Effect of Dietary Components upon Zinc Availability

Abstract

Because of the dietary components that affect availability, it is not possible to define a zinc requirement for all dietary regimens. The source of zinc must be taken into consideration. In general, the zinc in animal products is more readily absorbed than that in plant products, particularly those that arise from plant seeds. Phytate, an ion peculiar to plants, binds zinc and decreases its availability. In the presence of phytate, excess calcium aggravates zinc binding. Chelating agents, whether man-made or those that occur naturally in foods, may compete with phytate to increase availability.