Foods to boost zinc

Author: Rose Carr - MSc (Hons), Senior Nutritionist

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How much?

The recommended daily intake (RDI) for adults is:

women 8mgmen 14mg

Vegetarians need to take care:

Zinc absorption is lower from vegetarian diets, so intakes need to be 50 per cent higher for people not eating meat: that’s up to 12mg for women and 21mg for men.

Why we need it

Zinc has numerous functions within our bodies: it’s essential for growth and development and to maintain a healthy immune system.

How to get it

Meat is a good source of zinc, with darker meat being a richer source. Other sources include dairy products, eggs and some seafoods, nuts, seeds, whole grains and dark leafy vegetables. Each of these will provide around 1mg of zinc.

Each of these will provide around 1mg of zinc:

½ oyster
1½ tablespoons pumpkin seeds
¾ cup cooked brown rice
2 slices grainy bread
20g beef steak
100g tofu

For more info on some of the benefits of getting enough zinc please see our 8 steps to healthy skin, hair and nails.

Did you know? Eating high amounts of zinc from foods doesn’t appear to have any ill effects, but high intakes from supplements can cause stomach cramps, depress immune function and reduce absorption of copper and iron.