𝐍𝐮𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐒𝐞𝐫𝐯: 𝐀𝐈 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐚 𝐓𝐞𝐜𝐡𝐧𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐠𝐲 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐓𝐚𝐜𝐤𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐍𝐮𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧-𝐑𝐞𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐃𝐢𝐬𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐍𝐢𝐠𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐚

By Prosper Williams, 

Digital Nutrition, O'Leaf Africa 

𝐶𝑜𝑚𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑆𝑜𝑜𝑛

It has become imperative to address the rising cases of non-communicable diseases caused and promoted by poor dieting and bad lifestyle in our Nigeria as they negatively slow down our progress in health, poverty alleviation, education, employment, empowerment of women, and child health.

Despite increasing human population and activities, Nigeria still struggles to provide functional food security system and healthcare services to cater for her citizens.

As a result, it has become difficult for Nigerians to have healthy balanced three square meals due to the sporadically rising cost of foods in

recent times. 

In fact, Between April 2021 and March 2022, food inflation in Nigeria grew by 15 percent, putting upward pressure on the cost of living for workers whose earnings have consistently steeped in recent times, yet their daily work rate "hustle" have tripled with millions exposed to food-deficiency diseases like chronic organ diseases and failure, cancer, immunity breakdown, poor body development, blood diseases, weight problems, water diseases, etc

Malnutrition and Nutrients-deficiency sicknesses in Nigeria riddles the people's health in forms of:

Nutritional diseases 
• Obesity

• Organ diseases – heart, lungs, liver, kidney, etc
• Immunity diseases
• Body development problems
• Other chronic non-communicable diseases

Lifestyle sicknesses like
• Cancer
• Weight problems
• Sugar diseases – diabetes
• Anemia.

HOW DO WE HELP?

O'Leaf Africa introduces NutriServ into Nigeria Food and Nutrition Market

NutriServ technology uses AI and unstructured data processing to detect & report nutrients levels & gaps, including water hydration in the body and in foods in real-time via smart-devices, and recommends suitable Nutrition and lifestyle as preventive medicines that meet the specific Nutritional needs of each consumer.

NutriServ, an "on-the-go" App-based Nutrition Intelligence System powered by Artificial Intelligence and Data technology will be enabled on your smart devices, and by a swipe of the finger, it can detect and identify the nutrients levels and gaps in the body and in foods and report back to you promptly so you can make informed nutritional, dietary and lifestyle decisions that will improve your health and wellbeing.

FUNCTIONS OF NutriServ

NutriServ collects and processes unstructured data about your epigenetics and microbiomes which are influenced by your lifestyle and dieting habits, then uses the outcome to identify and report your eating habits so you can adopt better ones beyond just tracking your calorie intake.

NutriServ uses Nutritional fingerprinting and Imaging to identify the nutrients levels, water levels, and energy levels in the body and in fresh or processed foods; then report them in real time via simple readable texts or audio on the user's smart devices.

NutriServ algorithms recognize food items in images via your device lens to help the consumer see the nutritional profile of the foods they consume so that they can track their nutritional intake more easily by learning their preferred foods.

NutriServ recommends suitable foods and lifestyle according to the specific body nutritional need of the consumer, and

helps them prevent the risk consequences of nutrition-related diseases.

NutriServ will help to multiply the impact of Nutrition over more people per time without

multiplying cost on them.

NutriServ is to be delivered through flexible subscription plan model which allows users to select monthly – annual payment plans.

TARGET USERS

NutriServ is a remote Nutrition Doctor in your smart device. It is recommended for:

• Workers in corporate organisations.

• Business people

• Patients in hospitals and the recovering persons

• Students

• Parents, Singles, Oldies on Nutritional management programs

People with:

• Food health consciousness.

• Chronic disease

• Organ sickness

• Cancer, Anemia

• Weight problems

• Diabetics

• Immunity problems

HOW NutriServ WILL CHANGE HOW WE LIVE

In the past, dieticians and nutritionists would develop general dietary guidelines to be followed by everyone without taking into consideration the unique nutritional profile and need of individual persons which often differ.

