Zinc: Essential for Human Health

Zinc is an essential trace element for humans, animals and plants. It is vital for many biological functions and plays a crucial role in more than 300 enzymes in the human body. The adult body contains about 2-3 grams of zinc. Zinc is found in all parts of the body: it is in organs, tissues, bones, fluids and cells. Muscles and bones contain most of the body’s zinc (90%). Particularly high concentrations of zinc are in the prostate gland and semen.

Zinc - vital for growth and cell division

Zinc is especially important during pregnancy, for the growing fetus whose cells are rapidly dividing. Zinc also helps to avoid congenital abnormalities and pre-term delivery. Zinc is vital in activating growth - height, weight and bone development - in infants, children and teenagers.

Zinc – vital for fertility

Zinc plays a vital role in fertility. In males, zinc protects the prostate gland from infection (prostates) and ultimately from enlargement (prostatic hypertrophy). Zinc helps maintain sperm count and mobility and normal levels of serum testosterone.

In females, zinc can help treat menstrual problems and alleviate symptoms associated with premenstrual syndrome (PMS).

Zinc – vital for the immune system

Among all the vitamins and minerals, zinc shows the strongest effect on our all-important immune system. Zinc plays a unique role in the T-cells. Low zinc levels lead to reduced and weakened T-cells which are not able to recognize and fight off certain infections. An increase of the zinc level has proven effective in fighting  pneumonia and diarrhea and other infections. Zinc can also reduce the duration and severity of a common cold.

Zinc – vital for taste, smell and appetite

Zinc activates areas of the brain that receive and process information from taste and smell sensors. Levels of zinc in plasma and zinc’s effect on other nutrients, like copper and manganese, influence appetite and taste preference. Zinc is also used in the treatment of anorexia.

Zinc – vital for skin, hair and nails

Zinc accelerates the renewal of the skin cells. Zinc creams are used for babies to soothe diaper rash and to heal cuts and wounds. Zinc has also proven effective in treating acne, a problem that affects especially adolescents, and zinc has been reported to have a positive effect on psoriasis and neurodermitis.

Zinc is also used as an anti-inflammatory agent and can help sooth the skin tissue, particularly in cases of poison ivy, sunburn, blisters and certain gum diseases.

 

Zinc is important for healthy hair. Insufficient zinc levels may result in loss of hair, hair that looks thin and dull and that goes grey early. There are also a number of shampoos which contain zinc to help prevent dandruff.

Zinc – vital for vision

High concentrations of zinc are found in the retina. With age the retinal zinc declines which seems to play a role in the development of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), which leads to partial or complete loss of vision. Zinc may also protect from night blindness and prevent the development of cataracts.

Who needs zinc?

Everyone needs zinc. Children need zinc to grow, adults need zinc for health. Growing infants, children and adolescents, pregnant women and lactating mothers, athletes, vegetarians and the elderly often require more zinc.

Where do we get zinc from?

We get zinc primarily from our food. The major sources of zinc are (red) meat meat, poultry, fish and seafood, whole cereals and dairy products. Zinc is most available to the body from meat. The bioavailability of plant-based foods is generally lower due to dietary fibre and phytic acid which inhibit the absorption of zinc.

A balanced diet is the best way to provide your body with zinc. A zinc supplement or a daily multi-vitamin/multi-mineral supplement may be taken if your nutritional intake is insufficient.*

*Large doses of zinc should not be taken over a prolonged period of time without your physician’s direction.

Dietary Sources of Zinc & their Average Zinc Content (mg/100g)

Oysters	25
Meat (especially red meat)	5.2
Nuts	3
Poultry	1.5
Eggs	1.3
Milk products	1.2
Cereals	1
Bread	1
Fish	0.8
Sugars & preserves	0.6
Canned vegetables	0.4
Green vegetables	0.4
Potatoes	0.3
Fresh fruits	0.09

How much zinc do we need?
Our body regularly needs zinc. Recommended daily intakes are:

Infants	5 mg
Children	10 mg
Women	12 mg
Pregnant Women	15 mg
Lactating Women	16 mg
Men	15 mg

Pregnant women and lactating mothers require more zinc to ensure optimal development of the fetus and newborn baby.

