Understanding Why Zinc is apart of High Quality Vitamins and Minerals

If we asked you to list the important vitamins and minerals you need for your body to stay healthy, what would you answer? Most people know that vitamin C from citrus fruits and vitamin D from dairy is really important. Vitamin A from spinach and leafy greens is vital as well. Is that it? All of these answers have one thing in common, the word "vitamin." That is why it is easy to leave out something as important as "zinc." Just because it doesn't have the word vitamin in it does not mean you can go without it!

 

Zinc is a nutrient that plays many vital roles in your body. Oddly enough, as important as it is, your body doesn’t naturally produce zinc. This means you must obtain it through food or supplements. Before you go Googling "health and nutrition stores near me," wait! First, let's learn all about zinc and why it is so crucial for your body.

 

Zinc is required for numerous processes in your body, including:

Gene expression

Enzymatic reactions

Immune function

Protein synthesis

DNA synthesis

Wound healing

Growth and development

 

When you look at this list, it's pretty clear why zinc needs to be an important part of your diet. Zinc is considered an essential nutrient, meaning that your body can’t produce or store it. For this reason, you must get a constant supply through your daily habits. This means regularly ingesting it in foods or supplements.

 

It is naturally found in a wide variety of both plant and animal foods. Oysters contain more zinc per serving than any other food. Red meat and poultry provide the majority of zinc in our diets. Other good food sources include beans, nuts, crab, lobster, whole grains, and dairy products. Foods that don’t naturally contain this mineral, such as breakfast cereals, snack bars, and baking flour, are often fortified with synthetic forms of zinc. You can also take zinc supplements or multi-nutrient supplements that provide zinc.

 

That's not all. Because of its role in immune function, zinc is likewise added to some nasal sprays, lozenges, and other natural cold treatments. This is because zinc is a big factor in your immune system. Because it is necessary for immune cell function and cell signaling, a zinc deficiency can lead to a weakened immune response. Zinc supplements stimulate particular immune cells and reduce oxidative stress. Studies have shown that daily zinc may reduce the length of the common cold by up to 33%. What’s more, zinc supplements significantly reduce the risk of infections and promote immune response in older adults. That is because it also aids in wound healing. Because zinc plays critical roles in collagen synthesis, immune function, and inflammatory response, it is necessary for proper healing.

 

"I better hurry and get to the health and nutrition stores near me!" you are saying. Actually, zinc can easily be ordered online in a variety of multivitamins. It's so easy to get the zinc you need, it would be silly to let your body without it.