NutriServ comes to improve this defective traditional nutritional methods used in the food and health industry by infusing AI Nutrition to identify specific nutrients levels and their gaps in foods and the body and how they impact consumer health, and provides personal recommendations for required diets, supplements, and lifestyle based on the unique

nutritional profile and need of the individual.

Food Nutrition pattern is an important factor in disease prevention and lifestyle improvement as changes in diet affect the evolution of chronic non-communicable diseases (CNCD) like cardiovascular diseases, obesity, and depression.

NutriServ will change how we eat.

NutriServ will improve how we use foods to manage our health and prevent deadly diseases.

It will improve consumer eating habits and lifestyle.

With NutriServ, individuals can have improved health and longevity even more affordably.

𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐃𝐞𝐡𝐲𝐝𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐢𝐬 𝐌𝐚𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐒𝐢𝐜𝐤 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐅𝐚𝐭

Fatigue: water is the body's most vital source of energy. Dehydration causes all enzymatic activities in the body to slow down resulting into body weakness and fatigue.

Weight Gain: when dehydrated, your body cannot eliminate toxins effectively thus storing them inside fat cells. The body now won't be able to release the fats unless it is sufficiently hydrated to safely remove all those toxins.

Premature Ageing: when chronically dehydrated, the body's organs including the largest organ, the skin starts to wrinkle and wither prematurely. 

High Blood Pressure: the blood is by default 92% water when your body is adequately hydrated. When you're dehydrated, the blood becomes thicker causing resistance to its flow and resulting into elevated blood pressure.

Skin Disorders: dehydration impairs elimination of toxins through the skin, and makes it more vulnerable all types of skins disorders like premature wrinkling and discoloration; dermatitis and psoriasis.

Asthma and Allergies: when dehydrated, your body restricts airways as it's natural means to conserve water. In fact, the rate of histamine produced by the body increases exponentially as the body loses more water.

High Cholesterol: When the body is dehydrated, it produces more cholesterols to prevent water loss from its cells.

Bladder or Kidney Problems: with dehydrated body, accumulation of toxins and acid wastes create an environment where bacteria thrives. This makes the bladder or kidney to become prone to infection, inflammation, and pains.

Digestive Disorders: a shortage of water and alkaline minerals such as calcium and magnesium can lead to digestive disorders like ulcers, gastritis, and acid reflux.

Constipation: when short of water, the colon is one of the primary regions from the where the body draws water in order to provide water for other critical functions of the body. Without adequate water supply, wastes will move through the large intestine much more slowly and sometimes not at all, resulting into constipation.

Joint Pain and Stiffness: all joints have cartilage padding which is mainly composed of water. When the body is dehydrated, cartilage is weakened, and joint pain is slow. This results into pain and discomfort. 

Factors That Require Increased Water Consumption 

• Exercise 
• Breastfeeding 
• Environment 
• Illness
• Pregnancy 

Important to Note:

The number one source of excessive calories in a person's diet is sugar - based beverages like soda and fruit juices.

Soda = 35g of sugar = 140 calories 

Drinking cold water speeds up your body metabolism to burn calories. The effect of body metabolism begins 10 minutes after consumption of water and peak at 30-40mins after drinking. 

Drinking 2 ounces of water before breakfast, lunch, and dinner, while also cutting back the portions you eat will help you lose weight and keep it off for at least a year.

Whenever you feel thirsty, you are already dehydrated! Drink water

𝐎'𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐟 𝐁𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐑𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐢𝐧 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐱: 𝐁𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐝 𝐌𝐮𝐬𝐜𝐥𝐞 𝐌𝐚𝐬𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐡𝐲 𝐖𝐞𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭

 

• What is O'Leaf Brown Rice Protein Complex?

• Nutritional Facts

• Health Benefits

• How to Use

What is O'Leaf Brown Rice Protein Complex?

O’Leaf Brown Rice Protein Complex is a complete superfood that is not just for getting fit, but is a type of protein dietary food that improve liver and heart function and regulate your cholesterol, while building your muscle mass and maintain your healthy weight gain.

We are glad to introduce O'Leaf Brown Rice Protein Complex to you. The best natural Superfoods complex with zero preservatives specially formulated for athletes, gym users, and people looking to enhance their fitness results. You now have more than whey protein to choose from. 

