Zinc

This is one in a series of fact sheets containing information to help you select foods that provide adequate daily amounts of vitamins, minerals, and dietary fiber as you follow the Dietary Guidelines for Americans . The Guidelines are -

Eat a Variety of Foods Maintain Desirable Weight Avoid Too Much Fat, Saturated Fat, and Cholesterol Eat Foods with Adequate Starch and Fiber Avoid Too Much Sugar Avoid Too Much Sodium If You Drink Alcoholic Beverages, Do So in Moderation WHAT IS MEANT BY A GOOD FOOD SOURCE? A good food source of zinc contains a substantial amount of zinc in relation to its calorie content and contributes at least 10 percent of the U.S. Recommended Dietary Allowance (U.S. RDA) for zinc in a selected serving size. The U.S. RDA for zinc is 15 milligrams per day. (The U.S. RDA given is for adults, except pregnant or lactating women, and children over 4 years of age.) The U.S. RDA for zinc is the amount of the mineral used as a standard in nutrition labeling of foods. This allowance is based on the 1968 Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDA) for 24 sex-age categories set by the Food and Nutrition Board of the National Academy of Sciences. The 1989 RDA has been set at 12 milligrams per day for women 19 to 50 years of age and 15 milligrams for men 19 to 50 years of age.

In 1985 and 1986, almost one-half of the zinc in the diets of women was supplied by meat, poultry, and fish. Grain products were also good food sources of zinc; they contributed almost 25 percent. Foods that contain small amounts of zinc but are not considered good sources can contribute significant amounts of zinc to an individual's diet if these foods are eaten often or in large amounts.

Click here for nutrition table for 7,248 foods.

WHY DO WE NEED ZINC?

Zinc, a mineral, plays an important role in the formation of protein in the body and thus assists in wound healing, blood formation, and general growth and maintenance of all tissues. Zinc is a component of many enzymes and thus is involved in most metabolic processes.

DO WE GET ENOUGH ZINC?

According to recent USDA surveys, the average intake of zinc by women 19 to 50 years of age was less than 75 percent of their RDA while that of men of the same age averaged about 95 percent of their RDA. Over one-half of women had intakes less than 70 percent of the RDA.

HOW CAN WE GET ENOUGH ZINC?

Eating a variety of foods that contain zinc is the best way to get an adequate amount. Healthy individuals who eat a balanced diet rarely need supplements. Intakes of zinc tend to be low in relation to recommendations, and there aren't many foods that are really good sources; thus, it may take special care to ensure an adequate intake. The list of foods will help you select those that are good sources of zinc as you follow the Dietary Guidelines. The list of good sources was derived from the same nutritive value of foods tables used to analyze information for recent food consumption surveys of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Human Nutrition Information Service.

HOW TO PREPARE FOODS TO RETAIN ZINC

Zinc is lost in cooking some foods even under the best cooking conditions. To retain zinc:

• Cook foods in a minimal amount of water.
• Cook for the shortest possible time.

WHAT ABOUT FORTIFIED FOODS?

Most fortified ready-to-eat cereals usually contain at least 10 percent of the U.S. RDA for zinc. Since cereals vary, check the label on the package for the percentage of the U.S. RDA for a specific cereal.

WHAT IS A SERVING?

The serving sizes used on the list of good sources are only estimates of the amounts of food you might eat. The amount of nutrient in a serving depends on the weight of the serving. For example, the edible part of a cooked chicken leg (thigh and drumstick) weighs more than the edible part of a cooked chicken breast half. Therefore, the chicken leg appears on the list while the chicken breast half does not. The chicken breast half provides the nutrient - but just not enough to be considered a good source.

WHAT ARE GOOD SOURCES OF ZINC?

     FOOD                             SELECTED      PERCENTAGE OF
                                      SERVING SIZE  U.S. RDA (1)


BREADS, CEREALS, AND OTHER GRAIN PRODUCTS


Ready-to-eat cereals, fortified(2)	1 ounce	+

Wheat germ, plain	2 tablespoons	+


MEAT, POULTRY, FISH, AND ALTERNATES


Meat and Poultry

  Beef:

    Brisket, braised, lean only	3 ounces	++

    Ground; extra lean, lean, or

      regular; baked or broiled	1 patty	++

    Pot roast, braised, lean only	3 ounces	+++

    Roast, rib, roasted, lean only	3 ounces	++

    Shortribs, braised, lean only	3 ounces	+++

    Steak, lean only;

      Baked or broiled	3 ounces	++

      Braised	3 ounces	+++

    Stew meat, simmered, lean only	3 ounces	+++

  Chicken, leg (thigh and drumstick)

    broiled or roasted, without skin	1 leg	+

  Ham, fresh, smoked or cured,

    roasted, lean only	3 ounces	+++

  Lamb:

    Chop, shoulder; braised, broiled,

      or baked; lean only	1 chop	++

    Ground, cooked	1 patty	+

    Roast, shoulder, roasted,

      lean only	3 ounces	++

  Liver, braised:

    Beef or pork	3 ounces	++

    Calf	3 ounces	+++

    Chicken or turkey	1/2 cup diced	+

  Pork:

    Chop, baked or broiled, 

      lean only	1 chop	+

    Ground, cooked	3 ounces	+

    Roast, loin, roasted, lean only	3 ounces	+

    Roast, shoulder, roasted,

      lean only	3 ounces	+

  Tongue, braised	3 ounces	++

  Turkey:

    Ground, cooked	3 ounces	+

    Light or dark meat, roasted,

      without skin	3 ounces	+

  Veal:

    Chop, braised, lean only	1 chop	+

    Ground, cooked	1 patty	+

    Roast, leg, roasted, lean only	3 ounces	++


Fish and Seafood

  Carp, baked or broiled	3 ounces	+

  Crabmeat, steamed	3 ounces	+

  Lobster, steamed or boiled	3 ounces	+

  Mussels, steamed, boiled,

    or poached	3 ounces	+

  Oysters:

    Baked, broiled, or steamed	3 ounces	+++

    Canned, undrained	3 ounces	+++


Nuts and Seeds

  Pumpkin or squash seeds, hulled,

    roasted	2 tablespoons	+


MILK, CHEESE, AND YOGURT


Cheese, ricotta	1/2 cup	+

Yogurt:

  Flavored, made with whole or

    lowfat milk	8 ounces	+

  Plain, made with lowfat or

    nonfat milk	8 ounces	+


(1) A selected serving size contains - 


    +     10-24 percent of the U.S. RDA for adults and children over 4 years of age

    ++    25-39 percent of the U.S. RDA for adults and children over 4 years of age

    +++   40 percent or more of the U.S. RDA for adults and children over 4 years of age


(2) See section on fortified cereals.

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