Its time to take the conversation from dietary fiber, healthy fat, antioxidants, and vitamins and start shining a bit of light on those minerals! Not to downplay the importance of these nutrients, yet they always seem to get more of the limelight.

Minerals especially essential minerals calcium, chromium, iron, magnesium, manganese, molybdenum, potassium, sodium, zinc, and, of course, copper are found in plentiful supply in a variety of foods for good reason. They play vital roles in hundreds of bodily functions that keep us alive.

With that said, theres one mineral, in particular, thats been making the news lately: zinc. Like its other trace mineral counterparts, zinc plays a major role in the body, especially when it comes to sustaining a healthy immune system.

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First off, minerals are broken down into essential minerals that are necessary for survival versus non-essential. Then you take those groups and break them down into major minerals (macrominerals) and trace minerals (microminerals). While you need major minerals in larger amounts, your body only needs small amounts of trace minerals to remain adequately supplied.

All minerals are necessary to activate enzymes molecules with important jobs in the body and they play major roles in hundreds of other bodily functions. Each mineral has a specific set of tasks, from boosting the immune system to regulating smells and tastes to creating DNA and red blood cells.

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When we talk about nutrition, we oftentimes forget to highlight the importance of minerals or only focus on the major minerals instead of major and trace.

Luckily, even though zinc is a trace mineral, its also widely hailed due to its importance for a functioning human body, plus it also happens to be thesecond-most-abundant trace mineral in your body after iron.

Zinc lives in our cells and is most well-known for its ability to help the immune systemfight off invadingbacteriaandviruses. While immune boosters have been trending for a few years especially within the last year zinc has many other duties including making proteins and DNA, helping with growth and development, during pregnancy, infancy, and childhood aiding in wound healing, and its also important for proper senses of taste and smell.On top of these essential tasks, zinc is also necessary for the activity of over 300 enzymes that aid in metabolism, digestion, nerve function, and many other processes.

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Even though a zinc deficiency is extremely rare, it does happen from time to time. Therefore, its a good idea to become familiar with the symptoms and how it manifests.

A severe zinc deficiency leads to, obviously, more severe symptoms, yet most zinc deficiencies manifest with impaired growth and development, delayed sexual maturity, skin rashes, chronic diarrhea, impaired wound healing and behavioral issues. As zinc plays a crucial role in your immune system and wound healing, a zinc deficiency may also include the inability to heal or heal very slowly, as well as an increased likelihood of infection or the inability to fight said infection or illness.

A mild form of zinc deficiency includes symptoms such as diarrhea, decreased immunity, thinning hair, decreased appetite, mood disturbances, dry skin, fertility issues, and impaired wound healing.

There are certain factors that put you at a higher risk of a zinc deficiency such as people with gastrointestinal diseases, such as Crohns disease those who suffer from sickle cell anemia or chronic kidney disease, pregnant and breastfeeding women, and breastfed infants.

You may also be at a higher risk of zinc deficiency if you practice a strict vegetarian or vegan diet. Therefore, its important to make sure you are eating a well-balanced and meticulously crafted plant-based diet every day!

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We know what zinc is, what it does for our body, and what happens when we dont get enough of it. So, what are the perks those extra health benefits that we love so much of this vital trace mineral?

More than ever right now is a great time to start integrating natural sources of immune system support. Luckily, getting the right amount of zinc through your diet is a great start!

Zinc plays a vital role in immune cell function and cell signaling, therefore if you dont have enough zinc or suffer from an actual zinc deficiency it can lead to a weakened immune response. In fact, after reviewing seven different studies, it was found that consuming 80 [to] 92 mg per day of zinc may [help] reduce the length of the common cold by up to 33 [percent].

The truly amazing thing about zinc and healing is that it not only supports normal wound healing, but its also been found that zinc can actuallyacceleratethe healing process!

In fact, zinc is so effective it is commonly used inhospitals as a treatment for burns, certain ulcers, and other skin injuries.

How does it work?

Due to the fact that zinc plays critical roles in collagen synthesis, immune function, and inflammatory response, its also a natural agent in the healing of skin wounds. Taking a closer look at zinc and your skin, it turns out that these two are pretty cohesive! Your skin holds a relatively high amount about 5 [percent] of your bodys zinc content.

Its inevitable that as we age our bodies will begin to experience certain changes. Some of these are completely natural such as that silver, gray hair or those extra wrinkles around your eyes yet there are a handful of age-related diseases that we can have an effect on early on in life.