This nutrients powerhouse is best fit for people looking to avoid dairy and soy foods or are a vegan. From kids, to teens, active adults to oldies, this Superfoods complex is something you do not want to miss in your diet plan.

One reason to use O’Leaf Brown Rice Protein Complex is due to its unique peptides that builds muscle mass and reduce excess weight more than those in white rice protein or soy protein.

Brown rice protein powder has recently gained more popularity as a top vegan protein food since it’s rich with the benefits of plant-base nutrients. According to 2013 Nutrition Journal study, brown rice protein is just as effective as whey protein in supplementing body composition and exercise performance. 

Today, more health-conscious people are turning to it as a staple of a high-protein, plant-rich diet for their families.

O’Leaf Brown Rice Protein Complex is packed with incredible antioxidants and diverse nutrients which support weight management,  muscle building, cholesterol control, liver and heart health. 

Nutritional Facts

Are you vegetarian/vegan or just cutting animal products out of your diet for a day? Your body still need to get the same protein and amino acids that animal proteins provide for it to function well, and plant-based proteins can still do just that.

However, your regular brown rice does not provide all of the 9 essential amino acid compounds that the body needs. It is for this reason that O’Leaf Brown Rice Protein complex is made. It contains quinoa or chia proteins and red skin potatoes to compensate for what the brown rice lacks; it comes with natural super fruit variants like Berries, all of which complete this special superfood with all nine essential amino acids.

It is hypoallergenic, and packed with plant-based nutrients to aid in muscle recovery, fat burning, stabilizing blood sugar and more.

Each scoop (about 25 grams) of O’Leaf Brown Rice Protein Complex contains:

• 100 calories

• 2 grams carbohydrates

• 20 grams protein

• 2 gram fat

• 2 grams fiber

• 5 milligrams iron (30 percent DV)

• 39 milligrams calcium (4 percent DV)

• 44 milligrams vitamin C (70 percent DV)

Health Benefits

1. Helps in Weight Management 

It’s a peptide – rich protein that reduces excess weight gain and increase muscle mass to keep in perfect healthy weight and balance. It is far better than those in white rice protein or soy protein. 

2. Reduces Glycemic Response

Every time you consume any type of nutrient, whether high or low on the glycemic index, your body elicits a glycemic response. Simply stated, nutrition affects your blood sugar levels, meaning your blood glucose and insulin levels rise after eating and then return to “fasting” levels after a couple of hours.

It’s important to maintain a healthy A1C blood glucose level (average blood glucose over a period of two or three months), especially for individuals with diabetes or pre-diabetic conditions, and women who are pregnant or trying to get pregnant. That’s why you want to be aware of blood sugar spikes, which can cause you to feel fatigued after eating, blur your vision and give you a general ill feeling all over. Long term, these spikes can lead to an elevated A1C level, which can contribute to heart disease, as well as other serious health complications.

This brown rice protein complex reduce glycemic response across the board by significantly impacting the severity of blood sugar spikes and regulating your glucose levels.

3. Improves Liver Function

O’Leaf Brown rice protein is a powerful antioxidant which help prevent specific types of cell damage, especially damage caused by oxidation (free radical formation caused by oxygen molecules traveling freely in the body), which can cause liver disease. It prevents some oxidative stress on the liver and protect against injury from further oxidation. The antioxidants are also “hepatoprotective”  — put simply, that it protects your liver against oxidative damage.

4. Regulates Cholesterol

While there are many conflicting ideas regarding cholesterol levels, it is important to note that healthy cholesterol levels can be reached by eating diets high in healthy fats and cholesterol. Yes, you read that right! (Low cholesterol levels are actually more dangerous than high levels.)

O’Leaf Brown rice protein is a great step in achieving your goal of cholesterol regulation. The peptides in it also help your liver to synthesize the cholesterol created by the liver itself and by other cells in the body.

5. Great for Heart and Kidney Health

It’s no surprise, then, that this protein is also associated with heart health! Over the last couple of decades in the 20th century, a study was conducted with over 29,000 postmenopausal women, following them to discover incidences of cancer, coronary heart disease and death.

Participants who developed coronary heart disease (CHD) over the course of the study had a 30 percent lower mortality rate when they consumed vegetable proteins over animal proteins! A higher mortality rate of CHD patients was associated with high consumption rates of dairy products.