What if we don’t get enough zinc?

Zinc deficiency is a serious problem in many developing countries. Zinc deficiency is ranked as the 5th leading risk factor in causing disease, especially diarrhea and pneumonia in children, which can lead to high mortality rates in these underdeveloped regions. Other severe deficiency symptoms include stunted growth and impaired development of infants, children and adolescents. Early zinc deficiency also leads to impaired cognitive function, behavioral problems, memory impairment and problems with spatial learning and neuronal atrophy. Public health programs involving zinc supplementation and food fortification could help overcome these problems.

In industrialized countries cases of mild zinc deficiency can be observed. The most common symptoms include dry and rough skin, dull looking hair, brittle finger nails, white spots on nails, reduced taste and smell, loss of appetite, mood swings, reduced adaptation to darkness, frequent infections, delayed wound healing, dermatitis and acne.

Mild zinc deficiency symptoms can usually be corrected by supplying the body with the right amount of zinc each day. Supplemental zinc not exceeding the recommended daily allowance might be taken. Therapies involving larger doses of zinc should always be discussed with your physician. Therapeutical doses typically range from 20 mg – 30 mg, in some rare cases doses might be higher.

http://www.zinc.org/info/zinc_essential_for_human_healt

Nutrition for Healthy Skin: Vitamin A, Zinc, Vitamin C

One of the biggest motivations to adopt a more nutritious diet is the desire to improve skin health. Many people of all ages struggle with skin conditions such as acne, rosacea, dry skin, wrinkles, and sun damage, among others. This can be very upsetting for those who have yet to find a solution to their problematic skin. While conventional medical professionals often discount the connection between skin health and nutrition, there is strong evidence to support the influence of our food choices on the health and vibrancy of our skin.

The consumption of certain vitamins, minerals, and other beneficial compounds in the diet is one of the most effective ways to treat skin conditions and improve the look and feel of one’s skin. There are several nutrients that are known to play a role in the proper growth and immunity of the skin, and many people have found that their skin health has dramatically improved after making purposeful changes to their daily diet. For example, Liz from the blog CaveGirlEats has a great post about how eating a traditional diet has improved her skin health. As her story suggests, making simple changes to your diet can have a significant impact on skin appearance in a short amount of time.

In this series, I will discuss how vitamins and minerals from a nutritious whole foods diet can treat acne, wrinkles, and other problem skin conditions.

Vitamin A

Vitamin A, or retinol, is one of the most widely acknowledged nutrients for healthy skin. Synthetic retinoids have been used as effective treatments for severe acne and psoriasis since the 1980s, demonstrating how useful vitamin A can be in treating problem skin. Vitamin A influences the physiology of the skin by promoting epidermal differentiation, modulating dermal growth factors, inhibiting sebaceous gland activity, and suppressing androgen formation. (1) As it promotes cell turnover in the skin, vitamin A is effective in preventing the formation of comedones that cause the most common forms of acne.

Lack of vitamin A causes the skin to become keratinized and scaly, and mucus secretion is suppressed. (2) Rough, dry skin is a common sign of vitamin A deficiency, which often first appears as rough, raised bumps on the back of the arms. (3) This condition is called hyperkeratosis pillaris, and is found in approximately 40% of adults. (4) Though dermatologists believe this is an inherited condition with no cure, I have successfully treated this condition in several patients by significantly increasing their consumption of vitamin A rich foods. While physicians prescribe synthetic retinoids to treat skin conditions including acne, eczema, psoriasis, cold sores, wounds, burns, sunburn, and ichthyosis, it is possible to obtain similar effects from consuming natural sources of pre-formed vitamin A. (5)

Preformed vitamin A, which is well absorbed by the body, can be found in a variety of traditional foods. The most vitamin A-rich foods are liver and cod liver oil, but other sources include kidney, cream and butter from pastured cows, and egg yolks from pastured chickens. I recommend using cod liver oil if you wish to supplement, as this provides a balance of vitamin A and vitamin D that will reduce the risk of overdosing on vitamin A. Eating liver once or twice per week is a great dietary strategy for those looking to reduce and even eliminate stubborn acne.

