What Does Zinc Do For The Body?
Zinc is an essential mineral that plays a role in many important bodily functions, including:
- Immune function:Â Zinc is essential for the proper functioning of the immune system. It helps the body produce white blood cells, which fight infection.
- Wound healing:Â Zinc is important for the healing of wounds. It helps the body produce new skin cells and repair damaged tissues.
- Growth and development:Â Zinc is necessary for the growth and development of children. It is also important for the maintenance of muscle mass and bone health in adults.
- Taste and smell:Â Zinc is essential for the sense of taste and smell.
- Metabolism:Â Zinc is involved in the metabolism of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats.
Zinc deficiency is relatively common, especially in developing countries. It can be caused by a number of factors, including poor diet, malabsorption disorders, and chronic diseases.
Zinc deficiency can lead to a number of health problems, including impaired immune function, growth retardation, and delayed sexual development.
Most people can get enough zinc from their diet. Good sources of zinc include meat, poultry, seafood, shellfish, whole grains, legumes, and nuts.
If you are concerned about your zinc intake, talk to your doctor. They can help you determine if you are getting enough zinc in your diet and whether you need to take a supplement.
Here are some tips to help increase your zinc intake:
- Eat plenty of zinc-rich foods, such as meat, poultry, seafood, shellfish, whole grains, legumes, and nuts.
- Choose fortified cereals and breads when possible.
- Cook in cast iron pots and pans.
How Much Zinc Do You Need?
Below are the values of Zinc recommended by NIH based on life stage.
| Life Stage | Recommended Amount |
|---|---|
| Birth to 6 months | 2 mg |
| Infants 7–12 months | 3 mg |
| Children 1–3 years | 3 mg |
| Children 4–8 years | 5 mg |
| Children 9–13 years | 8 mg |
| Teen males 14–18 years | 11 mg |
| Teen females 14–18 years | 9 mg |
| Adult males | 11 mg |
| Adult females | 8 mg |
| Pregnant teens | 12 mg |
| Pregnant adults | 11 mg |
| Breastfeeding teens | 13 mg |
| Breastfeeding adults | 12 mg |
Can You Take Too Much Zinc?
Yes, you can take too much zinc. Zinc toxicity is rare, but it can occur in people who take high doses of zinc supplements or who are exposed to high levels of zinc in their environment.
The upper tolerable limit for zinc intake for adults is 40 milligrams per day. However, even lower levels of zinc can be harmful for people with certain medical conditions, such as Wilson’s disease.
Symptoms of zinc toxicity can include:
- Nausea and vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Stomach cramps
- Headache
- Dizziness
- Fatigue
- Loss of appetite
- Copper deficiency
- Immune system suppression
If you are concerned about your zinc intake, talk to your doctor. They can help you determine if you are getting too much zinc in your diet and whether you need to take steps to reduce your intake.
Here are some tips to help reduce your zinc intake:
- Avoid taking zinc supplements unless your doctor has recommended them.
- Limit your intake of zinc-rich foods, such as meat, poultry, seafood, shellfish, whole grains, legumes, and nuts.
- Avoid drinking water from copper pipes. If you have copper pipes in your home, let the water run for a few minutes before drinking it to flush out any zinc that may have leached into the water overnight.
Zinc in Microgreens by Variety
These values are based on 100 grams of microgreens. Much more than you would eat of any one variety per meal. Be sure to remember the purpose of this course and the values presented.
| Microgreens Variety | Daily Value by % per 100-grams |
|---|---|
| No value = | No data from reliable source |
| Amaranth | 8% |
| Arugula | 11% |
| Basil | 7% |
| Beet | 3% |
| Bok Choy | 1% |
| Borage | 2% |
| Broccoli | 3% |
| Brussel Sprouts | 4% |
| Buckwheat | 28% |
| Cabbage | 10% |
| Carrot | 2% |
| Cauliflower | 2% |
| Celery | <1% |
| Chervil | 2% |
| Chives, Garlic | 5% |
| Cilantro | 5% |
| Cress, Upland | 2% |
| Dill | 8% |
| Endive | 7% |
| Fennel* | 2% |
| Fenugreek* | 9% |
| Kale | 4% |
| Kohlrabi | 8% |
| Leek | 1% |
| Lettuce | 2% |
| Lovage | NR |
| Mustard | 2% |
| Nasturtium* | 1% |
| Onions | 1% |
| Parsley | 10% |
| Pea | 11% |
| Radish | 4% |
| Shungiku* | 6% |
| Sorrel | 2% |
| Spinach | 4% |
| Sunflower | 9% |
| Swiss Chard | 3% |
| Tat Soi | 1% |
| Tokyo Bekana | NR |
| Turnip* | 21% |
Calculate the %DV based on Your Serving Size
You can use the calculator below to estimate the %DV of Zinc based on your average serving size. If you weighed your microgreens in ounces, you can use the first row to calculate the weight in grams and then enter that value into the lower calculator.
For More Information on Zinc
Click here for more information on Zinc from the National Institute of Health.