6. Hypoallergenic and Easy to Digest

I mentioned above that sprouted brown rice protein powder is both gluten- and dairy-free. Very few people are allergic to brown rice protein, unlike whey, which is not generally recommended for people with lactose or gluten intolerance.

In addition to its hypoallergenic qualities, sprouted brown rice protein is extremely easy to digest and is unlikely to bother your stomach.

How to Use

O’Leaf Brown Rice Protein complex can be consumed in shakes and smoothies. It has a very mild, sweet flavor and mixes well into smoothies.

O’Leaf Brown Rice Protein complex can be eaten as a breakfast meal, lunch, or dinner. Simply place 250ml of your favourite natural milk (almond or coconut milk) in a saucepan and heat to boil. Next, mix 1 – 2 scoops of O’Leaf Brown Rice Protein Complex in a bowl of 150ml water and stir thoroughly, then transfer into the boiling milk and mix for 5-7mins. Then serve with your favourite O’Leaf fruit sugar or O’Leaf date syrup.

𝐌𝐄𝐃𝐈𝐂𝐀𝐋 𝐏𝐑𝐎𝐁𝐋𝐄𝐌𝐒 𝐘𝐎𝐔 𝐂𝐀𝐍 𝐌𝐀𝐍𝐀𝐆𝐄 𝐖𝐈𝐓𝐇 𝐓𝐎𝐌𝐀𝐓𝐎𝐄𝐒

Tomatoes are extremely powerful organic chemical vegetables which when consumed, are metabolized in the stomach to help to manage some medical problems that affect the body.

How does this work?

When farm fresh & raw tomatoes are ingested, they are broken down in the body to release their lycopene compound which binds up toxins and cholesterols (bad fats) generated in the body, and breaks them down into less reactive substances which are ejected out of the body. 

What are The Health-Effect of This Action?

This action:

• Reduces internal body inflammation.
• Reduces clogging of the blood vessels.
• Protects the cells from wearing out in damage due to oxidative reactions from free radicals. Hence keeps your visible skins younger and slows ageing lines.
• Reduces the stretching of arteries in the brain that can harm the nerves and trigger stroke. Impliedly, farm fresh tomatoes prevent the occurrence of strokes in the body. 

These are Critical Medical Problems you can Manage with Tomato Juice

1.  Stops abnormal growth of cells in the lungs, prostate, and heart, hence, reduces the risk of having heart disease, prostate cancer, and lung cancer.

To achieve this blend your farm  fresh red Tomato fruits into juice and drink daily.

2. Greatly reduces the risk of blood cloting as the chemical substances in the fruit form a protective layer or coating on the walls of arteries and veins that carry blood.

To achieve this, juice your farm fresh red Tomato fruits and drink daily.

3. Prevent wrinkle formation on the skin and also protects the skin cells from infection and other skin diseases.

To achieve this, add small amount of olive oil or virgin coconut oil to your cup of tomato juice and drink daily.

How To Use

1. Wash the tomatoes fruits with sufficient water and juice them in a blender to release the lycopene which clings to the cell walls of the body of tomatoes. 
2. Drink the Juice Daily so that the lycopene compounds can be absorbed into the bloodstream for us in the body. 
3. You may also consume tomatoes by slicing them with a knife and chewing them in the mouth. You can also cut them into rings or curves and spread on your meals. This allows all the nutrients to get into your body.
4. You may choose to cook your tomatoes with pepper and other food spices, healthy fish like salmon and white meat like chicken or turkey. The nutrients in tomatoes are extracted by the body during digestion.

𝐀𝐯𝐨𝐢𝐝 𝐊𝐢𝐝𝐧𝐞𝐲 𝐅𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐮𝐫𝐞: 𝐆𝐨 𝐙𝐞𝐫𝐨 𝐨𝐧 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐬𝐞 𝐁𝐚𝐬𝐢𝐜 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬

1. Alcoholic Drinks

Taking more than 4 alcoholic drinks daily puts you at risk of chronic renal disease increased by a factor of two.

1bottle of alcohol should not cost you a N10m kidney transplant marred by slim chances of survival. 

Don't sell your business or jeopardize your family to stay alive.