While more research is being conducted, preliminary findings discovered that zinc may significantly reduce your risk of [these] age-related diseases including other pernicious diseases such as pneumonia, infection, and age-related macular degeneration (AMD).Scientists believe this may be, in part, due to those zinc-related immune system boosting agents zinc may relieve oxidative stress and boost the activity of T-cells and natural killer cells. This means the body is more adept and able to fight off infections.

No matter who you are, where you live, or whether were in the middle of a pandemic or not, managing a healthy inflammatory response and decreasing unnecessary bodily inflammation is a huge part of a healthy body! Inflammation has been linked to a slew of chronic diseases and conditions, such as heart disease and cancer and even plays a role in your mental health and may lead to mental decline.

When it comes to zinc and inflammation, its all about that oxidative stress! Turns out oxidative stress leads to chronic inflammation. Zinc has been found to decrease oxidative stress and [therefore] reduces levels of certain inflammatory proteins in your body.

Hearty Black Bean Soup/One Green Planet

Alright, we get it! Zinc is important and we need to make sure its included in our diet on a regular basis. Luckily, zinc is naturally present in a majority of plant-based food, which makes our lives just that much easier. With that said, more knowledge is always better! Here are a few of the best and richest sources of zinc in the plant kingdom.

Legumes are not only a rich source of plant-based protein and a stellar meat-substitute, but they also happen to be one of the richest sources of zinc.Specifically, youll want to focus on getting your weekly or daily dose of chickpeas, lentils, and beans.For instance, 100 grams of cooked lentils contain around 12 [percent] of the [daily value of zinc].

Of course, there is a slight caveat when it comes to legumes. These plant-based superpowers also contain something called phytate, which are antinutrients that inhibit the absorption of zinc and other minerals, meaning zinc from legumes isnt as well absorbed as the zinc from animal products.

Not to worry though! Phytates aredrasticallyreduced and the bioavailability of zinc is increased by heating (think soups and stews!), sprouting, soaking, or fermenting legumes. Luckily, sprouted and fermented legumes are quickly becoming a popular commodity, which means you can find them at your local health food store or online.

Legumes are versatile in the plant-based kitchen. They can be used to make a salad, soup, stew, or a meatless recipe! Try out a few of these unique creations: Everyday Chickpea Curry, Lentil Loaf, Lemony White Bean Dip, or this Hearty Black Bean Soup.

One of the easiest ways to boost the overall nutritional value ofanyplant-based meal is to simply sprinkle some of your favorite seeds on top. If you happen to have sprouted seeds, thats even better!

When it comes to getting more bang for your daily zinc buck, try incorporating hemp seeds.

Hemp seeds are not only an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids, but theyre also a rich source of zinc three tablespoons of hemp seeds contain 31 [percent] and 43 [percent] of the recommended daily intake for men and women, respectively.

If hemp seeds dont jam with your taste buds, you also get a healthy dose of zinc from squash, pumpkin, and sesame seeds.

Hemp seeds offer a surprising amount of healthy fat and oils. This makes them truly diverse when it comes to plant-based cooking. Try out a few of these hemp seed-based recipes: Coconut Hemp Milk, Easy Tahini Granola, Seed Crackers, or these Cherry Hemp Out Bars.

Pretty much any nut that you desire will boost the nutrient content of your entire day! Nuts are a great source of healthy fats, protein, fiber, and a slew of vitamins and, yes, minerals.

If youre looking to get your daily dose of zinc from nuts, then youll want to incorporate pine nuts, peanuts, cashews, and almonds. To narrow it down further, start with cashews, which offer 15 percent of your daily value of zinc for every ounce.

Cashews are the creamiest of the nut family, meaning theyre perfect for those creamy treats! Try a few of these delightful cashew-rich recipes: Chickpea Tempeh Tacos With Cashew Crema, Blueberry Pie Ice Cream, Roasted Cashew Nut Butter, or this Raw Carrot Cake With Cashew Vanilla Frosting.

Yes, theres lots of debate and even more opinions out there about whole grains. The thing that cant be debated about these plant-based foods is the fact that they are rich in vitamins and minerals.

When it comes to whole grains and zinc content, youll want to focus on wheat, quinoa, rice, and oats. Luckily, if you cant do gluten, then quinoa, rice, and most oats (depending on the facility they are processed in) are naturally gluten-free!

One cup of cooked quinoa offers around 2 mg of zinc, which is about 13 [percent] of your daily value, while one cup of cooked long-grain brown rice offers around 1.2 mg of zinc, which is about 8 [percent] of your daily value.

Keep in mind that, just like legumes, grains also contain phytates, which bind to zinc and reduce its absorption. Therefore, finding yourself some good sprouted versions of these whole grains will boost that zinc intake!

