A-Z of immunity

Zinc flowers as an unbeatable nutrient ninja especially during the pandemic, for boosting immunity, writes Shilpi Madan

With the pandemic still not behind us, we need to bring in resilient, robust boosters for our natural immune system. Plenty has been written about the all-important Vitamin C — that doesn’t function like a lone ranger. It needs the trace mineral zinc in sufficient quantity to work wonders.

The presence of sufficient reserves of zinc in the body is important for a proper sense of smell, and taste. The mineral plays a pivotal role in protein synthesis and enzyme production. Here are sources from the plant and animal kingdom to bring into your diet…

Break the fast

Dietitian Vidhi Chawla says that, “For breakfast, you should simply eat oats. This is the simplest way to increase zinc intake. Consume in the forms of oats porridge, chilla, meal... Eggs are zinc-rich too.” Spinach comes strapped with the mineral for easy inclusion in parathas and theplas. A cup of cooked spinach contains 1.4mg of zinc, which accounts for 9% of our daily zinc requirement.

“The amount of zinc absorbed when we consume it, plays the biggest role in its absorption. More zinc is consumed as we eat more zinc, but the level of the zinc absorbed can then even decrease,” points out Preety Tyagi, a health coach, and nutritionist. “Antibiotics and diuretics, for example, can interfere with zinc absorption. If the zinc levels are low, consult your doctor about the drugs you are taking,” adds Preety.

Keep in mind that if you are taking any zinc supplements, certain foods should be taken after a two-hour break for bettering zinc absorption. These include whole-grain bread, cereals, eggs, dairy foods and fibre-rich preparations. “Dietary fibre is not well digested in most cases, and the presence of excess fibre in the diet can inhibit zinc absorption by binding on to it. This extra fibre is found in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Hence, to maximise on your dietary supplement, consume the dose after a gap of two hours from your intake,” explains Vidhi.

Meal station

While the animal kingdom food sources are replete in zinc, there are fewer sources in the plant kingdom. “The best sources for vegetarians are legumes and beans, such as moong, kidney beans, white-eyed beans, whole grains including whole wheat, millets, and barley,” says Preety. “For non-vegetarians, poultry, seafood, oysters, red meat, and eggs are rich sources. Nut smoothies, legume salads are great ways to bring in better intake. Try replacing refined wheat with whole grains and whole flour, and consume protein-rich foods to better zinc absorption,” suggests Preety. “Zinc can also be supplemented in the diet by using treated (galvanised) cookware,” adds Vidhi.

Nibble point

Snack healthy to up the intake of the mineral. It is easy to sprinkle seeds and nuts in salads and on freshly chopped fruits. “Sunflower seeds, macadamia nuts, Brazil nuts, and flax seeds are excellent sources,” says Preety. “Zinc-rich snacks include nut bars, whole grain energy bars, raw nuts and seeds, nut butter, almond milk, cashew milk, and dairy products such as fruit yoghurt, milk, and cheese.”

“Phytates are compounds found in legumes, whole grains, and some other plant foods that inhibit zinc absorption. If you eat a lot of fibre, particularly if you get most of it from bread and cereals, then the consumption of phytates is high, which can make it difficult to meet your zinc needs. Soaking beans, seeds, and grains for a few hours before cooking them, as well as eating leavened bread instead of unleavened bread, will help reduce your phytate intake and enable you to absorb more zinc from these foods,” explains Vidhi. She recommends munching on almonds, pistachios, pecans, walnuts, or cashews as an afternoon or mid-morning snack. “The high protein content of the nuts boosts zinc absorption,” she says. “Peanuts also contain a variety of nutrients that are good for your heart. Niacin, magnesium, copper, zinc, and other antioxidants are among them. The best way to eat them is probably straight from the shell. When you sit down to watch a late-night comedy, grab a couple of peanuts to crack and snack on,” she adds.