Respect your body with wholesome foods!

2. Painkillers

Popping pills daily to numb a persistent headache might ease your discomfort, but it sure puts you at risk of renal failure & cancer.

Don't be a drug addict! Speak to a nutritionist!

3. High Phosphate Foods

Most phosphate-rich foods are toxic with negative impact on your renal or kidney function and your blood arteries.

You see processed meals like deli meats in the mall, as well as cola beverage drinks,  avoid them! 

While they are exciting your taste buds, they're dropping high quantities of phosphorus into your bloodstream.

4. Red Meat

Please adults reduce red meats, if you can, go zero! Red meat is very high in proteins.

Don't stress your busy kidneys with excessively high proteins when they're already discharging digested ones, as well  as creatinine and metabolites, through urine.

If your uric acid levels rise, you won't escape kidney stones, next is renal (kidney) damage & failure.

Culled from O'Leaf Nutrihealth program

A healthy society is possible if we all embrace good and wholesome food nutrition.

𝟏𝟎 𝐙𝐢𝐧𝐜 𝐏𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐅𝐨𝐨𝐝𝐬

Written by Prosper Williams, Thursday 16, June, 2022
O'Leaf Africa NutriHealth June 2022.

Zinc is a mineral that’s essential for good health. Zinc is an essential mineral, and eating enough is important for maintaining good health.

The best way to ensure you are getting enough is to eat a varied diet with good sources of zinc, such as meat, seafood, nuts, seeds, legumes and dairy.

These foods can be easy and delicious additions to your diet.

It’s required for the functions of over 300 enzymes and involved in many important processes in your body.

It metabolizes nutrients, maintains your immune system and grows and repairs body tissues.

Your body doesn’t store zinc, so you need to eat enough every day to ensure you’re meeting your daily requirements.

It’s recommended that men eat 11 mg of zinc per day, while women need 8 mg. However, if you’re pregnant, you’ll need 11 mg per day, and if you’re breastfeeding, you’ll need 12 mg.

Some people are at risk of a zinc deficiency, including young children, teenagers, the elderly and women who are pregnant or breastfeeding.

These are Top 10 Zinc Powerhouse Foods.

1. Meat

Meat is an excellent source of zinc.

Red meat is a particularly great source, but ample amounts can be found in all different kinds of meat, including beef, lamb and pork.

In fact, a 100-gram (3.5-ounce) serving of raw ground beef contains 4.8 mg of zinc, which is 44% of the Daily Value (DV).

This amount of meat also provides 176 calories, 20 grams of protein and 10 grams of fat. Plus, it’s a great source of many other important nutrients, such as iron, B vitamins and creatine.

It’s worth noting that eating large amounts of red meat, especially processed meat, has been linked to an increased risk of heart disease and some cancers.

However, as long as you keep your intake of processed meats to a minimum and consume unprocessed red meats as part of a diet rich in fruits, vegetables and fiber, this probably isn’t something you need to worry about.

2. Shellfish

Shellfish are healthy, low-calorie sources of zinc. Shellfish like oysters, crab, mussels and shrimp can all contribute to your daily zinc needs.

Oysters contain particularly high amounts, with 6 medium oysters providing 32 mg, or 291% of the DV.

Other types of shellfish contain less zinc than oysters but are still good sources.

In fact, Nigerian crab contains 7.6 mg per 100 grams (3.5 ounces), which is is 69% of the DV. Smaller shellfish like shrimp and mussels are also good sources, both containing 14% of the DV per 100 grams (3.5 ounces). 

However, if you are pregnant, make sure shellfish are completely cooked before you eat them to minimize the risk of food poisoning.

3. Legumes

Legumes contain high amounts of zinc. However, they also contain phytates, which reduce its absorption. Processing methods like heating, sprouting, soaking or fermenting can help improve its bioavailability.

Legumes like chickpeas, lentils and beans all contain substantial amounts of zinc.

In fact, 100 grams of cooked lentils contain around 12% of the DV.

However, they also contain phytates. These antinutrients inhibit the absorption of zinc and other minerals, meaning zinc from legumes isn’t as well absorbed as the zinc from animal products.

Despite this, they can be an important source of zinc for people following vegan or vegetarian diets. They are also an excellent source of protein and fiber and can be easily added to soups, stews and salads.

