Zinc is an essential mineral vital for numerous bodily functions, including immune health, wound healing, and DNA synthesis. While often associated with animal products, zinc can be readily obtained from a variety of plant-based sources. This article explores the importance of zinc, its health benefits, vegan sources, and tips for maximizing its absorption.
Why is Zinc Important?
Zinc is a trace mineral found in every cell of your body and is required for the activity of more than 300 enzymes. It is essential, meaning your body cannot produce it on its own, so it must be obtained through diet. Zinc plays an active role in everything from immune health to wound healing, making daily consumption crucial to meet your needs.
Health Benefits of Zinc
Adequate zinc intake offers many health benefits, including:
Immune Health
Zinc plays an active role in supporting a healthy immune system in several ways. First, it helps maintain physical barriers, like your skin, so pathogens can’t enter your body. Zinc also aids in the formation of germ-fighting white blood cells. Researchers from a 2020 study in the International Journal of Infectious Diseases linked low zinc levels to worse complications and longer hospital stays for those admitted with COVID-19. Zinc is vital for normal immune system function. Many reputable sources report that zinc deficiency impairs immune function. One study on older adults suggests that correcting zinc deficiency can prevent colds and other infections. Prasad et al. (2007, University of Michigan) conducted a randomized, controlled study on zinc supplementation in men and women aged 55 to 87 years. Measurements at baseline suggested that the older participants had, on average, sub-optimal zinc status. The study lasted one year with the treatment group receiving 40 mg of zinc per day. There were 24 people in the treatment group and 25 in the placebo group. At the end of 12 months, fewer participants in the treatment group had experienced infections (29% vs. 88%, P< 0.001), including upper respiratory tract infections (12% vs. 24%, P= 0.136), and common colds (16% vs.
Brain Health
Zinc supports brain health. A review published in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences found that changes in zinc balance within the brain may affect age-related cognitive decline, depression, and Alzheimer's disease. It's not clear that any metals are the cause of Alzheimer’s Disease (AD). A 2011 meta-analysis performed by researchers from Loma Linda University and George Mason University disputes the idea that metals cause Alzheimer’s (Schrag 2011). They conclude that the findings of higher mineral levels in the brain, especially iron, have suffered from citation bias, whereas many of the findings in the literature have shown no increased levels of such metals. A 1998 cross-sectional study found that zinc levels in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) were significantly lower in AD patients than in controls (.12 vs. .22 mg/l) and that serum zinc levels were the same (Molina 1998). A 2006 prospective study found that after 6 years of follow-up, dietary intakes of copper, zinc, and iron were not associated with cognitive decline. Finally, a 2012 study gave patients, with mild to moderate AD, 150 mg of slow-releasing zinc per day for 6 months (Brewer 2012). The zinc supplementation stabilized the AD symptoms, while the placebo group got worse. It wasn’t clear if this study was double-blinded and it could simply be that subjects with mild to moderate AD symptoms had low zinc intakes due to a poor diet, which is not uncommon. However, the researchers believed that it was due to zinc reducing copper levels.
Read also: Vegan Diet for Diabetes Management
Wound Healing
Adequate zinc is important for every step of the wound healing process, from blood clotting to immune defense and skin tissue formation. Low zinc status in hospital patients is tied to longer wound healing time and increased healthcare costs according to a 2018 review in Nutrients. Zinc is vital for wound healing.
Reduced Inflammation
Researchers believe that low zinc status is connected to higher levels of inflammation, per a 2017 review from the Journal of Physiological Sciences. Acute inflammation is a healthy and necessary reaction in the body. But when inflammation lingers and becomes chronic, it increases your risk of diseases, like heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and cancer.
Other Benefits
Zinc is essential for the activity of more than 300 enzymes. These enzymes are involved in critical functions, like DNA and protein synthesis, cellular growth, metabolism, nerve function, healthy digestion, and more. Zinc is important for taste and smell, immunity, growth and development, metabolism, reproduction, and the proper development of the fetus. As an antioxidant, zinc also supports healthy aging and helps the body repair DNA damage caused by environmental factors like toxins, free radicals, poor diet, alcohol, and stress. Zinc is important for hair health as well. It is essential for the functioning of hair follicles, impacting hair growth cycles and aiding in hair follicle recovery.