Zinc

Zinc is an essential mineral that is an imperative part of many physiological functions, including structure in certain proteins and enzymes, and regulation of gene expression. It plays a role in immune function, protein synthesis, wound healing, DNA synthesis, and cell division. (6) In skin, zinc assists in the proper structure of proteins and cell membranes, improves wound healing,  has anti-inflammatory effects, and protects against UV radiation. (7)

Several studies indicate that dietary zinc may reduce acne, even as effectively as antibiotics such as tetracyclines. (8) This may be because it interacts with vitamin A as a component of retinol-binding protein, which is necessary for transporting vitamin A in the blood. (9) Zinc supplementation has been shown to significantly increase the level of vitamin A in the blood, indicating an interaction between the two nutrients that may explain its positive effect on acne. (10) In fact, men and women with serious acne are found to have lower levels of serum zinc than healthy controls. (11)

Dietary sources of zinc are best absorbed from animal sources, where it is not bound to phytates as in plant sources. Organs such as kidney and liver, red meat such as beef and lamb, and seafood such as oysters, scallops, and other shellfish are the highest animal sources of zinc. Plant foods such as pumpkin seeds and other nuts can also be high in zinc as well, but are less bioavailable, as the zinc is bound to phytates if not properly prepared by soaking. To get the most zinc from your diet, include shellfish, organ meats, and red meat on a regular basis.

Vitamin C

Vitamin C has been known for decades to play a crucial role in the regulation of the structural protein collagen, which is necessary for the extracellular stability of the skin. A vitamin C deficiency causes scurvy, which is first manifested as rough dry skin and corkscrew hair growth. Inadequate vitamin C is also known to contribute to the development of the common problem of hyperkeratosis pillaris, as the follicles become damaged when collagen formation is impaired.

Increasing the amount of vitamin C in the diet can contribute to improved skin health and faster healing. Observational studies have shown that diets high in vitamin C are associated with better skin appearance and less skin wrinkling. (12, 13) Vitamin C may also help prevent and treat ultraviolet (UV)-induced photo damage by acting as an antioxidant. (14) Higher intakes of dietary vitamin C have been correlated with a decreased level of dry skin, and ascorbic acid may have effects on trans-epidermal water loss. (15) Vitamin C has an important role in wound healing and can improve the proper formation of strong scar tissue. (16)

While true deficiency in the United States is uncommon, it is possible to be consuming sub-optimal levels, particularly in a diet with limited fruits and vegetables. The highest sources of vitamin C include bell peppers, guava, dark leafy greens, broccoli, brussel sprouts, kiwi, citrus fruits, and strawberries. Certain fresh herbs such as cilantro, chives, thyme, basil and parsley are also high in vitamin C. Consuming a wide variety of colorful plant foods on a regular basis is the best way to get adequate vitamin C in your diet. It’s important to remember that vitamin C is sensitive to heat, so lightly cooking these plant foods or eating them raw (if possible) is ideal to maximize your intake of this vitamin.

http://chriskresser.com/nutrition-for-healthy-skin-part-1

Nutritional Benefits - Pulses

Fibre

Fibre includes all parts of plant foods that your body can't digest or absorb. Pulses are very high in fibre, containing both soluble and insoluble fibres. While soluble fibre helps to decrease blood cholesterol levels and control blood sugar levels, insoluble fibre helps with digestion and regularity. According to the Dietitions of Canada, many Canadians are not getting the recommended amount of fibre per day. The recommend daily intake of fibre is 38 g/day of total fibre for men and 25 g/day of total fibre for women.

