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Beef Bone Broth Benefits + Recipe

The AHA! Team — Fri, 27 Sep 2024 08:24:36 +0000

Dr. Josh Axe, DC, DNM, CN via Dr. Axe – What is bone broth good for? Bone broth benefits can include helping leaky gut, joint problems and even common skin concerns like wrinkles and cellulite. Making this homemade beef bone broth recipe is one of the best ways you can reap all of those benefits. Plus, making beef bone broth is a lot easier than you might think and is far healthier than store-bought versions. What Is Bone Broth Good for? Bone broths have been staples of traditional diets around the world for centuries. Not only are they both flavor- and nutrient-dense, they’re also easy to digest and able to boost internal healing thanks to key components like gelatin, which research shows can help support intestinal health and integrity. In addition to gelatin and collagen, the long simmering of the beef bones and ligaments also releases beneficial amino acids like proline, glycine and glutamine. These amino acids are key to metabolic processes, including the support of bone mineral density, muscle tissue creation and repair. In case you were wondering, the benefits of beef bone broth and chicken bone broth are very similar, so you really can’t go wrong choosing either one! What is the difference between bone broth and stock? They’re usually very similar or even exactly the same in terms of ingredients, and it’s more of the naming convention. That being said, bone broths are typically cooked significantly longer than a beef or chicken broth. Bone broth contains more protein, collagen, electrolytes, vitamins and minerals than a beef or chicken broth. Beef Bone Broth Recipes People are sometimes at a loss for the best way to consume bone broth on a daily basis. Do you just drink bone broth? You certainly can, but there are so many ways you can use bone broth. Whether you choose chicken or beef bone broth, the options are pretty endless. But wait, which is better: chicken bone broth or beef bone broth? That mainly comes down to personal taste preference. Choosing between the two can also be based on what goes better with a recipe. Some recipes like Vietnamese pho or beef bone vegetable soup are clearly best with a beef bone broth. For other dishes like Baked Chile Relleno Casserole or Slow Cooker Chicken Gumbo, chicken bone broth is the perfect addition. Here are some other mouthwatering ways to use beef bone broth: Slow Cooker Beef Stew Recipe Onion Soup Recipe Bone Broth-Braised Short Ribs Recipe with Garlic and Thyme Nutrition Facts If you use all organic ingredients, you’ll be making a delicious organic beef bone broth recipe. It’s especially important to opt for organic bones to avoid factory-farmed meats. If you’re really short on time, you can always purchase high-quality bone broth from your local health food store, or try a protein powder made from bone broth. The exact nutrition facts for beef bone broth will vary from batch to batch because it depends upon the exact ingredients you choose to use, how long you cook the broth for, how much fat you skim off the top, etc. In general, homemade beef broth is low in calories and fat, contains a notable amount of protein and zero grams of sugar and carbs. The amount of sodium depends upon how much sea salt you use. Is this a beef bone marrow broth recipe? Yes, and we recommend opting for beef bones with marrow, which are naturally rich in collagen. To maximize beef bone broth nutrition and quality, the best bones for bone broth come from organically-raised and — in the case of beef — grass-fed animals. How to Make Beef Bone Broth Making beef bone broth is just as easy as making our chicken bone broth recipe. All you have to do is combine all of the ingredients in a slow cooker and let it simmer for at least 36 hours (that might require you to run three cycles on your slow cooker unless you have one that allows you to set it for 36 hours). This is truly a pretty effortless beef bone broth slow cooker recipe. Otherwise, you can also cook on the stovetop in a large stock pot. (See below.) Why so much more time than a chicken bone broth? It’s because the beneficial components of beef bones take longer to release. First, preheat the oven to 450 degrees to roast the bones and vegetables later. While the oven heats up, it’s a good idea to blanch the beef bones. Ideally, as said above, these bones are from organic, grass-fed, free-range beef cattle. Blanching the bones will help create a clearer broth without