Try a few of these whole grain-filled recipes: Blueberry Walnut Crumble Bars, Rice with Olives and Basil, Apple Quinoa Salad, or this Whole Wheat Bread.

Dark Chocolate is one of those plant-based foods (as long as you find a vegan brand!) that jumps out with a ton of nutrients! Its vilified due to the fact that most dark chocolate bars are also filled with added, refined sugars.Therefore, when choosing your dark chocolate, make sure its free of sugar additives and dairy products!

Besides those factors, dark chocolate happens to be one of the best sources of zinc offering about 30 percent of your daily value per 100-gram (3.5 ounce) bar of 70 [to] 85 [percent] dark chocolate.

With that said, remember that everything is better in moderation, especially dark chocolate, which is also super high in healthy fats!

Try a few of these dark chocolate recipes: Apricot, Almond, and Dark Chocolate Cookie Bars, Healthy Toasted Coconut Almond Truffles, Raw Nutella Bars, or these super unique Chilli Chocolate Tacos.

Looking to get your mineral-knowledge fix? Its probably best to start with those uber essential minerals. Here are a few articles to get you started!

Super-Seedy Muesli Bars/One Green Planet

Reducing your meat intake and eating more plant-based foods is known to help withchronic inflammation,heart health,mental wellbeing,fitness goals,nutritional needs,allergies,gut healthandmore!Dairy consumption also has been linked many health problems, includingacne,hormonal imbalance,cancer,prostate cancerand has manyside effects.

For those of you interested in eating more plant-based, we highly recommend downloading theFood Monster App with over 15,000 delicious recipes it is the largest plant-based recipe resource to help reduce your environmental footprint, save animals and get healthy! And, while you are at it, we encourage you to also learn about theenvironmentalandhealth benefitsof aplant-based diet.

Here are some great resources to get you started:

For more Animal, Earth, Life, Vegan Food, Health, and Recipe content published daily, subscribe to theOne Green Planet Newsletter! Lastly, being publicly-funded gives us a greater chance to continue providing you with high-quality content. Please considersupporting usby donating!

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How to get Zinc on a Plant-Based Diet to Improve Immunity and Reduce Inflammation - One Green Planet

Health & Welfare

Monday, 8 June 2020 Dr. Tore Seternes Dr. Gunhild S. Johansson Iselin Evje, M.Sc. Dr. Ragnar L. Olsen

The marine fatty acids EPA (docosahexaenoic acid) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) are important for both human and fish health. Together with other polyunsaturated fatty acids, they serve several important biological functions. They are building blocks of all cell membranes, regulate gene expression and are precursors of a wide range of bioactive substances that regulate inflammation and physiological processes.

The total omega-3 PUFA (polyunsaturated fatty acids) dietary requirement of salmonids including -linolenic acids (ALA), EPA and DHA, has been reported to range from 1 to 2.5 percent of the diet, depending on the species and experimental conditions. Studies determining the minimum requirement of omega-3 PUFA have been based mainly on fish growth and survival, but fatty liver, histological changes in intestine, fin erosion, gill bleeding, deformed back bone, reduced reproduction and shock syndrome have also been reported as a consequence of low n-3 PUFA in feed. PUFAs also can influence the immune system and responses in Atlantic salmon.

Several studies have documented the fate of EPA and DHA in salmon tissues such as muscle, and to a lower extent in blood and other tissues, after feeding with low or moderate amounts of these fatty acids. Atlantic salmon possess all the enzymes necessary to produce DHA from -linolenic acid, but a previous study on Atlantic salmon in freshwater indicate that the requirements of salmon for EPA and DHA at the tissue level cannot be completely fulfilled by dietary -linolenic acid. Very few studies have to our knowledge been carried out on the effects of including high levels LC-PUFA in feed to fish.

This article adapted and summarized from the original (T. Seternes et al., 2020. The level of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), but not docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), in blood of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salarL.) is related to formulation and concentration of EPA or DHA in feed. Aquaculture 526, 15 September 2020, 735407) reports on a study that investigated how the concentration of PUFA in blood and muscle of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) changed when fed four diets containing very different amounts of LC-PUFA in fresh water for 84 days.

This study was funded by the UiT The Arctic University of Norway, Norway. BioMar AS donated basic non-coated pellets for the experiment. Omega-3 concentrates used in the experiment was a kind gift from Epax AS (now FMC Health and Nutrition).

