How Should a Vegetarian Take Zinc

photo credit: Márcio Cabral de Moura

Zinc is an important body mineral that contributes in most bodily functions. A body system that lacks zincs would mean poor night vision, decrease, in sense of taste, and wound-healing. Fight zinc deficiency and you will have a youthful skin glow and you will definitely strengthen your body’s immune system, not to mention strong resistance against infection.

Without zinc, the body can’t function normally. Cell division and growth are hindered. The vitality of zinc in the body is important in body functions such as DNA synthesis, insulin activity, metabolism process of the testes and ovaries, liver functions, and more. It also aids in the processes of metabolizing carbohydrates, lipids, energy, and proteins.
Due to unspecified sites of zinc storage, the body needs a diet that requires a sufficient amount of zinc.

However, it can be pointed out that the muscle has 60% zinc the bone has 30% and the skin 5%. But, there is a high concentration in the semen, including the prostate gland and this accentuates the fact that women need zinc but not as much as men need. If a man is sexually active, he tends to lose zinc more.

Zinc Deficiency

There are physical manifestations of lack of zinc in the body. The poor immune system is one and the impairment of taste is another. Zinc deficiency also causes hair loss, fatique, lower growth rate of mental development, and delayed wound healing. The body should have enough zinc supplements to fight skin conditions like eczema, acne, anorexia nervosa, prostate problems and more.

Though the market is flooded with zinc supplements, don’t just take any of them without your doctor’s approval or prescription.

Foods that are Rich in Zinc

Instead of taking supplements, better get zinc from the healthy sources. Basically, vegetarian diets have less zinc. This mustn’t be taken for granted so vegans are advised to change their diet by adding and eating many foods that are known to be rich in zinc.

Yeast and other dairy products, nuts, seeds, wholegrain cereals, beans and lentils are all good examples of zinc-rich foods. But the pumpkin seeds stand out due to its high concentration of zinc.

The body can absorb 1/5 of the zinc taken in the body. In fact, only 20% gets into the body as most zinc-rich foods contain phytic acid. Phytic acid with its highly insoluble quality can’t be absorbed by the body.

However, there is a solution to this problem. Eating wholemeal bread is a solution as half of the phytic acid has already been destroyed during the baking process. If the body has high level of cadmium, zinc absorption becomes difficult because cadmium competes with the absorption process. But, if your body is rich in zinc, then you can compete with cadmium and succeed.

And for the record, zinc losses occur when a person urinates, perspires, and for women, when they menstruate. But such bodily responses and processes can be considered normal because if there is more zinc that the body needs, it can intoxicate a person and this isn’t a good thing after all.