- Zinc is a mineral that's
essential for health.
Now, your body doesn't store zinc,
so you have to make
sure that you eat enough
each day to meet your requirements.
Some people are at risk
for zinc deficiency,
including infants, teenagers, the elderly,
and women who are
breastfeeding or pregnant.
So in this video we're looking at
six of the best food sources of zinc.
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Number one, meat.
Red meat is a particularly good source
and well-known source of zinc.
So that includes things
like beef, pork, and lamb.
In fact, a 100-gram or 3 1/2-ounce serving
of raw ground beef contains 4.8 milligrams
of zinc, which is 43% of
the recommended daily intake
for men.
This amount of meat also
provides 176 calories,
20 grams of protein, and 10 grams of fat.
Plus, it's a great source
of many other important
nutrients like iron, B
vitamins, and creatine.
It's worth noting that eating
large amounts of red meat,
particularly processed meat,
has been linked with heart disease
and some types of cancer.
So I recommend people only eat red meat
one or two times per week.
That's still gonna provide
you with plenty of zinc.
Number two, shellfish.
Shellfish are healthy, low
calories sources of zinc.
Oysters contain particularly high amounts,
with six medium oysters
providing 32 milligrams,
or 290% of a man's daily
recommended intake.
Other types of shellfish
contain less zinc than oysters
but are still good sources.
Just know if you're pregnant,
make sure the shellfish is cooked properly
to minimize risk of food poisoning.
Number three, legumes.
Legumes like chickpeas, lentils, and beans
all contain substantial amounts of zinc.
In fact, 100 grams of lentils provides
about 12% of your daily
recommended intake.
However, legumes also contain phytates.
Now, these anti-nutrients inhibit
the absorption of zinc and other minerals,
meaning zinc from legumes
isn't as well absorbed
as the zinc from animal products.
Despite this, legumes are still
and important source of zinc
for people following
vegetarian or vegan diets.
They're also a really great source
of plant-based protein,
and of course, fiber.
Number four, dark chocolate.
Perhaps, surprisingly, dark chocolate
contains good amounts of zinc.
In fact, a 100 gram or 3.5-ounce bar
of 70 to 85% dark chocolate
contains 3.3 milligrams of zinc,
or 30% of your recommended daily intake.
However, 100 grams of dark chocolate
is providing about 600 calories.
So while it does have
some beneficial nutrients,
you wouldn't go relying on dark chocolate
as your sole source of zinc.
Number five, nuts.
So eating nuts like pine
nuts, cashews, almonds,
even peanuts, they're
a good source of zinc.
Cashews are a particularly good choice.
A one-ounce, or 28-gram
serving contains 14%
of your daily recommended intake.
Nuts are also a quick
and convenient snack,
and have been linked to a
reduction in risk factors
for some diseases, like heart
disease, cancer, and diabetes.
Number six, seeds.
Seeds are a healthy
additional to your diet,
and they contain a good amount of zinc.
So we should all try to incorporate
more seeds into our diet.
However, some seeds
are better than others.
For example, three tablespoons
or 30 grams of hemp seeds
contain 31% and 43% of the
recommended daily intake
for men and women respectively.
Now, other seeds containing
significant amounts of zinc
include squash, pumpkin, and sesame seeds.
Including seeds as part of a health diet
has also been linked to
some other health benefits,
as well, including
reduced cholesterol levels
and reduced blood pressure.
So to summarize all that,
the best way to make sure
you're getting enough zinc
in your diet is to eat
some meat or seafood,
some legumes, nuts, seeds, and maybe even
a little bit of dark chocolate.
Thanks for watching.
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