What are the foods high in zinc
Release time : 01/18/2025 18:13:27
According to the data, 80% of people in our country lack trace elements like zinc.
Zinc is a "catalyst" and "powerful pusher" for children's growth. How should parents determine if a child is deficient in zinc? How should they supplement it? A family nutritionist will detail which foods are high in zinc, and how the child can best absorb zinc.
What causes zinc deficiency in children? Zinc, a trace element, is essential for the normal growth and development of children. It is known as "the growth hormone" and "the flower of life."
Children have organs with Zinc, such as skin, bone, hair, prostate, gonads and eyes.
Scientific research has shown that zinc participates in over 80 enzyme metabolic processes within the human body, particularly those involved in DNA and RNA polymerase. It directly contributes to the synthesis of nucleic acids and proteins, cell differentiation and proliferation, as well as many metabolic processes. Additionally, some enzymes require activation by zinc to exert their active functions. Consequently, zinc is essential for various physiological processes in children's growth and development, reproductive genetics, immune-endocrine function, nervous system, and bodily fluids.
Zinc deficiency can adversely affect the various systems in children.
What causes zinc deficiency in children? 1. Insufficiency of intake: The zinc content in colostrum is higher than that in mature milk, and infants who are not breastfeeding or have insufficient breast milk, and fail to timely add zinc-rich complementary foods, can lead to insufficient zinc intake. Cereals and rice products contain phytates, oxalates, and cellulose, which reduce the absorption efficiency of zinc and are prone to causing zinc deficiency. A bad habit of picky eating, aversion to food, and pickiness among older children are the main reasons for zinc deficiency in these age groups.
2. The demand increases, the growth and development are rapid, and zinc deficiencies occur easily due to increased metabolism that leads to a higher consumption of zinc.
In a state of stress, zinc needs increase when suffering from malignant tumors and infectious diseases, and zinc is easily lost when suffering from chronic kidney disease and uremia.
3. Obstacles to absorption and utilization. Chronic digestive diseases affect the absorption and utilization of zinc, such as steatosis, where zinc and fatty carbonate combine to form an insoluble complex that affects the absorption of zinc, when enteritis and diarrhea, a large amount of zinc-containing exudate is discharged; congenital zinc defects, etc.
To prevent pediatric zinc deficiency, here are five things mothers must do. The seven manifestations of children who need zinc supplementation are listed in detail by the family nutrition expert.
1. Reduced Appetite: In cases of zinc deficiency, the taste buds' function diminishes, and the sensitivity to taste decreases, leading to a decreased appetite and reduced food intake.
The activity of zinc-containing digestive enzymes decreases, leading to reduced digestive capability.
Hunger loss is one of the early symptoms of pediatric zinc deficiency.
In medicine, it has been discovered that the lack of zinc in children's bodies not only affects the normal growth and development process of the body but also leads to a variety of symptoms such as loss of appetite, diminished sense of taste, fatigue, weight loss, even anorexia. The affected children may also experience swelling in the feet, restlessness, skin ulcers, etc.
In some cases, children may exhibit pica, which is a pathological change in their normal taste and appetite. They often crave foods that are completely inedible, such as limestone, soil, bricks, cigarette butts, chalk, etc., and find pleasure in eating them.
Children suffering from anorexia and having the above symptoms should go to the hospital for examination in time.
If tests confirm that the zinc content in the serum is indeed significantly lower than normal levels, a diagnosis can be made.
Drugs containing trace elements zinc, iron and vitamins can be taken under the guidance of a doctor.
2. Physical growth retardation: It interferes with the synthesis of nucleic acids and proteins and reduces food intake, affecting the growth and development of children.
Severe symptoms can cause dwarfism.
Zinc supplements recover quickly.
Zinc deficiency affects children's intellectual development, including cognitive impairment, mental malaise, mental retardation, behavioral disorders, etc.
Representative population: Malnourished children It is reported that of the more than 1300 enzymes known in the human body, dozens contain zinc.
Children are in a stage of growth and development, so they have a greater need for zinc.
According to the results of Zinc content determination in 158 children under 6 years old with malnutrition in Shanghai, 118 cases were found to have zinc deficiency.
After taking zinc sulfate, appetite increased, height and weight also grew obviously.
Therefore, if it is discovered that a child is weak and prone to illness, it may be necessary to conduct a zinc content test and take zinc-containing medications under the guidance of a physician.
3. Low immunity: Susceptible to various infections, such as recurrent colds, pneumonia, diarrhea, etc.
Target Population: Children with Low Immune Function. Zinc plays a crucial role in the synthesis of nucleic acids.
When zinc deficiency occurs in the body, the thymus gland shrinks and thymic factor activity decreases. The function of T cells is impaired, and the immune function is decreased. The body is easily susceptible to infections by microorganisms.
4. Geophagia: The patient enjoys eating soil, wallpaper, paper, coal slag, or other foreign substances. Supplementation with zinc is effective.
5. Zinc promotes growth and development, enhances the repair of traumatized tissues.
Involved in the regulation of taste, vision and sexual function, zinc is also used to treat diseases such as low vision, mouth ulcers, rheumatoid arthritis, gastric ulcers, schizophrenia and acne, with good results.
Representative population: People with poor vision participate in the synthesis of vitamin A and retinoic alcohol-binding protein due to zinc, and mobilize vitamin A in the liver into plasma to maintain the normal content of vitamin A in plasma, which has the effect of maintaining vision. Zinc in the eyeballs can enhance vision at night.
>>Be vigilant! Excessive zinc supplementation can lead to precocious puberty in children. Foods with high zinc content can accelerate growth and development and increase the repair of injured tissues.