any impurities. Simply place the bones in a large stockpot and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil over high heat and then simmer for 20 minutes. Drain and rinse the bones with cold water. Place bones and vegetables in a roasting pan, without piling them on top of each other (you may need two pans). Roast for 30 minutes before turning over bones and veggies, then roast for 20 minutes more. Place the beef bones and other ingredients in a 10-quart capacity slow cooker. Add cold water so all the contents are submerged by about an inch. For the stovetop version, bring to a boil over high heat while covered, then reduce heat and simmer gently, with lid slightly ajar. For the slow cooker version, simply turn it on and set to 12 hours (be ready for two more cycles, so set your timer on your watch or in house). If you’re doing on your stovetop, do not keep in on the flame overnight. Instead, remove from stovetop in the evening, allow it to cool and refrigerate overnight. Repeat the process the next day. For either version, skim the fat that rises to the surface occasionally. Simmer for 12 to 24 hours. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly. Discard all solids. Strain the remainder through a colander. After straining, let stock cool to room temperature (add some ice cubes to quicken this process if you want), cover and chill. Place in the refrigerator and allow to completely cool. A few hours later, you can use a spoon or fork to remove the top layer of fat. Use within a week. Otherwise, you can freeze your homemade beef bone broth for up to three months. Precautions If you have a histamine sensitivity, you should avoid bone broth. While it can reduce gut inflammation, bone broth also is rich in the amino acid glycine. And unfortunately, glycine can be converted to oxalates and glutamate in the body. Beef Bone Broth Recipe Author: Dr. Josh Axe Total Time: 13 hours 15 minutes Yield: 20 cups (approximately) Diet: Gluten Free Making this homemade recipe is one of the best ways you can reap all of the awesome beef bone broth benefits. Plus, making beef bone broth is a lot easier than you might think and is far healthier than store-bought versions. Ingredients ▢5 pounds beef bones with marrow and bones with meat on them (oxtail, short ribs, knucklebones) — ideally from grass-fed, free-range cattle ▢4 carrots, chopped ▢4 celery stalks, chopped ▢2 medium onions, peel on, sliced in half lengthwise and quartered ▢4 garlic cloves, peel on and smashed ▢½ teaspoon sea salt ▢1 teaspoon whole peppercorns ▢2 bay leaves ▢3 sprigs fresh thyme ▢6 sprigs parsley ▢¼ cup apple cider vinegar Instructions Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Blanch the bones by placing them in a large stockpot and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil over high heat and then simmer for 20 minutes. Drain and rinse the bones with cold water. Place bones and vegetables in a roasting pan, without piling them on top of each other (you may need two pans). Roast for 30 minutes before turning over bones and veggies, then roast for 20 minutes more. Place the blanched beef bones and other ingredients in a 10-quart capacity slow cooker. Add in cold water so all the contents are submerged by about an inch. Turn on the slow cooker and prepare to cook for at least 12 hours at the low setting. For 24 hours, you may need to re-run the cycle twice or three times, depending on the slow cooker. If cooking on a stovetop, bring the large pot to a boil over high heat with lid on; reduce and simmer gently with lid slightly ajar but on. In slow cooker or pot, skim the fat that rises to the surface occasionally. Simmer for 12 to 24 hours. If using stovetop, cool at evening and refrigerate overnight. Put back on the stovetop the next morning. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly. (Use any of the meat for soups or sandwiches, or just eat by itself.) Discard solids and strain remainder in a bowl through a colander. Let stock cool to room temperature, cover and chill. Refrigerate for a few hours before removing the top layer of fat with a spoon or fork. Consume within a week. Or freeze in containers for up to 3 months. Prep Time: 15 min Cook Time: 13 hours Category: Soups Method: Stovetop, Slow Cooker Cuisine: American Nutrition Serving Size: 1.5 cups (355 g) Calories: 71 Sugar: 0.9 g Sodium: 124 mg (5% DV) Fat: 3 g Saturated Fat: 0 g Unsaturated Fat: 3 g Trans Fat: 0 g Carbohydrates: 1 g Fiber: 0 g Protein: 10 g Cholesterol: 21.3 mg To read the original article click here.

