In the 1970s, researchers linked zinc deficiency to growth delay and malformation in developing countries. These cases are rare in the U.S., but a mild zinc deficiency is not uncommon among adults and is increasingly common among the elderly, who often have malabsorption disorders. Obtaining enough zinc is essential, because the body uses it for the formation of skin tissue, blood and growth and development. It also protects the prostate gland and improves immune function. Fortunately, for most people avoiding a deficiency is realistic, particularly if your diet provides a balance of lean meats, legumes and grains, many of which provide an ample supply of the mineral.
Seafood
Seafood provides significant benefits in the diet, such as a low-fat dietary source of protein and a concentrated source of zinc. Oysters, in particular, provide 33 mg per 3-oz. serving, more than twice the 15 mg daily value (DV) prescribed by the Food and Drug Administration. A 1-cup serving of blue crab provides 5.1 mg, and a 3 oz. serving of lobster provides 3.4 mg. Include more seafood in your diet by adding it to omelets in the morning, making seafood salad sandwiches for lunch and including it in pasta sauce for dinner, to increase your daily zinc intake.
Meat
Lean meat is an important source of protein and other nutrients, including zinc. A 3-oz. serving of ground beef provides 5.4 mg, or one-third of the DV. A 1-cup serving of turkey provides 4.3 mg, and 3 oz. of pork provides 3.5 mg. Limit your intake of meat to one serving per day to avoid overconsumption of saturated fat, which may clog arteries and cause heart disease.
Legumes and Nuts
Serve a vegetarian meal with beans as the main course twice a week to reduce saturated fat intake and increase your dietary sources of zinc. A cup of white beans provides 2.9 mg, or 20 percent of the DV. A cup of chickpeas provides 2.5 mg, and a cup of baked beans provides 5.8 mg. Serve pasta sauce with cannelini beans, hummus sandwiches and baked beans with brown sugar and a soy-ginger-marinated mahi mahi steak.
Grains
Manufacturers often enrich grains with minerals in order to replace the nutrients lost during the refining process. A cup of enriched white rice provides 2 mg of zinc, or 15 percent of the DV. One cup of enriched wheat flakes provides 7.5 mg. A cup of wild rice provides 2.2 mg, and a cup of barley provides 1.3 mg.
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