Involved in the regulation of taste, vision and sexual functions.
Participation in energy, cell breakdown and other substance metabolism.
Coordinate the immune response and maintain reproduction.
Zinc participates in the synthesis of various enzymes such as carbonic anhydrase, alkaline phosphatase, and KL. polymerase.
Therefore, the content of zinc in the human body is crucial to health, and supplementing zinc, an essential trace element for the human body, has attracted widespread attention.
Zinc is distributed in all tissues, organs, body fluids and secretions of the human body. Except for iron removal, zinc has more than any other trace element.
However, zinc cannot be stored in fat tissue like energy. There is no special storage mechanism for zinc in the body.
Zinc content is found in the skin, skeletal muscles, hair, internal organs, prostate, reproductive glands, nails, and eyes, with very little in the blood.
Zinc is mainly present in the body as enzymes.
A home nutritionist detailed that what foods contain high zinc? How can the absorption of zinc be ideal for children? Nutrition experts explain that the zinc content in food is generally as follows: animal organs > animal lean meat > shelled nuts > legumes > cereals > vegetables > fleshy fruits.
Bioavailability ranking is: animal food zinc> plant food zinc.
Zinc-rich animal foods: Zinc: lean beef, pork, mutton, chicken hearts, fish, oysters, crabs, eggs, and skimmed milk powder. Zinc-rich plant foods: Zinc: wheat germ, sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds, maple syrup, brewer's yeast, gluten, malt balls, mustard powder, peanuts, almonds, potatoes, lotus seeds, walnuts, etc. Micronutrient sources of zinc: Sea cucumber, dates, eel, black fungus, green onion, sweet rice cakes, sour plum crystals, cornstarch, milk powder, beverages, animal fats, vegetable oils (food oil), fruits (fruit food), vegetables (vegetable food), milk, and sugar.
In addition, a small amount of zinc is also found in drinking water in most regions.
The biological availability of zinc varies greatly among different food sources.
Available zinc is higher in meat and seafood than in vegetables.
The availability of zinc is affected by phytates and oxalates in cereals and legumes, oxalates in spinach, calcium (calcium foods), fiber, copper, and chelators in certain canned foods.
When it comes to zinc deficiency in babies, these foods can help replenish zinc: 1. For children under 10 years old, the daily requirement is 10 milligrams.
The National Research Council of the U.S. recommends: 3mg for infants under one year; 5mg for children under 1 year; 10mg for children aged 1 to 10 years.
From the age of 11 to adulthood, a requirement of 15mg is required.
The woman's pregnancy increases by 5mg a day, and the lactation increases by 10mg.
The recommended daily intake of Zn by the Chinese Nutrition Society is similar to that in the United States, but children start increasing their daily intake by 15 mg from age 10 onwards. Pregnant women and lactating mothers increase their daily intake by only 5 mg.
Generally speaking, the daily zinc intake from a child's diet and without disease is basically sufficient for this standard.
However, children with excessive sweating must increase their intake of foods rich in zinc, such as oysters, lean meat, fish and shellfish, as well as animal organs, and may also appropriately supplement zinc, such as Gluconated Zinc.
Additionally, one can also take some traditional Chinese medicines such as Astragalus and Jujube, which have the effects of replenishing qi and consolidating sweat.
At the same time, it is also necessary to actively treat other diseases that cause excessive sweating.
2. Zinc Supplementation is Liken to Intelligence Development for Children. Zinc is an essential trace element that plays a crucial role in the development of both physical and intellectual abilities in children.
Experts in the United States have further pointed out recently that zinc supplementation is most conducive to improving children aged 12 to 13 years old. At this time, zinc supplementation is equivalent to replenishing intelligence.
Zinc plays an important role in protein synthesis.
Previous research by scientists believed that zinc deficiency can cause loss of appetite, pica such as eating soil and wall skin, and reduced immune function.
Severe zinc deficiency can lead to changes in cognitive behavior and affect intellectual development.
But at the same time, scientists have found that if zinc supplementation is needed, children in districts should be at the appropriate age of development.
Health experts from North Dakota surveyed 209 children aged 12 to 13 and found that intake five days a week contained 10 to 20 micrograms of zinc for 10 to 12 weeks.
Finally, it was found that these children who received the experiment had higher learning and understanding abilities, attention, memory, problem-solving abilities, and coordination abilities than other children.
3. Moderate zinc supplements for hyperhidrotic children sweat. Many trace elements in the human body are excreted through sweat, and zinc is one of them.
Zinc is an essential trace element for the human body. It is closely linked to children's growth and development, immune function, vision and sexual development.
During their growth and development, children have a relatively large demand for zinc. Excessive sweating will cause excessive zinc to be lost. The incidence of zinc deficiency in hyperhidrotic children is significantly higher than that in normal children.
Zinc deficiency will reduce the body's immune level, especially the resistance of the respiratory and digestive tracts, causing repeated attacks of infections, which in turn will cause children to be weak and aggravate hyperhidrosis, thus forming a vicious cycle.
Therefore, children with excessive sweating should appropriately supplement zinc.
Main foods: lean beef, pork, mutton, chicken hearts, fish, oysters, egg yolks, skimmed milk powder, wheat germ, sesame, pumpkin seeds, maple syrup, beer yeast, mustard powder.
Supplement Note: When zinc intake increases, vitamin A intake should also increase.
* The medical part covered in this article is for reading and reference only.
If you feel unwell, it is recommended to seek medical attention immediately, and the medical diagnosis and treatment will be subject to offline diagnosis.