Boost your immunity! The appeal of "Nori" - a zinc-rich food

Introduction

Nori seaweed has long been an indispensable ingredient on the Japanese diet, and in recent years has been gaining attention as a superfood that can provide an easy source of nutrition.

Seaweed is rich in vitamins, minerals, and dietary fiber, but the most notable of these is zinc.

What is Zinc?

Zinc is an essential mineral that cannot be produced in the body. Approximately 2g of zinc is present in the body, and is found in various tissues such as muscles, bones, skin, liver, brain, and kidneys. Zinc is an important mineral that plays various roles in the body, such as maintaining a normal sense of taste and maintaining healthy skin.

Daily Intake Guidelines

The Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare has published the "Dietary Reference Intakes for Japanese (2020 Edition)" as standards for nutrient intake for health.

The recommended daily intake of zinc is 11 mg for adult men and 8 mg for adult women.
The upper limit is set at approximately 40 mg for adult men and 35 mg for adult women.

Foods High in Zinc

• oyster
• eel
• Sardines
• beef
• lever
• seaweed
• Ground sesame

Zinc content of seaweed

100g of seaweed contains about 3.6mg of zinc, which is equivalent to about 30% of the daily zinc intake required by an adult male.

Health benefits of zinc contained in seaweed

1. Improves immunity

Zinc activates the function of immune cells and has the effect of enhancing immunity. The mucous membranes and cilia in the respiratory tract play a role in preventing viruses and bacteria from entering the body, and zinc promotes the movement of these cilia (ciliary movement), making it easier to eliminate foreign substances. Therefore, it is expected to be effective in preventing colds and infectious diseases.

2. Wound healing

Zinc promotes the regeneration of skin and mucous membranes and accelerates wound healing. It is thought that a zinc deficiency can impair protein synthesis in the skin, making it easier for dermatitis to develop and making wounds more difficult to heal.

3. Maintaining taste and smell

Zinc supports the function of enzymes related to taste and smell. If you are deficient in zinc, your sense of taste and smell will become dull, and you will be unable to smell or taste things.

4. Promoting growth

Zinc promotes cell growth and division. It is an important nutrient for children, as it affects their height and weight gain.

5. Important nutrients for pregnant women

Zinc, which is necessary for cell division such as DNA, plays an important role in the growth and development of the fetus. Since a deficiency in zinc is said to increase the risk of fetal growth retardation and skeletal deformities, pregnant women need more zinc than the average adult.

6. Skin beautifying effects

Zinc is essential for maintaining beautiful skin because it is involved in cell metabolism. It also promotes collagen production and keeps skin firm and elastic. It is also effective in preventing skin problems such as acne and pimples.

7. Anti-aging benefits

Zinc has an antioxidant effect that removes active oxygen. Active oxygen is the cause of aging, so taking zinc can be expected to have an anti-aging effect.

8. Improved reproductive function

Zinc has the effect of improving male reproductive function. It is an important nutrient for men. It is also known to have the effect of suppressing the onset of AGA (androgenetic alopecia).

9. It has a calming effect

Zinc is said to be effective in relieving stress. It supports the maintenance of brain nerves and the function of neurotransmitters between nerves, and has the effect of stabilizing the mind. In fact, many patients with depression are found to have zinc deficiency, and research has shown that symptoms improve with supplementation.

10. Diabetes prevention

Zinc binds to proteins to accumulate insulin in the body and inhibit the breakdown of insulin in the liver, which allows insulin to be sent throughout the body and controls blood sugar levels, which is expected to be effective in preventing diabetes.

Precautions when taking zinc

Zinc seems to have many benefits, but you should be careful because intentionally taking large amounts can actually have a negative effect on your body.

As long as it is consumed as part of a normal diet, it usually does not cause any major problems, but if you take too much in the form of supplements, you may experience symptoms of metal poisoning such as vomiting and diarrhea, or even caustic anemia.

You've probably heard this saying many times before, but no matter how good something is for your body, "too much is bad." Make sure you understand how much zinc you need and make sure to consume it as part of a balanced diet.

How to effectively absorb zinc

As mentioned above, zinc plays a very important role, but it is known that its absorption rate is very low, at around 30%.

Foods containing vitamin C and citric acid have been shown to promote zinc absorption, so it is recommended that you consume zinc with foods high in vitamin C, such as citrus fruits, peppers, and broccoli.

summary

Seaweed contains zinc, which is often lacking in our daily lives. Zinc has many health benefits, including improving immunity, healing wounds, maintaining taste and smell, promoting growth, being an important nutrient for pregnant women, improving skin condition, and having anti-aging effects.

If you want to get enough zinc, you often have to eat a main dish like oysters or beef, but nori can be eaten as an easy accompaniment to your regular rice to get some nutrition.

Incorporate seaweed into your diet and lead a healthy life.