Benefits of Zinc in Reducing Illness

An Ounce of Prevention…

Kids who don’t get enough zinc get sick more often and get well more slowly. Zinc is necessary for the immune system to be in top form. Where do kids get zinc? This is one instance where eating fruits and vegetables does not help.

Most high-protein foods, though, contain high amounts of zinc. Red meat and dark meat contain more zinc than light meat. Other good sources of zinc are peanuts, peanut butter, and legumes.

The USDA’s “What We Eat in America” survey reported that over 62% of the young children do not get enough zinc in their diets!

Next week we’ll look at a simple tasty way to be sure that kids get the zinc they need.