Zinc
Zinc is a trace mineral that about 100 enzymes need to work, and the immune system, wound healing, taste and smell all depend on it. Men need 11 mg a day and women 8 mg, and with no store to draw on, the body needs it steadily.
8-11 mga day for adults, US RDA
10 mg on EU food labels (NRV), the figure behind label percentages
Upper limit · 25 mg (EU) or 40 mg (US) a day, food and supplements together
- Most per 100 g 39.3mg Oysters
- Most per portion 5.6mg 1 patty beef mince
- Main sources Oysters, red meat, poultry then seeds, nuts, beans and whole grains
- In the body No store so it has to come in every day
Daily amount: the US RDA for adults aged 19 and over (NIH). Food figures per 100 g from USDA FoodData Central; per portion, only for foods with a Caltide calorie page.
Foods High in Zinc
Ranked per 100 g, with what a usual portion gives, limited to 3 foods per category. Foods with a Caltide calorie page link to it.
O
Oysters
5.9 mg in 1 oyster
39.3mg / 100 g
Y
Yeast
10mg / 100 g
B
Beef chuck steak
2.9 mg in 1 piece/slice
9.8mg / 100 g
P
Pumpkin seeds
11 mg in 1 cup
7.6mg / 100 g
B
Beef roast
4.4 mg in 1 regular/thin slice
7.3mg / 100 g
S
Sesame seeds
8.6 mg in 1 cup
6.7mg / 100 g
B
Beef mince
5.6 mg in 1 patty
Nutrition facts
6.6mg / 100 g
B
Beef ribeye steak
2 mg in 1 piece/slice
6.6mg / 100 g
C
Chicken heart
6.6mg / 100 g
B
Beef burger patty
1.9 mg in 1 miniature patty
6.2mg / 100 g
T
Tahini
6mg / 100 g
W
Wild rice
5.8mg / 100 g
Per 100 g vs. a Usual Portion
Why the food that ranks first per 100 g can give less in a real serving.
| Food | Usual portion | Per 100 g | Per portion |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beef mince | 1 patty (85 g) | 6.6mg | 5.6mg |
| Chicken breast | 1 cup (135 g) | 0.9mg | 1.2mg |
| Lentils | 1 cup (180 g) | 1.3mg | 2.3mg |
| Chickpeas | 1 cup (180 g) | 1.5mg | 2.7mg |
| Cashews | 1 handful (28 g) | 5.6mg | 1.6mg |
| Oats | 1 bowl, dry (40 g) | 3.6mg | 1.5mg |
One beef patty gives about twice the zinc of a cup of chickpeas. The phytate in beans then lowers what the body absorbs from them, so the real gap is wider than the table shows.
What Is Zinc?
Zinc is an essential trace mineral: the body needs only milligrams a day, yet it is found in every cell. It is a working part of about 100 enzymes, the proteins that speed up chemical reactions, and it holds the shape of many proteins that switch genes on and off.
What Zinc Does in the Body
Immune defense. Immune cells need zinc to develop and work, and even a moderate shortage weakens the response to infection.
Growth and repair. Making protein and DNA and dividing cells all need zinc, which is why it matters most in pregnancy, childhood and wound healing.
Taste and smell. Both senses depend on zinc, and a dulled sense of taste is one of the signs of running low.
Skin and wound healing. Skin and the lining of the gut renew quickly, and slow healing is another sign of a shortfall.
How Food Source Affects Zinc Absorption
Oysters carry more zinc per serving than any other food, but red meat and poultry supply most of the zinc in American diets. Beans, nuts, seeds and whole grains have plenty on paper, but they also contain phytate, a compound that binds zinc in the gut and lowers how much is absorbed. That is why vegetarians may need up to 50% more zinc than the RDA.
Soaking beans, grains and seeds before cooking, letting them sprout, and choosing bread leavened with yeast all break down part of the phytate and leave more zinc free to absorb.
A Day of Food With Enough Zinc
One ordinary day from foods in the Caltide library, in usual portions, no supplements. Amounts are rounded to whole milligrams per portion.
| Meal | Food | Amount | Zinc |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breakfast | Oats | 40g | 1.5mg |
| Breakfast | Egg | 50g | 0.64mg |
| Snack | Cashews | 28g | 1.6mg |
| Lunch | Chickpeas | 180g | 2.7mg |
| Lunch | Cheddar | 17g | 0.62mg |
| Dinner | Beef mince | 85g | 5.6mg |
| Dinner | Peas | 160g | 1.3mg |
| Total | 14mg |
The single biggest item is beef mince, with 5.6 mg. Take it out and the rest of the day comes to 8.4 mg, under a man's 11 mg.
