Nutrition-Zinc
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 Minerals
| Minerals help the body perform numerous functions, such as building strong bones, transmitting nerve impulses, making hormones and maintaining a regular heartbeat.
There are two types of minerals - macrominerals and trace minerals. Your body needs larger amounts of macrominerals like calcium, sodium and potassium. Trace minerals, on the other hand, are only needed in small amounts. Common trace minerals include iron, zinc, selenium and chromium.
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Zinc, a trace mineral, is important to maintain your body's immune system functioning. Zinc also aids in cell growth and cell division and helps with wound healing. Zinc is also integral to your ability to taste and smell.
How Much Zinc Is Enough?
Recommended daily allowances (RDAs) for zinc are:
- 15 milligrams per day - Men over 11 years
- 12 milligrams per day - Women 11 to 50 years
- 15 milligrams per day - Women over 50 years
- 19 milligrams per day - Pregnant and breastfeeding women
Good Sources of Zinc
In general, high-protein foods, such as the following, are good sources of zinc:
- Beef, pork and lamb
- Dark meat of chicken
- Fish and shellfish (especially oysters)
- Dairy products
- Peanuts and peanut butter
- Legumes
Fruits and vegetables are not generally good sources of zinc.
Can You Have Too Much or Too Little?
People who eat vegetarian or low-protein diets may have low zinc intakes, which can lead to zinc deficiency. Symptoms of zinc deficiency include slow growth, poor appetite, impaired smell and taste and hair loss.
If you take too much zinc, you may experience zinc toxicity, which usually results in abdominal cramping, diarrhea and vomiting.
Taking more minerals than you need won't make you healthier. In some cases, taking too much of a mineral can make it hard for your body to absorb other vitamins. But you don't want to be deficient in minerals, either. You can avoid vitamin and mineral deficiencies by eating a wide variety of fruits, vegetables, protein sources, whole grains and dairy products every day.
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