According to the National Institutes of Health, zinc is a mineral needed for cell metabolism. The American Cancer Society says vitamin B5 (also known as pantothenic acid) is a vitamin that promotes proper growth and development. Both nutrients are considered essential, because our bodies can't operate properly without them.They occur naturally in a variety of foods. In order to reap the greatest nutritional benefits, it's recommended you eat a well-balanced diet.
Red Meats
According to nutritiondata.com, there are a number of natural ways to get zinc and vitamin B5 into your diet. Chicken, turkey, duck, beef, lamb, veal and pork all fall within the red meat category. Byproducts of these animals are also included. Byproducts include eggs, varieties of sausages, processed meats and deli meats. Byproducts usually contain larger amounts of the nutrients, says nutritiondata.com.
Organ meats are included in the red meat category. These include the kidneys, hearts, gizzards and/or spleens of the animals. Organ meats still contain respectable amounts of the nutrients, regardless of how they are cooked, says nutritiondata.com. The organ meat containing the highest level of the nutrients is pan-fried calf liver. A one-slice serving size of the liver (consisting of 67g) supplies you with 47 percent of your daily recommended allotment of vitamin B5. That same serving size provides an impressive 53 percent of your daily zinc allotment. If the calf liver is braised instead of pan-fried, the zinc amount diminishes by only 1mg.
Whole Grains
You can get your nutrients by either eating whole grains by themselves or in a variety of commercially prepared and fortified breakfast cereals, according to the National Institutes of Health and nutritiondata.com. Whole grain boxed cereals made with corn, bran, bran flakes and/or multigrains are rich sources of both nutrients. Rice bran is listed by nutritiondata.com as a whole grain containing the richest amount of both zinc and vitamin B5.
Oysters
If you enjoy eating oysters, which are located in the mollusk family, you're in luck. The National Institutes of Health says oysters are natural food sources of zinc. Oysters that have been cooked with moist heat (as in steamed) from the Pacific region contain the largest amount of zinc and vitamin B5, says nutritiondata.com. A typical 3-oz. serving size supplies a whopping 188 percent of your daily nutritional allotment of the mineral. This same serving size contains 23mg zinc. As far as vitamin B5 is concerned, a 3-oz. serving supplies 8 percent of your daily recommended allotment.
Shiitake Mushrooms
If you don't eat meat, you can still get your share of zinc and vitamin B5. According to nutritiondata.com, these nutrients are found in dried Shiitake mushrooms. (When cooking, you simply add water to the mushrooms to hydrate them. Or, add them to your main dish.) A 1-oz. serving (the equivalent of eight mushrooms) supplies you with 61 percent of your daily recommended nutritional allotment of vitamin B5. One ounce contains 6mg vitamin B5. This same serving size contains 2mg zinc and supplies 14 percent of your daily recommended allotment.
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