Heating, sprouting, soaking or fermenting plant sources of zinc like legumes can increase this mineral’s bioavailability.

4. Seeds

Seeds are a healthy addition to your diet and can help increase your zinc intake. Some seeds like hemp, pumpkin, squash and sesame seeds contain significant amounts of zinc. They are also a good source of fiber, healthy fats and vitamins, making them a healthy addition to your diet.

However, some seeds are better choices than others.

For example, 3 tablespoons (30 grams) of hemp seeds contain 31% and 43% of the recommended daily intake for men and women, respectively.

Other seeds containing significant amounts of zinc include squash, pumpkin and sesame seeds. 

In addition to boosting your zinc intake, seeds contain fiber, healthy fats, vitamins and minerals, making them an excellent addition to your diet.

Including them as part of a healthy diet has also been linked to some health benefits, including reduced cholesterol and blood pressure. 

To add hemp, flax, pumpkin or squash seeds into your diet, you can try adding them to salads, soups, yogurts or other foods.

5. Nuts

Eating nuts such as pine nuts, peanuts, cashews and almonds can boost your intake of zinc.

Nuts also contain other healthy nutrients, including healthy fats and fiber, as well as a number of other vitamins and minerals.

If you’re looking for a nut high in zinc, cashews are a good choice. A 1-ounce (28-gram) serving contains 15% of the DV.

Nuts are also a quick and convenient snack and have been linked to a reduction in risk factors for some diseases, like heart disease, cancer and diabetes. 

What’s more, people who eat nuts tend to live longer than those who don’t, making nuts a very healthy addition to your diet.

6. Dairy

Dairy foods like cheese and milk provide a host of nutrients, including zinc.

Milk and cheese are two notable sources, as they contain high amounts of bioavailable zinc, meaning most of the zinc in these foods can be absorbed by your body.

For example, 100 grams of cheddar cheese contains about 28% of the DV, while a single cup of full-fat milk contains around 9%. 

These foods also come with a number of other nutrients considered important for bone health, including protein, calcium and vitamin D.

7. Eggs

Eggs contain a moderate amount of zinc and can help you meet your daily target. 

For example, 1 large egg contains around 5% of the Daily Value (DV)

This comes with 77 calories, 6 grams of protein, 5 grams of healthy fats and a host of other vitamins and minerals, including B vitamins and selenium.

Whole eggs are also an important source of choline, a nutrient that most people aren’t getting enough of.

8. Whole Grains

Whole grains like wheat, quinoa, rice and oats contain some zinc.

However, like legumes, grains contain phytates, which bind to zinc and reduce its absorption.

Whole grains contain more phytates than refined versions and will likely provide less zinc.

However, they are considerably better for your health and a good source of many important nutrients like fiber, B vitamins, magnesium, iron, phosphorus, manganese and selenium.

In fact, eating whole grains has been linked to a longer life and number of other health benefits, including a reduced risk of obesity, type two diabetes and heart disease. 

9. Some Vegetables

In general, fruits and vegetables are poor sources of zinc.

However, some vegetables contain reasonable amounts and can contribute to your daily needs, especially if you don’t eat meat.

Potatoes, both regular and sweet varieties, contain approximately 1 mg per large potato, which is 9% of the DV. 

Other vegetables like green beans and kale contain less, at around 3% of the DV per 100 grams. 

Although they don’t contain a lot of zinc, eating a diet rich in vegetables has been linked to a reduced risk of chronic diseases like heart disease and cancer.

10. Dark Chocolate

Perhaps surprisingly, dark chocolate contains reasonable amounts of zinc.

In fact, a 100-gram (3.5-ounce) bar of 70–85% dark chocolate contains 3.3 mg of zinc, or 30% of the DV.

However, 100 grams of dark chocolate also contain 600 calories. So while it provides some healthy nutrients, it is a high-calorie food.

While you may get some added nutrients with your treat, it’s not a food you should be relying on as your main source of zinc.

𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐍𝐞𝐞𝐝 𝐙𝐢𝐧𝐜 𝐃𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐲

Written by Prosper Williams on Thursday 16, June, 2022

Zinc is a vital mineral, meaning that your body can’t produce or store it. So you must obtain it through constant food or supplements supply via your diet.

