after tracking my food intake i`m finding it hard to get adequate zinc and selenium intake. how do you all do it?
patty

i found this interesting..

Zinc Deficiency Test

Zinc levels in blood, hair and other tissues are indicators which have been inconclusive and sometimes misleading. In the early 1980s a simple taste test was developed and reported in The Lancet. To create a test solution, dissolve 0.1 percent zinc sulfate (available at health some food stores and your locl pharmacy) in a base of distilled water. You should refrain from eating, drinking or smoking for at least an hour before the test, then place about a teaspoon of the solution in your mouth and swish it around for 10 seconds. If it tastes unpleasant or metallic, your level of zinc is probably adequate. However, if the solution tastes like water, you may be receiving less zinc than you need.

I was told by a vegan nutritionist that when the RDA was established, the nutrient amounts were doubled as a precaution to make sure people got enough of everything.

Taking that into account, the nutritionist told me that it probably isn't necessary to try to get 100% of all your nutrients everyday. In her opinion, 50% and over is fine.

Nuts and seeds are a concentrated source of minerals, and if included in the diet in a reasonable amount, you should be able to get as much zinc and selenium as you need.

According to nutritiondata.com, just 1 brazil nut kernel yields 137% of the RDA for selenium. So, taking into account that the RDA is doubled, you could probably eat 1/2 of a brazil nut everyday and get more than enough selenium.

Yesterday, I definitely got my zinc:

12 bananas: 12% DV (daily value)
1/2 C sesame seeds: 37% DV
1 avocado: 8% DV
4 C lychee: 4% DV
2 oranges: 2% DV

That all adds up to 63% DV (63% or the RDA). Again, taking into account that the RDA is doubled, that's plenty of zinc.

As you can see, sesame seeds is a very good source for zinc, and they contain less fat than many nuts.

People are often leery of eating nuts and seeds, and nuts and seeds don't seem to have much place in the currently popular 80-10-10 diet. But I find they really help me stay raw. I'm 100% raw vegan, and I eat nuts and seeds almost everyday. They don't bother me at all, and they don't make me fat because I exercise (plus they help give me the energy I need to exercise). I weigh between 91 and 95 over the course of the day, at 5'1", and I'm post menopausal (a time when many women have a tendency to gain weight). I DO gain weight if I don't exercise.

Once a person gets used to doing it, regular outdoor exercise can be a wonderful source of pleasure and can add so much to our overall sense of wellbeing.



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 07/07/2007 08:03PM by suncloud.

thanks suncloud i`ll pick up some sesame seeds and work on making them a staple into my diet. i've been leary of nuts because of the fat content but they are such an excellent source for nutrients. i guess moderation and exercise as you pointed out are the key.my goal has changed focus from weightloss to health. i still am interested in losing weight because i am not fit and tight and tone like i want but i want to eat right because of health and doing right by my body, not because of numbers on a scale.

Right on dewey! IMO, a truly healthy body will not hold on to excess weight.

I have a supplements chart that says thay (as noted above) that legumes and sprouted whole grains are a rich source of zinc. Selenium is also found in whole grains and especially in Brazil nuts.