Best Sources of Zinc in Your Diet

Zinc in food and diet

Zinc was established as an essential nutrient for plant health way back in 1869. Surprisingly, it took almost 100 years for a zinc deficiency to be discovered and studied in humans. In 1961, an Iranian farmer whose diet consisted of mostly unrefined flatbread, potatoes, and milk, exhibited signs of stunted growth, anemia, and underdevelopment. Both zinc and iron supplements were used to correct his deficiencies, and overall, it brought awareness to the importance of zinc in human diets. Since the discovery of zinc deficiency as a human health problem, there has been an increase in research in the biochemical and clinical aspects of zinc nutrition. 

Eating naturally grown foods is the best way to absorb zinc because it is more bioavailable than a supplement. Bioavailability refers to the amount of a nutrient that can be absorbed into the blood system and used for physiologic functions of the body. When you eat fruits and vegetables containing zinc, it’s released from the foods as free ions during digestion. These ions are absorbed in the small intestine, then carried directly to the liver. The liver releases it into systemic circulation, your bloodstream, for delivery to other bodily tissues in need. Any excess zinc is excreted out of the intestinal tract, allowing the body to maintain zinc homeostasis. 

Best liquid fertilizer

Various dietary factors can influence zinc absorption in the body. Phytic acid, commonly found in plant seeds like cereals and legumes, is known to limit zinc bioavailability by strongly binding it in the gastrointestinal tract, preventing zinc from being absorbed and used. Food fortification is a cost-effective and sustainable method to overcome zinc deficiency rather than supplementation.  Furthermore, biofortification, which focuses on enriching micronutrients in plant parts that are used for food while the plants are still growing, is an even better tool. This can be achieved by increasing the soil zinc availability to plant roots or by applying the best zinc liquid fertilizers. Past studies hhttps://certifiedprevegenics.com/products/grass-spot-green-upave detailed the role of soil and foliar applied zinc fertilizers used to correct zinc deficiency and increase yield with great results.

Certified Prevegenics Label

Making sure your natural foods are providing consumers with the nutrition they need and expect is crucial. Zinc is essential for photosynthesis, chlorophyll production, and proper plant growth, that’s why Prevegenics products are considered as the best liquid fertilizers and the best fertilizer for plant growth,  and are compatible with most common foliar pesticides and nutrients. We understand that applying fertilizers throughout the growing cycle will not only improve the performance of your plants but will increase the important nutrients, like zinc, in your final products. 

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