Top 10 zinc-rich foods you should eat to boost immunity-Life Health

Providing enough zinc for the body helps to improve the immune system and heal wounds. The safest and most effective way to get zinc is through your diet. Here are 10 zinc-rich foods you should include in your daily diet.

1. Why is it important to add zinc-rich foods to your daily diet?

Zinc is an essential mineral that makes up more than 300 enzymes in the body. Many important body processes require zinc. Zinc is required for DNA synthesis, wound healing, blood clotting, immunity, metabolism and growth. Zinc is also needed to maintain the sense of smell and taste. So our ability to taste and smell also depends on zinc.

Zinc deficiency can affect growth and susceptibility to diseases: diarrhea, impotence, hair loss, eye and skin damage, loss of appetite and impaired immunity.

Especially, for children, zinc has an important influence on the health and development of children. Zinc deficiency makes children grow slowly, anorexia, infections, malnutrition and growth retardation…

Thus, it can be seen that the role of zinc is very important to health and the immune system. However, in fact, many people have not paid attention to adequate zinc in their diet, and daily meals are lacking in zinc-rich foods. Particularly for children who are often anorexic, some children’s diets are not rich, leading to zinc deficiency.

According to Dr. Dr. Phan Bich Nga, Director of the Center for Nutrition Examination and Counseling – National Institute of Nutrition, there are many cases of children coming to the Center for the examination with a state of delay in height growth, anorexia, reduced resistance or infections. respiratory infections, diarrhea, malnutrition… caused by zinc deficiency.

Many parents try to force their children to eat in large quantities but forget to pay attention to the reasonable nutritional quality of their children’s diets, often omitting zinc.

Therefore, Dr. Dr. Phan Bich Nga said that parents can supplement zinc for their children with zinc-rich foods. For children under 6 months of age, to get enough zinc, breast milk should be given because zinc in breast milk will be more easily absorbed than formula.

It is necessary to add zinc-rich foods in the daily diet.

2. The body’s specific zinc requirements are as follows:

– The need for zinc in children under 1 year of age is about 5m/day.

– Children 1-10 years old about 10mg/day.

Adolescents and adults about 15mg/day for men and 12mg/day for women.

– Pregnant women need 15mg/day. Women who are breastfeeding for the first 6 months need 19mg and breastfeeding at 6-12 months need 16mg of zinc per day.

– For infants, to get enough zinc, should try to give the baby adequate breast milk because zinc in breast milk is much easier to absorb than cow’s milk.

There is no evidence of adverse effects of excess intake of zinc from natural foods. So the safest and most effective way to get enough zinc for your body is through your daily diet.

Zinc is found in many foods of animal origin. Foods of plant origin are often low in zinc and have low biological value because of their difficulty in absorption. Food sources of zinc from animals such as oysters, oysters, beef, lamb, chicken and lean pigs, milk, eggs, fish, shrimp, crabs…

As with other minerals and vitamins, the best zinc supplement is still through food. Foods rich in zinc include: oysters, oysters, lentils, peas, lima beans, kidney beans and lentils, beef, lamb, poultry, fish, and caviar. Nuts (almonds, cashews, walnuts, pecans; pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, and sunflower seeds).

DS. Nguyen Minh Thanh

3. Zinc-rich foods you should eat to provide enough zinc for your body

3.1. Red meat

Animal-based foods are the best sources of zinc, and meat tops the list. In particular, red meat is an excellent source of this nutrient. Meat is also high in vitamin B12, which is not found in plant-based food products.

However, red meat is also high in cholesterol and fat, and eating too much can be dangerous for heart health. So you should eat in moderation.

Red meat is rich in zinc.

3.2. Chicken meat

Chicken is an excellent source of lean protein, which contributes to muscle growth and development. But what many of us may not know is that it is also rich in zinc.

In 85g of chicken meat contains 2.4mg of zinc. Eating chicken regularly is good for bones, heart health and immunity.

3.3. Shellfish

Shellfish are low in calories and rich in zinc. In particular, oysters have the highest zinc content with 50g of oysters containing 8.5mg of zinc

Other shellfish such as crabs, shrimps, lobsters, mussels contain less zinc than oysters but are still a rich source of nutrients. They are high in vitamin B12, which is important for the nervous system, metabolism and healthy blood cells.

3.4. Kinds of bean

Of the plant-based foods rich in zinc, legumes are a good choice. Legumes such as chickpeas, lentils, and chickpeas are rich sources of zinc. They’re also low in fat, low in calories, and packed with other essential nutrients like protein and fiber.

In 164g of chickpeas contains 2.5mg of zinc, 100g of lentils contains 4.78mg of zinc.180g of lentils contains 5.1mg of zinc.

Legumes are zinc-rich plant foods.

3.5. Cashew

Cashews are popular nuts that are rich in zinc and other micronutrients such as copper, vitamin K, vitamin A and folate.

In 28g of cashew nuts contains 1.6 mg of zinc. Cashews are a good source of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids, which can help reduce fat and cholesterol accumulation and control blood pressure. Therefore, eating cashews regularly both provides zinc and is good for heart health.

3.6. Oat

One of the reasons why people like oats is because it is a nutrient-dense food. Oats are high in fiber, beta-glucan, vitamin B6 and folate, which help regulate cholesterol levels and promote the growth of good bacteria in the gut.

Another reason you should include oats in your diet is its zinc content. Half a cup of oats contains 1.3mg of zinc.

3.7. Mushroom

If you want to get zinc in your diet without consuming too many calories, eat mushrooms. Mushrooms are low in calories and packed with essential nutrients like vitamins A, C, E and iron. They also contain trace amounts of germanium, a nutrient rarely found in some vegetables that helps our bodies use oxygen efficiently. In 210gm mushrooms contain 1.2mg zinc

3.8. Pumpkin seeds

Pumpkin seeds contain various nutrients including zinc. In addition to iron, magnesium, and copper, pumpkin seeds are also rich in phytoestrogens, compounds that help improve good cholesterol levels in postmenopausal women. In 28g pumpkin seeds contain 2.2mg zinc.

Pumpkin seeds.

3.9. Milk and yogurt

Milk and yogurt are not only calcium-rich foods, but they also contain a significant amount of zinc. They are good for bones, teeth and gut health. In 250ml of low-fat milk contains 1.02mg of zinc. 250ml low fat plain yogurt contains 2.38mg zinc.

3.10. Black chocolate

Chocolate is also a good source of zinc. The darker the chocolate, the higher the zinc content. A 100g bar of dark chocolate contains 3.3mg of zinc

Dark chocolate also contains flavanols, which are beneficial for blood vessels, aid in blood pressure control, improve blood flow and boost immunity.