Are you taking too much zinc?

Nugget of the Week

Remember during the pandemic, everyone and their great uncle was taking extra zinc to stay healthy? Yeah, me too. This immune-boosting mineral can be super helpful in the acute phase of an illness or injury, but if you’re still taking a high dose four years later, you shouldn’t be.

The recommended daily dose of zinc is about 8mg for women and 11mg for men and it’s best to not exceed 40mg per day. If you’re including high-zinc foods in your diet, you probably don’t need a supplement at all. And if you’re taking a daily multivitamin, you definitely don’t.

That said, if you feel a cold coming on or you have a surgical wound you’re trying to heal ASAP, you can up the dose to around 100mg, but only do that for a week or two max. Taking high doses for much longer than that can actually backfire.

Too much zinc can cause:

1. GI symptoms like nausea, vomiting, diarrhea

2. Lowered HDL aka “good” cholesterol

3. Altered taste

4. Anemia, neutropenia (really low white blood count)

5. Lower immunity (!!)

Resources

1. 10 Foods high in zinc

2. If you need a clean multi, I like Nature Made.

Q+A

Q: Can I eat fruit if I have diabetes?

A. Yes! It just needs to be paired with a good amount of fat… and I probably wouldn’t eat more than two servings per day.

Fat-pairing examples:

1. 1 Apple + 1-2 Tbsp full fat peanut butter

2. 1 Banana + handful of nuts (any nut is fine)

3. 1 Cup berries + homemade whipped cream

4. 1 Cup Grapes + 1-2 oz full fat cheese

Recipe

Homemade Low-Sugar Whipped Cream

Ingredients:

1. 1 Pint heavy cream (I like 365 brand because it’s a super clean ingredient list)

2. 1/4 to 1/3 cup real maple syrup

Directions:

1. Whip the cream until it’s pretty firm.

2. Drizzled maple syrup to taste.

3. Serve immediately.

How-To Library

1. Lower Cholesterol Naturally

2. Eat for Mental Health

3. Make Better Smoothies

Disclosures:

This is not medical advice. Speak to your doctor before taking supplements or making any major dietary and / or lifestyle changes.

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