Vegan Zinc Sources
Although beef, poultry, and dairy are rich in zinc, you can still meet your zinc requirements with plant-based foods. Plant-based foods that are highest in zinc are nuts, seeds, beans, legumes, and whole grains. There are a few vegetables with zinc, but you won’t really find many zinc rich fruits.
Here are some vegan sources of zinc and their approximate zinc content:
Read also: Vegan Diet for Bodybuilding
Nuts and Seeds
- Sesame seeds (¼ cup): 3.3 mg
- Pumpkin seeds (1 oz): 2.2 mg
- Cashews (1 oz): 1.6 mg
- Tahini (2 tablespoons): 1.4 mg
- Squash seeds
Fruits and Vegetables
- Spinach (1 cup cooked): 1.4 mg
- Broccoli (1 cup chopped, cooked): 0.8 mg
- Avocado (½ avocado): 0.5 mg
- Grapefruit
- Kiwi
- Corn
Beans and Legumes
- Vegetarian baked beans (1 cup): 5.8 mg
- Lentils (1 cup cooked): 2.6 mg
- Chickpeas (1 cup cooked): 2.5 mg
Whole Grains
- Oatmeal (1 cup cooked): 1.5 mg
- Quinoa (½ cup cooked): 1 mg
- Wheat
- Rice
- Wild rice
- Fortified cereals
- Wheat germ
- Sprouted grain breads
Other Sources
- Tofu
- Yogurt
- Milk
Tips for Increasing Zinc Availability in Plant-Based Foods
A common concern about relying on plant-based foods for zinc is that the mineral is less bioavailable due to the presence of compounds called phytates in plant foods.
Soaking and Sprouting
You can reduce the binding of zinc to the phytic acid compounds in foods naturally high in phytates (like beans) by soaking or sprouting them. Sprouting helps improve absorption, so sprouted grains, sprouted grain breads, sprouted nuts, and sprouted beans are good sources.
Fermentation
Another strategy for partially destroying phytates in foods is fermentation. For example, this process makes the zinc in tempeh more absorbable.
Heating
To maximize the absorption of zinc from legumes, it is recommended to use processing methods such as heating.
Are Vegans Zinc Deficient?
Some researchers suggest that plant-based eaters should consume as much as 50% more than the RDA for zinc due to reduced absorption rates. However, one of the most recent studies that reviewed the zinc intake of vegans found that those studied had normal blood zinc levels (although they were on the lower end of normal). This may be because adults can adapt to a plant-based diet in ways that help optimize zinc status. Vegans tend to meet the RDA for zinc, but due to zinc being harder to absorb from plant foods, some vegans might need more than the RDA. Research on vegan adults suggests that many vegans might be zinc-deficient, which could impact their immune system. Zinc deficiency among vegans can be caused by a combination of low intakes and a higher amount of phytic acid in plants, which can prevent zinc absorption. It’s prudent for vegans to supplement with 5 to 10 mg of zinc per day.
Read also: Lose Weight with Veganism
Kristensen et al. (Denmark, 2006) analyzed zinc absorption in the same people who took turns eating a lacto-ovo-vegetarian diet and two different meat-based diets. The meat-based diets had a phytic acid to zinc ratio of 9:1, while the vegetarian diet had a ratio of 10:1. The meat-based diets also had more zinc (9.4 and 9.9 mg vs. 7.5 mg).
Klein et al. (Germany, 2023) measured the serum levels of zinc in 40 omnivores, 47 flexitarians, 45 vegetarians, and 40 vegans.
Vallboehmer et al. (Germany, 2025) studied the zinc status of young adults, including 65 omnivores, 45 vegetarians, and 18 vegans. The researchers tested the immune response to two types of RNA viruses to determine the participants’ capacity to mount a defense against the viruses via interferon production. Interferon responses were lower for vegetarians and vegans and were also lower for participants who were considered potentially zinc-deficient based on intakes (but who had normal serum zinc levels). To date, this is the most in-depth research on zinc deficiency among vegetarians and vegans, but we should be cautious when a study merely finds biochemical differences between diet groups.