Eating just 125 mL (1/2 c.) of pulses per day provides 3 - 6.5 g fibre. With their high fibre levels, pulses are a healthy food choice!

Complex carbohydrates

Besides fibre, pulses contain other complex carbohydrates like resistant and slowly digestible starch as well as oligosaccharides (a complex carbohydrate containing three to six units of simple sugars). Resistant starch and oligosaccharides behave like fibre in the body because they are not digested or absorbed. In contrast, slowly digestible starch does get digested completely in the small intestine but this happens at a slow rate which keeps the body’s blood sugar levels closer to normal.

Protein

Pulses are somewhat unique as a plant food because in addition to high amount of fibre and complex carbohydrates, pulses typically contain about twice the amount of protein found in whole grain cereals like wheat, oats, barley and rice. Pulses have higher amounts of the essential amino acid lysine whereas cereals have higher amounts of the essential amino acids methionine and cysteine so blending pulses with cereals or nuts results in a better quality protein that contains all essential amino acids in appropriate amounts. This is particularly important for people eating vegetarian or vegan diets.

Nutrient Dense

Pulses provide substantial amounts of vitamins and minerals in a relatively low amount of calories. Some of the key minerals in pulses include iron, potassium, magnesium and zinc. Pulses are also particularly abundant in B vitamins including folate, thiamin and niacin.

Low Glycemic Index

For a food that is high in carbohydrates, pulses have a low glycemic index which means they do not cause a fast rise in blood sugar after eating.  Studies have shown that eating pulses is a good way to manage blood sugar levels which is particularly important for people with diabetes.

Pulses are available as whole seeds, and can also be turned into ingredients like flours, fibre, proteins and starches. Their versatility gives endless options to add more pulses to the diet and to meet the recommended weekly amounts of several important nutrients.

Many health organizations recommend eating pulses to maintain good health and prevent chronic diseases like diabetes, heart disease and cancer. Eating Well with Canada's Food Guide states “Have meat alternatives such as beans, lentils and tofu often” and suggests that regularly choosing beans and other meat alternatives such as lentils can help minimize the amount of saturated fat in the diet.

The "2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans says that “beans and peas are unique foods. Bean and peas are the mature forms of legumes. They include kidney beans, pinto beans, black beans, garbanzo beans, lima beans, black-eyes peas, split peas, and lentils. Beans and peas are excellent sources of protein. They also provide other nutrients, such as iron and zinc, similar to seafood, meat, and poultry. They are excellent sources of dietary fiber and nutrients such as potassium and folate, which also are found in other vegetables. Because of their high nutrient content, beans and peas may be considered both as a vegetable and as a protein food.” Pulses are also listed in “foods and nutrients to increase “ - Choose a variety of protein foods, which include seafood, lean meat and poultry, eggs, beans and peas, soy products, and unsalted nuts and seeds.

The Musical Fruit?

Some carbohydrates in pulses produce gas and bloating for some people, similar to the effects produced by certain other foods (e.g. cabbage, broccoli, and other vegetables and fruits). Eating pulses often allows your gut to adapt to the higher fibre and carbohydrates,decreasing these effects over time.

For those who find that pulses lead to gas and bloating, eat small amounts of pulses, drink lots of water and gradually increase your intake. There are also a number of easy ways to significantly reduce the digestive discomfort that can occur from eating pulses:

• Change the soaking water once or twice during the long cold soak.
• Do not use the soaking liquid to cook the pulses.
• Cook pulses thoroughly as undercooked starch is harder to digest.
• Thoroughly rinse canned or pre-soaked pulses before cooking.
• Take Beano® to help eliminate gas. It is available in health food stores, pharmacies and most grocery stores.

http://www.pulsecanada.com/food-health/nutritional-benefits