How To Get Enough Zinc for Vegans and Vegetarians

With 1 in 4 Canadian diets low in zinc, zinc deficiency is something that should be on everyone’s radar. Populations that are especially vulnerable to deficiency include vegans, vegetarians, kids, pregnant ladies and breastfeeding moms. I’ve included some top recommendations and tips on how to get enough zinc for vegans and vegetarians and anyone else who thinks they may be at risk.

Healthy Mayo-Free Coleslaw with Crunchy Almonds. Add almonds to your salad to increase the zinc.

The bioavailability of zinc from vegetarian and vegan diets is likely to be less than that of non-vegetarian diets. Plant foods rich in zinc, such as legumes, whole grains, nuts, and seeds, are also high in phytic acid, an inhibitor of zinc bioavailability (1). While vegans and vegetarians are more at risk for zinc deficiency, the wider Canadian population is also at risk, likely related to the depletion of this important mineral from our soils. Read on to find out more on how we can maximize our absorption of this important mineral.

Why Do We Need Zinc?

Zinc and Our Health

Zinc’s role in human health is often underestimated; zinc is needed for numerous aspects of cellular metabolism and is required for the activity of approximately 100 enzymes. Zinc has a strong role in immune function, as well as protein synthesis, wound healing, and DNA synthesis. Its role in allowing our body to use dietary protein as a building block for the regeneration of muscles is also so important.

Zinc In Pregnancy and In Children

Zinc is crucial at times of growth and reproduction and is therefore extremely important for normal growth during pregnancy, childhood and adolescence. Zinc deficiency in pregnancy can be dangerous and has been linked to higher odds of miscarriage, preterm delivery, stillbirth, placental inflammation, neural tube defects, and low birthweight (2). There is also concern that a low zinc status during pregnancy can carry over to the child, and predispose them to long-term health issues.

Zinc Is Important for Growth and Development, Children Playing in Myanmar

Zinc Deficiency

What Are The Symptoms Of Zinc Deficiency?

Some symptoms of zinc deficiency include but are not limited to;

Acne
Loss of taste
Poor wound healing
Retarded growth
Loss of appetite
Impaired immune function
Diarrhea
Delayed sexual maturation
Hair loss
Impotence and hypogonadism in males

Many of these symptoms are non-specific and often associated with other health conditions – therefore it is important to seek out a medical professional to ascertain whether a zinc deficiency is present.

Measuring Zinc Status

There are currently no reliable and readily available assessment tools for zinc status. Zinc levels in hair, saliva, and blood can be measured, however, all of these methods have limitations and should be used only with a proper nutrition screening. Plasma zinc is relatively insensitive to several weeks of severe dietary zinc restriction and is therefore not a reliable assessment marker.

How Much Zinc Do We Need?

What Is The Recommended Dietary Allowance For Zinc?

The Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) is an average daily level of intake sufficient to meet the nutrients requirements of nearly all (97-98%) healthy individuals. Current recommendations are:

Adult males – 11mg per day
Adult females – 8mg per day
Pregnant women – 11mg per day
Breastfeeding women – 12mg per day

Do Vegans and Vegetarians Need More Zinc?

To account for the differences in absorption of plant-based zinc sources versus animal-based zinc sources, it is estimated that vegetarian’s zinc requirements are 50% higher than non-vegetarians (3,4). In one study, inadequate zinc status was found in 47% of vegans compared to only 11% of omnivores, despite the two groups consuming similar concentrations of zinc in their diets (5). The differences in absorption were attributed to phytic acid which can bind to zinc, decreasing its absorption by the body.

Assessment of the long-term effects of vegetarian diets will continue to be difficult because there are no generally accepted, sensitive clinical criteria for marginal zinc status (4).

Who Else Would Have A Higher Zinc Requirement?

Those with a condition that affects the absorption of nutrients in the gut may have a higher zinc requirement. This can include those with celiac disease, irritable bowel syndrome, or an inflammatory bowel disease including ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease.

Lentil Salad on White Plate with Squeezed Lemons

The BEST Lentil Salad Recipe with Mustard Vinaigrette

What Foods Are High In Zinc?

Foods Highest In Zinc

The best and most available sources of zinc are meat and seafood. Oysters contain more zinc per serving than any other food.

How To Get Enough Zinc As A Vegetarian

Vegetarian sources such as beans, nuts, whole-grains, dairy products and eggs are also a good source of zinc. Phytates which are present in whole grains, breads, legumes and nuts inhibit the absorption of zinc by binding to the mineral and increasing excretion from the body. See below for more information on decreasing phytates in food, and my post How To & Health Benefits Of Sprouting Foods for more information on sprouting.

How To Get Enough Zinc As A Vegan

Taking care of the preparation of legumes, whole-grains nuts and seeds are even more important on a vegan diet as all of these zinc sources also contain phytates. Sprouting and soaking help to break down phytate, allowing our bodies increased access to the zinc. See below for more information on maximizing absorption of zinc.

Vegetarian Zinc Food List

Here is a list of some foods containing the highest density of Zinc per 100 calories.

Aduki beans (cooked, 1 cup) 4.1mg
Pine nuts (1/4 cup) 3.1mg
Pumpkin Seeds (1/2 cup) 2.6mg
Lentils (cooked, 1 cup) 2.5mg
*Ground beef (2oz/60g) 2.4mg
Soybeans (cooked, 1 cup) 2.0mg
Tofu, firm (1/2 cup) 1.3-2.0mg
Cashews (1/4 cup) 1.9mg
Wheat germ (2 tbsp) 1.8mg
Quinoa (cooked, 1/2 cup) 0.8mg
Mushrooms (cooked, 1/2 cup) 0.7mg
*Chicken, roasted (2oz/60g) 0.7mg
Miso (1 tbsp) 0.5mg
Figs, dried (5) 0.5mg
*Egg (1 medium) 0.5mg
*Milk (1/2 cup) 0.5mg
Mung Bean Sprouts, raw (1 cup) 0.4mg
Apricots, dried (10) 0.3mg

*animal foods for comparison

The How-To And Health Benefits of Sprouting. Click photo for link to post.

Sprouting, Fermenting and Soaking To Increase Zinc

Sprouting Foods To Increase Zinc

Sprouting zinc-rich plant-based foods including lentils and mung beans greatly enhances the ability of our bodies to absorb zinc from these foods. Sprouting breaks down the phytates in these foods, making the zinc more bioavailable.

Fermenting Foods To Increase Zinc

Fermenting zinc-rich foods can help our bodies better access to zinc, and other minerals. The lactic acid formed when making sourdough is thought to aid with mineral absorption from properly fermented bread. Fermentation of soy products, such as with tempeh, also increases the bioavailability of zinc by breaking down the phytic acid.

Soaking Foods To Increase Zinc

Soaking nuts, seeds, and whole grains also help to break down the phytates, which allows our bodies to access the zinc more efficiently Soaking times vary depending on the food. My practices include:

Soak seeds, softer nuts, and lentils for a minimum of 4 hours (sunflower seeds, pepitas, red and green lentils, cashews)
Soak harder nuts for a minimum of 8 hours (almonds, hazelnuts)
Soak larger dry legumes and beans for a minimum of 24 hours (kidney beans, black beans, chickpeas)