Question
I have seen there is a lot of zinc in raw poultry but when you cook it does the zinc count go down? I have low blood levels of zinc in my body and I need to know what food I need to eat to get more zinc in my diet.
Answer
According to the USA Department of Agriculture, nutrient database, cooked chicken has moderately more zinc than raw chicken:
- 100g chicken, broilers or fryers, back, meat & skin, raw
Zinc = 1.26 - 100g chicken, broilers or fryers, back, meat & skin, roasted
Zinc = 2.25mg
Chicken, while a good protein source, is not the best source of zinc.
The best sources of zinc are as follows:
- Raw, wild oysters (6 medium): zinc = 76.28mg
- Turkey neck meat, cooked (152g – 1 neck): zinc = 10.82mg
- Beef, chuck, blade roast (85 or 1 oz): zinc = 8.73mg
- Beef, chuck, blade roast, lean (85 or 3 oz): zinc = 7.00mg
- Alaska king crab, cooked (85 or 3 oz): zinc = 6.48mg
- Lamb, domestic, shoulder meat (85 or 3 oz): zinc = 6.21mg
In addition to this, some types of breakfast cereals have zinc added to them, at varying levels, which are also a good addition to the diet for increasing zinc intake. When you go shopping, have a look at the ingredients list and note if zinc is one of the ingredients (it will usually be near the end of the list). Breakfast cereals with added zinc will help boost your zinc intake, as you can eat them most days.
Please note that the information provided is for educational purposes only and is not meant to diagnose or treat medical conditions. Consult with your medical physician regarding appropriateness of using supplements in your healing process.
