Importance Of Zinc In Diabetes

Gayatri Kulkarni brings to light the various health benefits of the mineral zinc.

- Gayatri Kulkarni

Zinc is an essential mineral that plays an important role in the functioning of the body. It helps in boosting immunity and faster healing of wounds. Zinc plays a vital role in maintaining the sensation of taste and smell. In people affected by burn accidents, zinc plays an important role in collagen synthesis and inflammatory response. Unfortunately, the body cannot produce and store zinc, so supplementation of zinc is important.

Sources

Some of the natural sources of zinc are wheat, oats, all bran cereals, sesame seeds, fish (sardine), pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, cocoa powder, chicken, poppy seeds (khuskhus), cashew nuts, carom seeds (ajwain), niger seeds (kali til), flax seeds (alsi) and garden cress seeds (aliv).

Recommend Dietary Allowance

Men 17 mg/d, women- 13 mg/day

Pregnancy and lactation- 14.5 mg/day

Children:

- 6 months to 1 year- 2.5 mg/day

- 1-9 years- 3-6 mg/day

- 10-18 years- 8.5- 14 mg/day

Benefits of zinc

Several research studies have found that zinc plays a significant role in the overall health of a person. Research studies from developing countries have found that zinc supplement helps treat upper respiratory tract infections and diarrhoea in children as well as Wilson's disease.