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Chili Cheese Dip Recipe

AHA Publisher — Thu, 21 Oct 2021 07:00:17 +0000

Dr. Josh Axe, DC, DNM, CN – Most of us are tempted to buy chips and dips from the store. After all, aren’t flavors like “chili cheese” or “buffalo” hard to recreate at home? Of course not — not with my homemade chili cheese dip recipe. It’s easy to re-create these delicious dips at home without weird fillers or preservatives. When you want a meaty, cheesy dip, nothing tastes better than my chili cheese dip recipe. I love serving this one on game day, but it’s delicious any time. Key Ingredients By combining my buffalo chili with this recipe, you’re going to have a real crowd-pleaser on your hands. Because it’s made from healthy ingredients like coconut oil and grass-fed beef or bison, this dip is good for you, too! Here are some of the main players in this homemade chili cheese dip recipe: Grass-fed beef or bison: It’s your choice here, but make sure you opt for grass-fed versions to avoid the unnecessary hormones and unhealthy feed given to factory-farm meat. Grass-fed beef is a tremendous source of protein, and when eaten in moderation, it can even be good for the heart and blood sugar and is better for the environment than non-grass-fed varieties. The same goes for bison meat, which is also high in vitamin B12, zinc, selenium, niacin and iron. Coconut oil: A tremendous source of healthy fats, coconut oil is perfect for high-heat cooking and can support overall health in a number of ways. Goat cheese: I love goat cheese because it’s lower in lactose than cow’s cheese, making it easier for the body to digest — plus, it clocks in at less calories. Ready to make one of the best dips ever? How to Make Chili Cheese Dip Start by preheating the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Then, in a small dish, crumble half of the goat cheese. Spread the buffalo chili over the cheese, and then add in the remaining goat cheese. Slide the dish in the oven, and let it bake for eight to 10 minutes or until heated through. Serve with your favorite gluten-free chips and enjoy! How easy is that? This chili cheese dip recipe is so simple. The buffalo chili portion requires little prep, too. You can let the chili simmer in a crockpot throughout the day before making the chili cheese dip or whip it up in about an hour. Every game is a good game when you serve this dip! Chili Cheese Dip Recipe Tempted to buy chips and dips from the store? Don’t. Instead, when you want a meaty, cheesy dip, try my chili cheese dip recipe. INGREDIENTS 4 ounces chèvre goat cheese 1 cup Buffalo Chili Recipe 1 cup goat cheese, shredded INSTRUCTIONS Make Buffalo Chili Recipe. Preheat oven to 400 F. Crumble chèvre goat cheese into a small baking dish. Spread hot chili over top. Sprinkle goat cheese on top of the chili, and bake for 8–10 minutes. NOTES It’s up to you whether you use grass-fed beef or bison. It’s up to personal preference. To make this vegetarian-friendly, you can simply skip the meat and use some extra veggies in the chili instead. To read the original article click here.

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Braised Beef Short Ribs

AHA Publisher — Thu, 18 Mar 2021 07:00:04 +0000

Dr. Don Colbert – These bone broth braised beef short ribs are fall-off the bone delicious. But, in order for this recipe to be both healthy and delicious, you need to use grass-fed beef. Why? Because cows are designed to eat grass. When cows are fed soy or corn in feedlots it changes the fatty acid profile of the meat. Grain-fed cows have more inflammatory omega-6 fats in their meat while grass-fed cows have more anti-inflammatory omega-3 fat like CLA. What’s more, grain damages the digestive system of cows making them more susceptible to disease. This is one of the reasons why grain-fed cows are pumped full of antibiotics. Grass-fed beef is loaded with way more vitamins and minerals than grain-fed beef. In fact, grass-fed beef can have more than twice the amount of vitamin A (beta-carotene) and lutein as grain-fed beef. The beta-carotene content of grass-fed beef can be seen as a yellowish-orange hue in the fat. This is actually the same yellowish orange hue that beta-carotene gives to carrots. Grain-fed beef lacks beta-carotene so the fat appears as a stark white color. Grass-fed beef is also loaded with protein, B vitamins, vitamin E, selenium, zinc, and phosphorus. That’s why this braised short rib recipe should be made with grass-fed beef. If you are going to fuel your body with fat on a ketogenic diet, you want to eat high quality fat that won’t lead to inflammation. Ingredients 2 1/2 lb grass-fed beef short ribs 4 cup pasture-raised bone broth (chicken, beef, or turkey) 4 tbsp. grass-fed beef tallow or ghee 1 large organic yellow onion, diced 2 cups of organic collard greens, chopped 1 tbsp. organic apple cider vinegar 2 sprigs fresh organic thyme 2 sprigs fresh organic rosemary Organic black pepper Sea salt to taste Instructions 1. Preheat oven to 350 F. 2. Season ribs generously with salt and pepper. 3. Melt tallow/ghee over high heat in a large Dutch oven. 4. Lightly brown ribs on all sides. 5. Remove the ribs and set aside. 6. Turn heat down to medium. 7. Add chopped collard greens and diced onion to the Dutch oven and cook until onion becomes translucent. 8. Pour 1 cup of broth in to the pot. 9. Allow broth to reach a simmer. 10. Add the remaining broth, apple cider vinegar, salt, and pepper. 11. Add the ribs back to the Dutch oven. 12. Add the thyme and rosemary sprigs to the liquid. 13. Cover Dutch oven with lid and place in oven 14. Cook for 2 hours. 15. Reduce heat to 325 F and cook for another 30 minutes. 16. Remove from oven and allow pan to sit covered on the stove to cool for about 20 minutes before serving. How did your short ribs turn out? Let us know in the comments below! For more keto recipes and expert guidance on navigating a modified ketogenic diet for weight loss, sign up for Dr. Colbert’s Slender System program for FREE at www.myslendersystem.com Recipe adapted from farmsteadchic.com To read the original article click here. For more articles from Dr. Colbert click here.

