A clinical study conducted by the American Journal of Nutrition on a group of men aged 20-31 years old. Half of the men participating in the study took in 3.8 mg of zinc per day, while the other group took in 18.7 mg per day. After six weeks, the oxygen and carbon dioxide ventilation, heart function, etc. of the two groups of men were tested. The results showed that the physical strength and exercise ability of the men with insufficient zinc intake were significantly worse than those of the men with a daily intake of 18.7 mg.
Nutritional experts point out that zinc is an essential nutrient for the synthesis of male hormones. Men’s zinc supplements can resist aging and enhance sexual performance. Because zinc has a prominent effect on human sexual function and reproductive cells, The contribution has been dubbed the \”spark of life\” and \”the element of marriage harmony\”.
The average person is prone to zinc deficiency in their diet, and men have a higher demand for zinc. Let’s take a look at the types of foods high in zinc:
1. Seafood food
It can be said that all seafood products are rich in zinc, so we may as well use this kind of food in our daily life to supplement the zinc that the human body lacks. For example, oysters, starfish, kelp, seaweed, etc. These seafood are very common in daily life, so people with zinc deficiency symptoms can increase their intake of these foods in an appropriate amount.
2. Plant foods
Plant foods rich in zinc include various beans and nuts; among vegetables, Chinese cabbage, white cabbage, etc. Foods such as radish, purple radish, and eggplant are high in content. Among fruits, apples have the highest zinc content. In our country, plant foods such as cereals are still the staple food, but the human body\’s absorption and utilization of zinc contained in these plant foods is relatively poor, so it is not the best choice for zinc supplementation.
Therefore, in order to prevent zinc deficiency, we should pay attention to changing the diet structure frequently in our daily life, so that we can absorb different nutrients and ensure a balanced nutrition. In addition to paying attention to eating more foods rich in zinc, you should also pay attention to developing good eating habits, which can also effectively supplement your nutrition.
3. Animal foods
Compared with plant foods, the zinc content in animal foods is not only richer, but also easier to be absorbed by the human body. absorbed and utilized. Generally, our body\’s absorption rate of zinc contained in meat foods is 30~40%, while the absorption rate of zinc contained in plant foods is only 10~20%. There are many meat foods, such as mutton, pork, donkey meat, fish, etc. These meat foods are very rich in zinc.
4. Brown rice
Brown rice also contains high amounts of zinc, but the zinc contained in it is generally lost during processing. Therefore, experts remind that brown rice should not be processed finely, because zinc mainly exists in the embryo and husk. If processed finely, a large amount of zinc and other nutrients will be lost.
Note:
If the diet is balanced, the zinc element that each person can eat every day is about 10-20mg, but unfortunately, Only 2-3mg of it can be absorbed and utilized by the human body. Phytic acid is the main food component that affects zinc absorption. It can form insoluble salts with zinc in the intestine. In addition, dietary fiber in food can also affect the body\’s absorption of zinc.