption
For example, snacking on nuts between meals could reduce the amount of iron, zinc, and calcium you absorb from these nuts but not from the meal you eat a few hours later. However, when you eat high phytate foods with most of your meals, mineral deficiencies may develop over time.