Zinc is one of the minerals essential for your health. What is the role of zinc? What foods are rich in zinc and how much should you eat per day?
What is zinc?
Zinc is one of the most important minerals for your body. However, the latter does not have the capacity to store it. You must therefore provide it daily through your diet.
The roles of zinc in our body.
Zinc is part of the composition of several enzymes regulating the functioning of your body:
- superoxide dismutase which fights free radicals.
- lactic dehydrogenase which allows the transformation of lactic acid into pyruvic acid.
- carboxypeptidase which facilitates protein catabolism.
Zinc is also an immunostimulant. This means that it promotes the action of white blood cells of the T lymphocyte family which fight infections. This mineral stimulates the synthesis of pancreatic insulin and therefore helps regulate blood sugar. It accelerates the healing of wounds and burns. It also contributes to the balance of the nervous system, which is why zinc is recommended in cases of fatigue.
Did you know ?
In pregnant women, it is often recommended to use zinc supplementation because it allows for good growth of the fetus. In children, zinc promotes growth hormone activity.
Daily zinc requirements.
The daily zinc requirement for adults is 15 mg/day. In some cases, daily zinc requirements will be increased:
- in women taking oral contraceptives because they lower the level of zinc in the blood.
- in adolescent victims of acne because it is effective in cases of skin disease. It is also present in many dermatological products.
- in men with inflammation of the prostate, it has a major preventive action against prostate cancer.
At Feed., our meals provide you with between 15 and 33% of your daily zinc needs.
Where can we find it in our food?
Zinc is naturally present in foods of plant and animal origin.
Zinc content per 100g.
|
Oyster |
20 mg |
|
Sesame seed |
10mg |
|
Beef |
6mg |
|
Linseed |
6mg |
|
Curry |
5 mg |
|
Split pea |
4 mg |
|
Green lentil |
4 mg |
|
Soy |
3 mg |
|
Cheese |
3 mg |
Symptoms and causes of zinc deficiency.
There are many symptoms linked to zinc deficiency:
- a generalized state of fatigue
- increased susceptibility to infectious diseases
- stunted growth in children
- dry skin
- hair loss
- loss of appetite and weight loss
In summary.
Zinc is an essential mineral which is part of the composition of several enzymes regulating the functioning of your body. The recommended daily requirement for zinc is 15 mg/day. Zinc is naturally provided by foods of animal and plant origin. A zinc deficiency can lead to several symptoms such as severe fatigue, stunted growth in children, dry skin or even loss of appetite and weight.
