10 Zinc-Rich Foods That Belong In Your Diet
Cheese made the list!
![Chickpea and spinach curry Chickpea and spinach curry](https://cdn.statically.io/img/hips.hearstapps.com/hmg-prod/images/chickpea-and-spinach-curry-royalty-free-image-1575028700.jpg?crop=1.00xw:0.752xh;0,0.0240xh&resize=640:*)
Unless you're a die-hard nutrition buff or an expert in biochemistry, you likely only associate zinc with those old-school sticks of sunscreen your mum made you use at the beach. But zinc is also an essential mineral key to a healthy diet.
Zinc is necessary for immune function, it helps your blood clot when you're injured, and it helps regulate your blood sugar, says Dr. Amy Gorin, owner of Amy Gorin Nutrition in New York.
Zinc is indeed crucial to your health, but you only need small quantities. 'Women 19 years old and older need 8 milligrams of zinc daily, a pregnant woman needs 11 milligrams, and a breastfeeding woman needs 12 milligrams,' says Gorin.
While it's easier for your body to absorb zinc from animal sources like meat, eggs, and seafood, there are plenty of zinc-rich, plant-based foods as well. You probably know pumpkin seeds as the biggie here – and they're great for catching this nutrient. But, variety and the spice of life and all that.
Scroll on for the best zinc-rich foods for any diet.
Watch Next
![Video player poster image preview for Fitness](https://cdn.statically.io/img/hips.hearstapps.com/vidthumb/images/wh-olympians-thumbnail-1-66794dd0d9682.png?crop=1xw:1xh;center,top&resize=1200:*)
![omega 3 foods omega 3 foods](https://cdn.statically.io/img/hips.hearstapps.com/hmg-prod/images/gettyimages-1227406528-6682c136692d0.jpeg?crop=0.668xw:1.00xh;0.300xw,0&resize=360:*)
Why omega 3 is essential to good gut health
![paul ainsworth cookbook paul ainsworth cookbook](https://cdn.statically.io/img/hips.hearstapps.com/hmg-prod/images/paul-ainsworth-cookbook-669653c5dcea8.png?crop=0.505xw:1.00xh;0.413xw,0&resize=360:*)
Must try recipes from Paul Ainsworth’s cookbook
![paul's marvellous porridge paul's marvellous porridge](https://cdn.statically.io/img/hips.hearstapps.com/hmg-prod/images/paul-s-marvellous-porridge-for-the-love-of-food-image-credit-issy-croker-669651a504a44.jpeg?crop=1.00xw:0.801xh;0,0.0346xh&resize=360:*)
Paul’s marvellous porridge
![good morning trifle good morning trifle](https://cdn.statically.io/img/hips.hearstapps.com/hmg-prod/images/good-morning-trifle-for-the-love-of-food-image-credit-issy-croker-66964df0c397a.jpeg?crop=1.00xw:0.671xh;0,0.0897xh&resize=360:*)
Good morning trifle