Generally higher in vitamins than minerals, fruits won’t make anyone’s list of top zinc foods. After all, a dietary source such as oysters boasts more than 75 mg of the mineral, while the majority of fruits contain less than 1 mg zinc. Yet a little of the mineral goes a long way. Some fruits offer as much as one-third of your daily need for zinc. Eat a variety of zinc-rich foods to bolster your immune system, promote wound healing, build proteins and support a strong taste of smell and taste.
Dried Fruits
The process of drying fruits concentrates their nutrients by removing water content, meaning that you get more fiber and minerals from 1 cup of currants than from 1 cup of the Zante grapes from which they derive. Watch your portion control, however, because dried fruit also have concentrated amounts of sugar, which raises the carb and calorie content. One cup of dried fruits are in the 350 to 450 calorie range and have anywhere from 25 to 100 carbohydrates per cup. Each 1-cup serving of dried apricots provides 8 percent of your DV for zinc; for prunes, 7 percent; for peaches and currants, 6 percent; for figs, 5 percent; for dates, 3 percent; and for dried bananas, 2 percent of the DV for zinc.
Avocados
Although they are more often found in the chips-and-salsa bowl rather than on the dessert tray, avocados are botanically fruits. They’re also an excellent source of zinc, with 1 cup of mashed avocados providing 10 percent of the mineral you need each day. Avocados also provide high amounts of heart-healthy monounsaturated fats. You’ll also get 62 percent of the fiber you need each day from 1 cup of the mashed fruit, as well as half of the folate and vitamin K you need each day. The serving additionally delivers one-third of the recommended daily amounts of vitamins C, B-5, B-6 and potassium. Even if you cut the portion in half to reduce the almost 400 calories per serving, you’ll still get about 5 percent of the zinc you need each day.
Blackberries
One cup of blackberries provides 5 percent of the zinc you need each day. The edible seed content also ensures that you get 30 percent of your DV for edible fiber. The serving, which contains 62 calories and 13 carbs, additionally delivers half the vitamin C you need each day and one-third of your DV for vitamin K. The berries are also good sources of vitamins A and E, folate, calcium, iron, potassium and manganese.
Raspberries
With their DV for zinc at 3 percent, raspberries contain about 65 calories and 15 g per cup. Like blackberries, raspberries are rich in fiber, offering one-third of the dietary fiber you need for the day in every 1-cup serving. The berries also deliver about half of the DVs for vitamin C and manganese. They are a good source of vitamin K, folate, calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus and potassium.
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