Zinc Requirements by Age and Gender
The recommended dietary allowance (RDA) for zinc varies depending on age, sex, and life stage. The daily value (DV) for zinc is 11mg per day. The RDA for zinc ranges from 3mg to 11mg per day, depending on a person's age and gender. The recommended dietary allowance (RDA) for zinc varies depending on age, sex, and life stage. For adult women aged 19 years and older, the RDA is 8 mg per day. Because the zinc in plant-based foods is not as easily absorbed as in animal-based foods, it’s unclear whether plant-based and vegan women need to eat more zinc than omnivores. Below, I’ve included the standard recommendation for zinc and also the recommendation for vegan women (vegan recommendations are in parentheses). Here are the daily zinc needs for women, according to the National Institutes of Health.
Symptoms of Zinc Deficiency
A zinc deficiency is characterized by impaired immune function, loss of appetite, and growth retardation. More severe cases of zinc deficiency cause diarrhea, delayed sexual maturation, hair loss, eye and skin lesions, impotence, and hypogonadism in males. Symptoms of zinc deficiency include slow wound healing, poor oral health, loss of taste and smell, skin lesions, hair loss, poor immune response, and diarrhea. Children with zinc deficiency may suffer delayed growth, as well as diarrhea and frequent infections. All of these symptoms, however, could also be the result of other disorders or deficiencies. The risk of zinc deficiency is higher in older adults, as well as in people who eat a plant-based diet, women who are pregnant or nursing, people with gastrointestinal disorders like Crohn's disease and celiac disease, and those who have had bariatric surgery.
What About Zinc Supplements?
Although zinc is important for a healthy immune system, the research is mixed on the effectiveness of taking zinc supplements to prevent or treat the common cold. A 2020 review from BMJ Open noted that taking zinc supplements may shorten colds by about two days and may have a modest effect on the severity of cold symptoms. More research is needed to determine the best dose and form of zinc for the common cold. The most common supplements are zinc gluconate, picolinate, acetate, and citrate. They come in a variety of forms, such as lozenges, capsules, or drops. Summary: Zinc supplements are available in many forms, including zinc gluconate, zinc picolinate, zinc oxide, zinc glycinate, and zinc sulphate. Individuals with low stomach acid should avoid relying on zinc oxide.
Excess zinc can also cause nausea, vomiting, weakened immune function, lower “good” HDL cholesterol, and more. Taking high-dose zinc supplements can lead to copper deficiency. These two minerals are absorbed in the same way in the digestive tract, and so they compete with each other for absorption. In light of the potential risks of zinc supplements, the NIH recommends obtaining zinc through food. One of the benefits of hitting the zinc target with food is that many zinc-rich foods also provide other key nutrients, like protein, fiber, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. It's hard to consume too much zinc from food. If you are taking a supplement, avoid exceeding the upper safety limit of 40 mg per day.
A Cochrane systematic review (Nault, 2024) of randomized, controlled trials found that taking zinc to prevent colds didn’t work better than taking a placebo. Another systematic review (Hunter, 2021) of randomized, controlled trials using zinc for prevention resulted in a lower risk of contracting an illness consistent with a community-acquired viral respiratory tract infection. Zinc didn’t prevent an illness when participants were exposed to a virus as part of an experiment.
Devarshi et al. Most of the absorption studies on zinc test only one dose. This doesn’t provide a full picture of the adaptation that might occur over time. More importantly, almost all of the research has been conducted on people without zinc deficiency. When someone doesn’t need as much zinc, forms that aren’t as readily absorbed might be an advantage. Barrie et al. (1987) write, “[T]he combined effects of zinc loading on gastrointestinal absorption, renal excretion and tissue deposition result in strong regulation of serum zinc concentrations….Short-term serum levels can be a useful method for measuring the relative uptake of zinc after a single loading. To be clear, I haven’t seen evidence that different forms of zinc lend themselves to the body’s downregulation of absorption; however, I don’t think we should assume that in all cases, the higher the absorption, the better. There have been four longer-term studies on zinc absorption, which are described in the spreadsheet Absorption Rates of Different Zinc Formulations: Longer-Term Studies (DiSilvestro, 2015; Siepmann, 2005; Wolfe, 1994; and Barrie, 1987). A summary is that glycinate, picolinate, sulfate, and gluconate seem to be absorbed more readily than oxide or citrate.