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Easy Gluten-Free Meatballs Recipe

AHA Publisher — Wed, 17 Feb 2021 08:00:10 +0000

Dr. Josh Axe, DC, DMN, CNS – Let’s talk about meatballs. What is it about these little nibbles take a meal to the next level? Of course, when you buy them at the store or order them off a menu, it’s always a gamble; you’re never quite sure what’s in those. Luckily, this is one of the simplest things to make at home! These Easy Gluten-Free Meatballs are fantastic. They’re made with grass-fed beef, which is loaded with immune-boosting conjugated linoleic acid. These also fit well into a Paleo or even keto diet. Best of all, these meatballs keep their shape even without breading. Gluten-free eaters, rejoice! Ready to whip up a batch of these easy meatballs? Let’s get started! We’ll kick things off by placing all our ingredients, minus the oil, in a large bowl. Mix ’em all up and then form them into 1 to 1–1/2 inch meatballs. This is a great activity to let the kids help out with! Next, heat the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat, then add in the meatballs. Be careful not to overcrowd them! Brown these easy gluten-free meatballs on all sides, then let them cool on paper towels before serving. How fast was that? These easy gluten-free meatballs are super versatile. Serve them in a sandwich, add them to gluten-free pasta and homemade pasta sauce or gobble them up with mashed faux-tatoes. They’re also awesome on game day as a quick snack. I love making a double batch of these and freezing the extras. They thaw quickly, making dinnertime a snap! Easy Gluten-Free Meatballs Recipe DESCRIPTION These Easy Gluten-Free Meatballs are fantastic. They’re made with grass-fed beef, which is loaded with immune-boosting conjugated linoleic acid. INGREDIENTS 1 pound ground grass-fed beef 2 eggs, whisked one 10-ounce package frozen spinach, thawed and drained ¼ cup finely grated raw sheep’s milk cheese, such as Pecorino or Zamorano ¼ teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon cracked black pepper 1 tablespoon coconut oil INSTRUCTIONS Place all of the ingredients except the oil in a bowl. Mix ingredients together and form into 1 to 1–1/2-inch meatballs. Heat oil in a 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Brown the meatballs well on all sides in the skillet and place on paper towels to cool briefly before serving. To read the original article click here. For more articles from Dr. Axe click here.

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Slow Cooker Beef Stew Recipe