Atlantic salmon (Aqua gen Q-TRL strain) reared on a commercial diet to an average weight of 50 grams were provided by Havbruksstasjonen AS in Troms. The fish were kept in circular 300-liter tanks at Havbruksstasjonen with continuous flow of fresh water. The water temperature was about 4 degrees-C 10 days prior to the start, and was gradually increased to and kept at 10 degrees-C throughout the experiment. The fish were kept under constant 24:0 hours light:dark conditions and fed ad libitum for 6 hours per day. Water temperature, fish appetite, behavior and mortality were checked daily, while oxygen saturation was checked weekly. The fish displayed no sign of disease or mortality at the start of the experiment.

Prior to the start of the experiment a total of 610 fish were sorted and divided in four different groups of 150 fish in each except for group 1 that had 160 fish. At day zero, 10 fish were sacrificed from group 1 for registration of mean length and weight.

Non-coated experimental pellets of 3 mm were formulated and manufactured by BioMar AS, Trondheim, Norway, and fat coating of the pellets was done by Nofima AS, Bergen. Four experimental diets were prepared by adding different oils or mixtures of oils with different fatty acid composition to the pellets. The following oils were added to the feed: rapeseed oil (RO), anchoveta oil (AO), a mixture of rapeseed and anchoveta oil 60:40 (RO/AO) and an omega-3 concentrate in TG form (EPA/DHA). The amount of oil coated on the pellet was kept the same for all diets and the total fat content of the formulated pellets became approximately 20 percent. To ensure appetite and similar taste of pellets with different fatty acid composition, the pellets contained 2 percent krill meal.

For detailed information on the experimental design, diets and the feeding trial; sampling and sample preparation; fatty acid composition analyses; histology; and statistical analyses, please refer to the original publication.

We fed Atlantic salmon in the freshwater phase four diets with different fatty acid composition for a period of almost three months. The total EPA/DHA content in the oil fraction of the different diets ranged from 4.2 percent in the rapeseed oil diet formulation to 48.4 percent in the EPA/DHA diet concentrate formulation while the total omega-3 content in the oils, including ALA and DPA were from 13.9 percent to 53.8 percent.

The fish in all our groups through the experiment showed no mortality and good growth (Fig. 1). There were no significant differences in weight gain among the fish in the different diet groups demonstrating that the appetite was good and that the different oil combination in the feed did not affect the eating behavior of the fish.

The total biomass of all fish in all groups was measured at day 10 (n = 600) and at day 60 (n = 440) of the experiment. The total biomass showed an increase in the total weight of all feeding groups, from an average of 6 kg at day 10 to 14 kg at day 60. The average weight per fish, calculated from the measured biomass, was 45 grams at day 10. At day 60 the average weight per fish was 130 grams in the RO-diet and RO/AO-diet groups, and 117 grams in the EPA/DHA diet group.

Other authors have reported that high concentrations of LC-PUFA (25.2 percent) in the feed may inhibit growth of large Atlantic salmon in saltwater. We did not however observe significant reduced growth when feeding a diet containing EPA/DHA concentrate, and this may be due to the small size of the fish (50 to 150 grams). This is in line with the results reported by other researchers who included 41.8 percent LC-PUFA in diets to juvenile salmon.

The specific growth rate (SGR) from day 10 to day 60 was calculated to 1.49 in the RO diet group, 1.34 in the AO diet and EPA/DHA diet groups, and 1.44 in the RO/AO diet group. There were no statistically significant differences in weight gain between the different feeding groups. The body weight was registered for all fish sampled at all time points (n = 10) during the course of the study. At day 84 the fish fed a diet containing anchoveta oil had the lowest average mean weight of 150.3 21.7 grams, while the fish fed a diet with rapeseed oil had the highest average mean weight of 168.1 36 grams. However, there were no statistically significant differences in mean weight between the different feed groups at day 84.

The intestines of the sampled fish were checked at all time points and histopathological slides were made from the midsection of the distal gut. The histology showed only minor or no sign of inflammation or other types of damage to the intestinal tissues in the hind gut, demonstrating that the different oil blends in the feed were well tolerated by the salmon in our experiment.

During the first three weeks of the study, there was a rapid increase in the proportion of EPA in the blood of the groups fed the diets with EPA/DHA concentrate and anchoveta oil (Fig. 2). The percentage of EPA in blood increased significantly from 6.4 0.4 percent at day 0 to 19.5 0.8 percent at day 21 in the group fed with the diet containing EPA/DHA concentrate, and to 12.4 0.5 percent in the group fed the AO diet, respectively. EPA remained at approximately these levels for the rest of the study.