Zinc is an essential mineral that your body does not make on its own. It aids growth, DNA synthesis, immune function and more.

Zinc supports growth during childhood and the immune system. Low zinc levels can increase a person’s risk of disease and illness. Because of its role in immune function, zinc is likewise added to some nasal sprays, lozenges and other natural cold treatments. 

Zinc supports a number of human body activities such as:

• Gene expression

• Enzymatic reactions

• Immune function

• Protein synthesis

• DNA synthesis

• Wound healing

• Growth and development

Zinc is naturally found in a wide variety of both plant and animal foods.

Foods that do not naturally contain zinc such as snack bars and baking flour, are often fortified with synthetic form of zinc. You can take up zinc from zinc supplements or multi-nutrient supplements that provide zinc.

What Zinc Does in Your Body

Your body uses zinc in countless ways:

• It is the second-most-abundant trace mineral in your body after iron and is present in every cell for cellular activities.

• Zinc enables body growth and development because of its role in cell growth and division.

• Zinc enables the activity of over 300 enzymes that aid in metabolism, digestion, nerve function and many other processes.

• Zinc is critical for the development and function of immune cells.

• Zinc is fundamental to skin health, DNA synthesis and protein production.

• Zinc is needed for your senses of taste and smell. Because one of the enzymes crucial for proper taste and smell is dependent on this nutrient, a zinc deficiency can reduce your ability to taste or smell.

In summary, zinc is essential for cell growth and division, immune function, enzyme reactions, DNA synthesis and protein production.

Health Benefits of Zinc

• Boosts Your Immune System – Zinc helps keep your immune system strong. Due to its importance in immune cell function and cell signaling, a body deficient of zinc weak in immune response. Zinc supplements stimulate particular immune cells and reduce oxidative stress. For example, a review of seven studies demonstrated that 80–92 mg per day of zinc reduces the length of the common cold by up to 33%. In addition, zinc supplements significantly reduce the risk of infections and promote immune response in older adults.

• Accelerates Wound Healing

Zinc is commonly used in hospitals as a treatment for burns, certain ulcers and other skin injuries because it plays critical roles in collagen synthesis, immune function and inflammatory response, it is necessary for proper healing.

In fact, your skin holds a relatively high amount — about 5% — of your body’s zinc content.

A zinc deficiency can slow wound healing, supplementing with zinc can speed recovery in people with wounds.

For example, in a 12-week study in 60 people with diabetic foot ulcers, those treated with 200 mg of zinc per day experienced significant reductions in ulcer size compared to a placebo group.

• Can Reduce the Risk of Certain Age-Related Diseases

Zinc can significantly reduce your risk of age-related diseases, such as pneumonia, infection and age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

Zinc can relieve oxidative stress and improve immune response by boosting the activity of T-cells and natural killer cells, which help protect your body from infection.

Older adults who supplement with zinc experience improved influenza vaccination response, reduced risk of pneumonia and boosted. 

In fact, one study determined that 45 mg per day of elemental zinc may decrease the incidence of infection in older adults by nearly 66%.

Additionally, in a large study in over 4,200 people, taking daily Antioxidants supplements — vitamin E, vitamin C and beta-carotene — plus 80 mg of zinc decreased vision loss and significantly reduced the risk of advanced AMD.

• Can Treat Acne

Acne is a common skin disease that is estimated to affect up to 9.4% of the global population. Acne is driven by obstruction of oil-producing glands, bacteria and inflammation.

Studies suggest that both topical and oral zinc treatments can effectively treat acne by reducing inflammation, inhibiting the growth of P. acnes bacteria and suppressing oily gland activity.

People with acne tend to have lower levels of zinc. Therefore, supplements can help reduce symptoms.

• Decreases Inflammation

Zinc decreases oxidative stress and reduces levels of certain inflammatory proteins in your body.

Oxidative stress leads to chronic inflammation, a contributing factor in a wide array of chronic illnesses, such as heart disease, cancer and mental decline

In a study in 40 older adults, those who took 45 mg of zinc per day experienced greater reductions in inflammatory markers than a placebo group.

