Do you Suffer with constant bouts of cold/Flu, thinning hair, memory loss, acne or allergies? You may be Zinc deficient.

Zinc is an essential trace mineral, it’s second to only iron in its concentration in the body, so ensuring you have sufficient amounts of zinc is key to your overall health and immune system. It promotes bone density and protect against oxidative stress, its necessary for normal cognitive function. Zinc has also been shown to accelerate wound healing, aid in sleep, and improve sense of sight, smell, and taste. Unfortunately, zinc deficiency is very common, due to inadequate dietary intake and mostly decreased absorption. Zinc levels are not frequently tested, and even when they are, existing tests are inaccurate. Approximately 90% of the body’s zinc is found in muscles and bone tissues. As a result, blood tests do not adequately measure a zinc deficiency.

There’s a liquid test you can buy from your health store or Amazon here, to test your levels.

Alcohol consumption, diabetes, intestinal disorders and a strict vegetarian diet are risk factors for zinc deficiencies. If you have low stomach acid due to infections such as H Pylori, age or PPI medications, then you will not absorb Zinc efficiently.

It is nearly impossible to consume too much zinc through diet alone. The current recommended daily allowance (RDA) for zinc is 11 mg for adult males and 8 mg for adult females.9 Pregnant and lactating women have higher requirements. These RDAs are suggested for maintaining adequate zinc levels. However, if you are already deficient, it is recommended that you consume up to 25 mg of zinc each day.

Top Zinc Rich Foods.

There’s no 2 ways about it, meat is a rich source of zinc, however it is also an acidifying food that should be consumed in moderation, since we are concerned with bone health here, then below is a guide for the top 10 rich Zinc foods categorised according to their acidity and alkalinity for you to choose from.

1- Pumpkin seeds  ‘Alkalising’

2- Chickpeas ‘Acidifing’

3- Almonds ‘Alkalising’

4- Garlic ‘Alkalising

5- Tahini ‘Acidifing’

6- Broccoli ‘Alkalising

7- Oysters, sardines, salmon  ‘Acidifying’

8- Sesame seeds ‘Alkalising’

9- Meats, turkey, lamb, beef, all ‘Acidifying’

10- Spinach ‘Alkalising’

As diverse and important of an element that zinc is, it is only one component of the entire health picture. Be cautious not to disrupt your zinc/copper ratio.