Who Is Most Likely to Be Low in Zinc
People with Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis or past weight-loss surgery absorb less zinc and can lose more. Vegetarians, pregnant and breastfeeding women, older infants fed only breast milk, people with sickle cell disease and people who drink heavily are the other groups the NIH names as at risk.
How Zinc Affects Copper
A large intake of zinc blocks the absorption of copper in the gut. High zinc doses taken for months can cause copper deficiency, with anemia and nerve damage. Some of the clearest cases came not from tablets but from denture creams that contained zinc, used in far larger amounts than directed for years.
Common Zinc Mistakes
Taking cold-season zinc all year. Lozenges studied for colds give doses well above the upper limit. They were tested for the length of a cold, starting within a day of the first symptoms, not as a daily habit.
Using zinc nasal sprays. Sprays and gels put in the nose have been linked to a loss of smell that can be lasting. The US FDA warned against them in 2009.
Counting a vegetarian day like a meat one. A plant-based day can show the same milligrams and still deliver less, because of phytate. Aim higher than the RDA.
How Much Zinc You Need
By age and sex, and the signs of getting too little or too much.
| Age | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 1 - 3 years | 3mg | 3mg |
| 4 - 8 years | 5mg | 5mg |
| 9 - 13 years | 8mg | 8mg |
| 14 - 18 years | 11mg | 9mg |
| 19+ years | 11mg | 8mg |
| Pregnancy | - | 11 - 12mg |
| Breastfeeding | - | 12 - 13mg |
Zinc Supplements
Zinc is in most multivitamins, in zinc-only tablets and in cold lozenges.
Zinc Supplement Forms and Elemental Zinc
Zinc gluconate, sulfate, acetate, citrate, picolinate and oxide are all sold, and research has not shown that one is absorbed better or causes fewer side effects. What differs is how much zinc each holds: zinc sulfate is about 23% zinc, so a 220 mg tablet gives 50 mg of zinc, already twice the EU upper limit.
Medicines That Interact With Zinc
- Quinolone and tetracycline antibioticszinc and the antibiotic block each other's absorption; take the antibiotic 2 hours before or 4 to 6 hours after
- Penicillaminezinc lowers its absorption; take them at least 2 hours apart
- Thiazide diureticsraise the zinc lost in urine
Ask a doctor or pharmacist before combining a supplement with a medicine.
Tracking Zinc in Caltide
- Logged automaticallyCaltide adds up the zinc in every food you log and shows it against the amount for your age and sex in the Nutrition tab.
- Supplements count tooAdd your multivitamin or zinc tablet once with its elemental zinc. Each day you tick it off, it counts toward your total, so you can see how close food and tablets bring you to the upper limit.
Zinc Sources and References
The figures and claims on this page are checked against these sources. Food amounts come from USDA FoodData Central.
Questions About Zinc
Adult men need 11 mg a day and adult women 8 mg (US RDA), with 11 to 12 mg in pregnancy. The EU reference on food labels is 10 mg.
Oysters carry more zinc per serving than any other food. In the Caltide food library, oysters leads with 39.3 mg per 100 g, then Yeast (10 mg) and Beef chuck steak (9.8 mg).
Often, yes. Phytate in grains and beans lowers zinc absorption, so vegetarians may need up to 50% more than the RDA. Soaking beans and eating leavened bread reduce phytate.
Possibly a little. Some trials found zinc lozenges started within a day of the first symptoms shortened colds, while others found no effect. Zinc nasal sprays should be avoided: they have been linked to a lasting loss of smell.
Yes, at high doses taken for a long time. High zinc intake blocks copper absorption, and it has caused copper deficiency anemia and nerve damage, including in people who used large amounts of zinc-containing denture cream.
25 mg a day in the EU and 40 mg a day in the US for adults, counting food and supplements. Single high doses cause nausea, vomiting and stomach cramps.
No form has been shown to be better. Zinc gluconate, sulfate, acetate and others are sold, and research has not settled whether they differ in absorption or side effects. Compare the elemental zinc on the label.
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