Because it's important?
Zinc is the second most abundant metal in the human body after iron:
- it is an essential component of the structure and function of proteins
- it is biologically essential for cellular processes , including growth and development , as well as DNA synthesis and RNA transcription
- possesses antiviral properties against numerous species
- it is also important for a good immune system .
Shortcomings
An insufficient intake of this nutrient can lead to skin changes and hair loss, diarrhea , recurrent infections , psychological problems .
Although there are greater deficiencies of this metal in developing countries , even those who follow a strictly vegan diet can suffer from a zinc deficiency .
What foods is it found in?
To avoid this we need to have a correct, varied and balanced diet. If we go to see the individual foods, the best food sources to find the mineral are molluscs as can be seen from the infographic; As for plant sources , good amounts of zinc are found in oil seeds .
In cereals it is found above all in wholemeal ones, but it is found, however, linked to phytic acid (an anti-nutritional factor) and together they form complexes that make it more difficult to absorb . To free the zinc from phytic acid it is important to activate the enzymes that can divide this bond, through prolonged soaking , in order to induce fermentation or germination of the seeds; same thing to get zinc from legumes .
Also in the image there are the reference values for men and women , respectively (12 and 9 mg)
Read, SA, Obeid, S., Ahlenstiel, C., & Ahlenstiel, G. (2019). The role of zinc in antiviral immunity. Advances in nutrition , 10 (4), 696-710.