Zinc is best when it's cold outside. There are lots of ads for zinc supplements to treat colds in magazines, on the radio, and on TV. Even though zinc supplements have a lot of promises, science isn't sure if they help treat the common cold. But what is known is that zinc is very important for health in general.
Zinc is a mineral that is involved in a lot of different biochemical reactions in the body. It works with close to 100 different enzymes to do this. Zinc is important for the health of your immune system, and it also helps your skin heal wounds. You wouldn't be able to taste or smell well without zinc.
Zinc is most common in animal proteins, such as beef, chicken, and oysters, as well as in some types of seafood. Nuts, beans, whole grains, dairy, and fortified breakfast cereals like Whole Grain Total are also good sources.
Jane Higdon, Ph.D., of Oregon State University says, "Meat, eggs, and seafood are good sources of zinc, while plant foods aren't as good." "The government's recommendation that women get 8 milligrammes of zinc a day and men get 11 milligrammes a day takes into account that zinc absorption is different depending on the foods eaten." Zinc is a very important mineral, and vegetarians and people who don't eat meat should pay extra attention to it because they don't get enough of it from the foods they eat. Zinc-fortified foods with 100% of the Daily Value can be a good way to get zinc in a regular diet or a vegetarian diet.
Ask Mindy
Q: Is it true that iron-rich foods make it hard for the body to take in zinc?
A: Zinc and iron levels in a normal diet aren't high enough to get in the way of each other. Elemental iron supplements that give you more than 38 mg per day may make it harder for your body to absorb zinc. If your doctor told you to take an iron supplement, talk to your doctor about taking it between meals so that it doesn't stop your body from getting zinc.