AHA Publisher — Tue, 17 Nov 2020 08:00:23 +0000

Dr. Josh Axe, DC, DMN, CNS – How do you make beef stew from scratch? It’s actually not as hard as you might think, especially if you’re using this beef stew slow cooker recipe. With delicious and nutrient-rich ingredients like grass-fed beef, carrots, parsnips and hearty beef broth, this just may be the best beef stew recipe you’ve ever tasted! Unlike stove top beef stew recipes, you don’t have to worry about watching or stirring with this easy version of a classic recipe. This recipe for beef stew only takes about five minutes to physically make, and the rest is just effortless cooking time. If you’re wondering, “How do you make beef stew on the stove?” You could use the same ingredients listed here, but you would have to brown the meat and the onion, combine all of the ingredients in a large pot, bring it to a boil, reduce the heat to low and then let it simmer for two hours, stirring every so often. But if you want a quicker, easier recipe, stick with the directions I’ve laid out here. Get ready to create one of the tastiest beef stew recipes around! Key Ingredient Switch-ups Homemade beef stew recipes provide a comforting mix of flavors, textures and warmth that can’t be beat, especially in the colder months of the year. Many people are looking for an old-fashioned beef stew recipe to experience that same goodness they loved eating as kids. How do you make old-fashioned beef stew? It’s really not very different from this beef stew recipe at all, yet here we are making a few significant ingredients switch-ups! Parsnips: An old-fashioned beef stew meat recipe typically contains potatoes, but I’m using parsnips here instead because of their notable nutrition as well as their distinct earthy flavor that pairs so well with beef. Avocado oil: Unlike old-fashioned beef stew recipes, I’m also leaving out the unhealthy refined vegetable oil and using avocado oil instead. I’m also keeping this recipe completely gluten-free by using arrowroot starch rather than wheat flour. Nutrition Facts Is beef stew good for you? One of the best ways to answer this questions is to show you its impressive nutritional content. One serving of this easy beef stew recipe contains about: 450 calories 38 grams protein 18 grams fat 32 grams carbohydrates 5.2 grams fiber 14.5 grams sugar 106 milligrams cholesterol 770 milligrams sodium 8,383 IUs vitamin A (over 100 percent DV) 33 milligrams vitamin C (37 percent DV) 4.2 milligrams iron (23 percent DV) 679 milligrams potassium (14 percent DV) 34 micrograms folate (8.5 percent DV) 0.1 milligrams thiamin (8.3 percent DV) 92 milligrams calcium (7.1 percent DV) 1.2 IUs vitamin D (6 percent DV) 0.1 milligrams vitamin B6 (5.9 percent DV) 51 milligrams phosphorus (4.1 percent DV) 16 milligrams magnesium (3.8 percent DV) 0.5 milligrams vitamin E (3.3 percent DV) 0.4 milligrams niacin (2.5 percent DV) 0.2 milligrams zinc (1.8 percent DV) How to Make This Slow Cooker Beef Stew Recipe How do you make homemade beef stew? It’s truly a 1-2-3 process with this recipe. You cut up the vegetables, combine all the ingredients in a slow cooker and then let it cook for hours. Yes, that’s it! As you may have guessed, this low and long cooking time results in a incredibly flavorful stew that is perfect for lunch or dinner. A too thin or too thick beef stew recipe misses the mark, but I think you’ll find that this upgraded yet perfectly basic beef stew recipe has a consistency that is just right. If you have the time, don’t forget about my beef broth recipeso you can make this recipe even more homemade. Ok, let’s get started! First, you’ll need to get your veggies sliced and diced. Now you have the mushrooms, onions, parsnips and carrots cut up and ready to go into the pot. Add the chunks of beef to the slow cooker and then begin adding the vegetables. Add in all of the remaining ingredients, including the flavor-boosting spices. Last but not least, add in the fresh herbs. Cook on low for six to eight hours. Top with fresh chopped parsley and serve. I hope you enjoy this healthy take on a good old-fashioned beef stew recipe. Slow Cooker Beef Stew Recipe DESCRIPTION With delicious and nutrient-rich ingredients like grass-fed beef, carrots, parsnips and hearty beef broth, this just may be the best beef stew recipe you’ve ever tasted! INGREDIENTS 2 pounds grass-fed beef stew meat 4 carrots, coarsely chopped 2 parsnips, coarsely chopped 2 cups beef broth 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar 6 ounces tomato paste 2 cups fire-roasted tomatoes 1 cup mushrooms, sliced 1 onion, sliced 1 teaspoon garlic powder 1 teaspoon onion powder 1 teaspoon smoked paprika 2 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped 3 sprigs thyme 3 bay leaves 2 tablespoons avocado oil 4 tablespoons arrowroot starch 1 teaspoon sea salt 1 teaspoon black pepper parsley, for garnishing INSTRUCTIONS Place all ingredients into a slow cooker except for the parsley. Cook on low for 6-8 hours. Top with chopped parsley and serve. To read the original article click here. For more articles from Dr. Axe click here.

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6 Reasons to Include Zinc in Your Diet

