Oysters contain more zinc per serving than any other food, but red meat and poultry provide the majority of zinc in the American diet. * Adequate Intake (AI) Sources of Zinc FoodĪ wide variety of foods contain zinc (Table 2). Table 1: Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDAs) for Zinc Age For infants aged 0 to 6 months, the FNB established an AI for zinc that is equivalent to the mean intake of zinc in healthy, breastfed infants. The current RDAs for zinc are listed in Table 1. Tolerable Upper Intake Level (UL): Maximum daily intake unlikely to cause adverse health effects.
Estimated Average Requirement (EAR): Average daily level of intake estimated to meet the requirements of 50% of healthy individuals usually used to assess the nutrient intakes of groups of people and to plan nutritionally adequate diets for them can also be used to assess the nutrient intakes of individuals.Adequate Intake (AI): Intake at this level is assumed to ensure nutritional adequacy established when evidence is insufficient to develop an RDA.Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA): Average daily level of intake sufficient to meet the nutrient requirements of nearly all (97%–98%) healthy individuals often used to plan nutritionally adequate diets for individuals.These values, which vary by age and gender, include the following: DRI is the general term for a set of reference values used for planning and assessing nutrient intakes of healthy people. Intake recommendations for zinc and other nutrients are provided in the Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs) developed by the Food and Nutrition Board (FNB) at the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies (formerly National Academy of Sciences). A daily intake of zinc is required to maintain a steady state because the body has no specialized zinc storage system. Zinc also supports normal growth and development during pregnancy, childhood, and adolescence and is required for proper sense of taste and smell. It is required for the catalytic activity of approximately 100 enzymes and it plays a role in immune function, protein synthesis, wound healing, DNA synthesis, and cell division. Zinc is involved in numerous aspects of cellular metabolism. Zinc is also found in many cold lozenges and some over-the-counter drugs sold as cold remedies. Zinc is an essential mineral that is naturally present in some foods, added to others, and available as a dietary supplement. For a reader-friendly overview of Zinc, see our consumer fact sheet on Zinc.įor information on zinc and COVID-19, see Dietary Supplements in the Time of COVID-19. This is a fact sheet intended for health professionals.