Zinc Deficiency Symptoms

Although severe zinc deficiency is rare, it can occur in people with rare genetic mutations, breastfeeding infants whose mothers don’t have enough zinc, people with alcohol addictions and anyone taking certain immune-suppressing medications.

Symptoms of severe zinc deficiency include impaired growth and development, delayed sexual maturity, skin rashes, chronic diarrhoea, impaired wound healing and behavioural issues.

Milder forms of zinc deficiency are more common, especially in children in developing countries where diets are often lacking in important nutrients.

It is estimated that around 2.5 billion people worldwide are deficient in zinc due to inadequate dietary intake.

Since zinc deficiency impairs your immune system — increasing the chances of infection — zinc deficiency is thought to cause over 450,000 deaths in children under 5 every year.

Who is at Risk of Zinc Deficiency?

• People with gastrointestinal diseases like Crohn’s disease

• Vegetarians and Vegans – yes, you read that! Vegans!

• Pregnant and breastfeeding women

• Older infants who are exclusively breastfed

• People with sickle cell anaemia

• People who are Malnourished, including those with anorexia or bulimia

• People with chronic kidney disease

• Those who abuse alcohol

Symptoms of Mild Zinc Deficiency

Symptoms of mild zinc deficiency include diarrhea, decreased immunity, thinning hair, decreased appetite, mood disturbances, dry skin, fertility issues and impaired wound healing.

Zinc deficiency is difficult to detect using laboratory tests due to your body’s tight control over zinc levels. Thus, you may still be deficient even if tests indicate normal levels.

Doctors consider other risk factors — such as poor dietary intake and genetics — alongside blood results when determining whether you need supplements.

In summary, the riisk factors for zinc deficiency include insufficient dietary intake, poor absorption, alcoholism, genetic mutations and old age.

Food Sources of Zinc

Many animal and plant foods are naturally rich in zinc, making it easy for most people to consume adequate amounts.

Foods highest in zinc include:

• Shellfish: Oysters, crab, mussels, lobster and clams

• Meat: Beef, pork, lamb and bison

• Poultry: Turkey and chicken

• Fish: Flounder, sardines, salmon and sole

• Legumes: Chickpeas, lentils, black beans, kidney beans, etc.

• Nuts and seeds: Pumpkin seeds, cashews, hemp seeds, etc.

• Dairy products: Milk, yogurt and cheese

• Eggs

• Whole grains: Oats, quinoa, brown rice, etc.

• Certain vegetables: Mushrooms, Kale, peas, asparagus and beet greens

Animal products, such as meat and shellfish, contain high amounts of zinc in a form that your body easily absorbs.

Key to note that zinc found in plant-based food sources like legumes and whole grains is absorbed less efficiently because of other plant compounds that inhibit absorption.

While many foods are naturally high in zinc, certain foods — such as ready-to-eat breakfast cereals, snack bars and baking flours — are fortified with zinc.

What Dosage of Zinc is Recommended and at what Dosage is it toxic?

Just as a deficiency in zinc can cause health complications, excessive intake can also lead to negative side effects.

The most common cause of zinc toxicity is too much supplemental zinc, which can cause both acute and chronic symptoms.

Symptoms of toxicity include:

• Nausea and vomiting

• Loss of appetite

• Diarrhea

• Abdominal cramps

• Headaches

• Reduced immune function

• Decreased “good” HDL cholesterol levels

Ingesting too much zinc can also cause deficiencies in other nutrients.

For example, chronic high zinc ingestion can interfere with your absorption of copper and iron.

Reductions in copper levels have even been reported in people consuming only moderately high doses of zinc — 60 mg per day — for 10 weeks.

Recommended Zinc Dosages

• The recommended daily intake (RDI) is 11 mg for adult men and 8 mg for adult women.

• Pregnant and breastfeeding women should consume 11 and 12 mg per day, respectively.

• Unless a medical condition is hindering absorption, you should easily reach the RDI for zinc through diet alone.

• The tolerable upper level for zinc is 40 mg per day. However, this does not apply to people with zinc deficiencies, who may need to take high-dose supplements.

• If you do zinc supplements, do zinc citrate or zinc gluconate that are easily absorbed. Stay off zinc oxide – it is poorly absorbed.