In the salmon fed EPA/DHA and anchoveta oil diets, an increase in the proportion of EPA in the muscle tissue was observed throughout the experiment, from 4.8 percent at day 0, to 9.3 percent at day 21, and up to 18.5 percent at day 84 in the former group. In the group fed the AO diet, EPA increased from 4.8 percent at day 0 to 9.1 percent at day 84. In the group fed the rapeseed oil diet the proportion of EPA in the muscle decreased, from 4.8 percent at day 0 to 2.0 percent at day 84. The proportion of DHA in the muscle tissue was stable in the group fed the EPA/DHA diet and remained at approximately 28 percent throughout the feed trial, while it was reduced to approximately 22 percent for the AO diet group at the end on day 84.

The high concentrations of DHA in the blood throughout the experimental period in all feeding groups independent of the concentration in the feed confirm that the main lipid class is phospholipids. These results are in line with several previously published works and demonstrate that this fatty acid is selectively retained in phospholipids even when only minor amounts are present in the feed.

The amount of EPA on the other hand appeared much less regulated. When a relatively high concentration was present in the feed such as in RO/AO diet group (10 percent), AO diet group (13.5 percent) and EPA/DHA diet group (27 percent), the blood level seemed to reflect the level in the feed. However, when a small amount is in the feed as it is in the RO diet group (1.8 percent), blood concentration is mobilized to or retained at about 5 percent during the experimental period. A different saturation level of EPA in the blood cells dependent on feed formulation may be of great importance for the biological functions of EPA in blood cells of fish.

Our study confirms that the amount of DHA is mobilized to or retained at a high level in the blood even when only small amounts are included in the feed. The level of EPA in the blood on the other hand reflected to a large degree the amount present in the diet. However, when only minor amounts were found in the feed it appeared that EPA is concentrated in the blood. The amounts of DHA and EPA in the muscle tissue during the experimental period reflected the concentrations found in the diets suggesting deposition of triglycerides in the muscle.

References available from the original publication.

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Effect of juvenile Atlantic salmon diets with different levels of PUFAs - aquaculturealliance.org

WASHINGTON The Center for Biological Diversity today urged the federal committee that will soon finalize its recommendations on the 2020 national dietary guidelines to include assessments of food sustainability, climate and accessibility in its report to the Trump administration.

The Dietary Guidelines for Americans, updated every five years, are intended to protect public health and food security. The document serves as a government-approved blueprint for healthy diets and is widely used in nutrition-education programs and to set meal plans for government institutions, including schools, prisons, military facilities and federal cafeterias.

The Centers call for a broader scientific assessment comes after the Trump administration arbitrarily limited the scope of the review by the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee, excluding research demonstrating how plant-focused diets are more sustainable and climate-friendly.

The pandemic has vividly exposed how our current industry-friendly system prevents equal access to sustainable, healthy, safe foods, said Stephanie Feldstein, population and sustainability director at the Center. Amid the current COVID-19 crisis and the escalating extinction and climate emergencies we cant afford for these important dietary guidelines to be just another gift to the meat and dairy industry.

The committees review of the scientific topics that were predetermined by the Trump administration kicked off a comment period that closes on Wednesday. In a draft scientific report due on June 17 the committee will present its recommendations for the U.S. departments of Agriculture and Health and Human Services to the public.

In recent weeks the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted troubling production bottlenecks in the nations highly inflexible, industry-driven food system that heavily prioritizes production of cheap meat over the safety of workers and equitable consumer access to healthy, sustainable foods.

But the Trump administrations unprecedented decision to limit consideration of research on food sustainability and accessibility restricts the dietary advisory committees ability to recommend changes to the food guidelines that could help address those problems.

Plant-focused diets are critical for public health and the future of the planet, said Feldstein. But it wont work if people dont have full access to them, and if the government doesnt play its part to make sure they make it to our plates.

In the comments submitted today to the Federal Register, the Center noted that sustainable, plant-forward diets are strongly supported by science to promote public health, protect food security and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

A study released earlier this year by University of Michigan and Tulane University found that replacing 50% of animal products with plant-based foods in the American diet would prevent more than 1.6 billion tons of greenhouse gas pollution by 2030. The Center recommended that the dietary guidelines call for reduced consumption of meat and dairy, particularly limiting red and processed meats.

The 2015 Scientific Report of the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee included sustainability considerations for the first time, which were widely supported by the public and health experts. However, following pressure from the meat and dairy industry, sustainability was omitted from the final recommendations.

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Trump Administration Urged to Consider Sustainability, Climate, Accessibility in New US Dietary Guidelines - Center for Biological Diversity