AHA Publisher — Fri, 14 Aug 2020 07:00:17 +0000

Lori Alton via NaturalHealth365 – While coverage of the COVID-19 pandemic continues to dominate headlines in the United States, the fact is: heart disease and cancer remain the number one and number two causes of death in the nation. Unfortunately, much of the research about zinc benefits have been ignored by the mainstream medicine and conventionally-trained physicians. Hopefully, this report can help to change all of that. Today, we’ll focus our attention on how zinc can help the fight free radical damage, minimize the risk of cellular dysfunction and greatly improve immune system performance. Study: How Zinc Improves Immune System Function and Speeds Up Your Ability to Regain Your Health Researchers have learned that zinc promotes immune system function by strengthening epithelial barriers, boosting cellular immunity and activating the T-lymphocytes which attack and kill infected cells. And, a recent review published in the American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene concluded that zinc supplementation is associated with significant reduction in the duration of the common cold. The researchers noted that zinc reduced the length of colds and flu by over 52 hours. In other words, zinc supplementation can rescue cold and flu sufferers from two whole days of sniffling, sneezing, achy misery -quite a reprieve! Important to note: in order to ease cold and flu symptoms most effectively, zinc should be taken at the first sign of illness. Discover the Great Antioxidant Effects of This Valuable Mineral Zinc is a potent antioxidant that scavenges free radicals which would otherwise damage lipids, proteins and cell DNA in the body, potentially triggering disease. This essential micronutrient is also a key constituent of superoxide dismutase, a natural antioxidant enzyme linked with longevity. In one placebo-controlled study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition and involving healthy adults aged 55 to 87 years, the researchers found that markers of oxidative stress – such as inflammatory cytokines and endothelial cell adhesion molecules – were substantially lower in participants who were given zinc. This translated into concrete disease-fighting benefits, with the zinc group demonstrating significantly lower rates of infections when compared to the placebo group. And the good news about zinc keeps on coming. It turns out that zinc benefits the heart, as well. It’s Time to Be Good to Your Heart Function Zinc is important for the health of the endothelium – the fragile, all-important layer of cells lining blood vessels. In addition to supporting endothelial function and healthy circulation, zinc supplementation has been shown to reduce the risk of artery-clogging atherosclerosis – thereby helping to prevent heart attack and stroke. Promising Research for All Those Concerned About Cancer Cell Growth Esophageal cancer is a particularly lethal form of cancer, with The American Cancer Society estimating that over 16,000 people will lose their lives to the disease in the United States in 2020 alone. But recent research on zinc has yielded encouraging results. In a study published in FASEB (the journal of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology), researchers found that zinc can arrest the growth of esophageal cancer cells while leaving healthy cells unharmed. The scientists noted that zinc works by interfering with overactive calcium signaling in cancer cells. Other research has demonstrated that zinc can help halt the growth of prostate cancer cells. Don’t Ignore the Health Dangers of Fatty Liver Disease With up to 40 percent of Americans living with some form of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), this once little-known condition is now at epidemic proportions in the United States. Zinc lends the liver a helping hand by reducing inflammation, decreasing free radical damage, promoting nutrient absorption and facilitating elimination of waste. In an influential placebo-controlled study conducted in 2018, researchers gave supplemental zinc to participants with chronic liver disease, including hepatitis B, hepatitis C, nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (a possible complication of NAFLD) and alcohol-related cirrhosis of the liver. After 36 months, the zinc group showed lower levels of inflammatory markers and better liver function. But, that’s not all. The zinc group also had a lower risk of developing hepatocellular carcinoma, a deadly liver cancer that can result from chronic liver disease. Health warning: Zinc Deficiencies Increase the Risk of Unwanted Health Issues Of course, an obvious (no-brainer!) reason for consuming healthy levels of zinc is to protect against deficiencies. According to Oregon State University, 12 percent of the American population is at risk for zinc deficiency. In elderly people, the risk increases to a shocking 40 percent. And, the consequences can be grave. Zinc deficiency can cause increased susceptibility to many chronic degenerative diseases – along with anemia, impotence, cognitive problems and slowed wound healing. Zinc deficient infants are at a higher risk of both pneumonia and diarrhea. According to a review published in Archives of Biochemistry and Biophysics, zinc shortfalls cause impaired formation and activation of disease-fighting lymphocytes. And, several studies have shown that zinc deficiency encourages tumor growth and promotes the production of pro-inflammatory molecules. Protect Your Health With Sufficient Zinc Intake Diets that exclude grass-fed meats, wild seafood and pasture-raised eggs may be low in zinc, leaving vegetarians and vegans are at particular risk for deficiency. Along with elderly people, others at risk include those with chronic digestive disorders, athletes or any person that sweats heavily. Classic symptoms of zinc deficiency include brittle nails, white spots on the fingernails, hair loss, fatigue and impaired memory and concentration. Lowered sex drive, adult acne and decreased sense of smell and taste can also indicate a shortage of zinc. While the Institute of Medicine advises a zinc RDA of 11 mg a day for men and 8 mg a day for women, many natural health experts recommend more generous amounts. If you would like to try supplementing with zinc, talk to your integrative healthcare provider for guidance. You can boost your dietary intake of zinc with grass-fed beef, wild-caught salmon, sardines, poultry, chickpeas, cashews, pumpkin seeds, yogurt, eggs and mushrooms. The fact is: zinc benefits are simply too far-reaching and powerful to overlook. It’s well worth taking the time to make sure that you are “up to speed” on this life-sustaining mineral. Sources for this article include: NIH.gov, Springer.com, LifeExtension.com, NIH.gov To read the original article click here. For more articles from NaturalHealth365 click here.

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