Zinc is the supplement focus this week and is vital to us in many ways. As a trace mineral, Zinc is necessary but is not needed in large quantities because a little goes a long way. Though taken in small amounts, Zinc plays a role in cell growth, healing, building proteins and healthy immune system support. It helps 100+ enzymes perform chemical reactions in our bodies!
I’ll let the broken record play once more and say that a solid amount of Zinc that you need can be accomplished through a proper diet! Foods such as shellfish, beef, poultry, pork and many varieties of seeds, nuts and legumes are rich in Zinc
Zinc, although very important, should be supplemented in moderation. We should be mindful of our supplementation. The Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) for Zinc is right around 11mg/day for men and 8mg/day for women. Toxicity issues with Zinc like nausea and headaches can occur when taken in very high doses. The Tolerable Upper Intake Level, which means the amount we can take each day that is unlikely to cause harmful side effects, is 40mg for both men and women. This DOES NOT mean that Zinc is unsafe! It means that too much Zinc can cause issues. Too much of a good thing right?
So, hopefully if you are tracking your calories, your app will give you values for how many vitamins and minerals you are consuming. Check what your daily intake for Zinc is on a normal basis and maybe add some supplementation if you are barely meeting your needs. Supplemental zinc is typically offered as tablets or lozenges and doses are always labeled in mg’s (milligrams) for easy tracking. Zinc is a crucial mineral to our overall health and can be easily added if we are falling short in our dietary intake!
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