Zinc is important as it can help boost the immune system and improve skin health. Symptoms such as cracked skin, loss of taste, hair loss, lethargy, and poor wound healing can indicate a zinc deficiency. As zinc is typically got from meat, vegans need to eat various seeds, grains and nuts to ensure they have a good zinc level. Alternatively, using vegan zinc supplements is a great way to ensure you’re covered
Best vegan zinc supplements picks
As it’s so important to maintain your zinc levels for good health, zinc supplements are important. However, it can be hard to find a vegan option when it comes to this mineral. This is because minerals cannot be synthesized in a lab.
Instead, zinc needs to be extracted from specific sources. But, there are still some vegan zinc supplements available, and we’re going to look at them here.
Taking a more detailed look into these Zinc supplements
This vegan zinc supplement comes from a brand that’s well-known for top-quality vegan products. It provides zinc liquid in zinc sulfate form. This is one of the forms least likely to cause any side effects as it has a high percentage of zinc and is bioavailable. It’s great for those that find capsules hard to swallow and is a small serving size. There are no filler ingredients either. However, this is on the pricier side. Additionally, while liquid supplements do ensure good absorption, they’re not necessarily the best option.
With 50 mg of zinc per serving, you may think that this is huge. But actually, it is in the form of zinc gluconate which means that it’s only around 7 mg of elemental zinc. The brand is made in the US which is great if you’re trying to keep your carbon footprint low. It’s also tested in third-party labs to ensure quality. The tablets are also very cheap per serving which is a big plus here. And, there are 100 of them in each bottle. If we have to point out a drawback, it’s that it’s only in tablet form which can be an issue for some due to swallowing issues.
These zinc lozenges come in bottles of 60. This is a four-pack, so you end up with 240 lozenges. However, these do need to be taken once every 2 hours with up to six lozenges a day being the maximum consumption. As such, you can go through each bottle quite quickly. Additionally, this is not a zinc only supplement as it also contains echinacea and Vitamin C. There are other additives in this vegan supplement too including flavorings (its wild berry), fructose, sodium bicarbonate, and magnesium stearate. If you’re looking for zinc only, this is not the option for you.
How much Zinc do I need?
This really depends on each person. Generally, adults should be taking 8-30 mg of zinc each day. This amount does depend on your gender as well, with women needing more zinc (around 11 mg per day) than men (around 8 mg per day). However, there’s a chance of side effects, so it is not recommended that you take any more than 40 mg of zinc per day. This should only be done under medical supervision.
What are the different types of Zinc supplements?
There are three main types of zinc supplements.
The first of these is zinc sulfate. This has a relatively high absorption rate. Zinc sulfate contains 23% zinc by weight, which means you don’t have to take much to reach the recommended daily allowance (RDA).
Zinc gluconate has the highest absorption rate of all zinc supplements, and doesn’t cause side effects for most people. It has 14.3% zinc by weight.
Finally, zinc oxide is used in skincare products rather than as a supplement. It has a lower absorption rate than zinc gluconate or zinc sulfate.
These supplements can be found in liquid or lozenge form.
Can vegans take Zinc supplements?
Yes, vegans can take zinc supplements. However, as zinc is primarily found in meats, vegans need to check whether the specific supplement they’re looking at is actually vegan.
That being said, most vegans are unlikely to need zinc supplements and will naturally meet the RDA for zinc per day. However, this is not the case for everyone, so if you do not have a varied diet and notice some symptoms linked to zinc deficiency, then a vegan zinc supplement may be a good idea.
What are the best natural Zinc sources for vegans?
The best natural zinc sources for vegans are nuts, seeds, and green leaves. In particular, pumpkin seeds, cashews, chickpeas, spinach, and asparagus have a lot of zinc in them. Fermented foods, such as miso and tempeh, also increase zinc absorption, so it’s worth incorporating these into your diet as well.
What should you look for in a vegan Zinc supplement?
You should consider the type of zinc, the dose available, and the form of the supplement. Vegans will also need to make sure that the zinc supplement does not use gelatin-based capsules to deliver the zinc. Using a liquid zinc supplement will ensure that this is not the case.
The type of zinc in any supplement really does matter. As we mentioned before, some types of zinc are absorbed faster than others. Therefore, it’s good to look for supplements continuing zinc gluconate. Zinc oxide is another option, but many people don’t absorb this so well, so this can be avoided.
Finally, make sure you are using a quality product from a recognized brand.
What are the side effects of Zinc supplements?
Some of the side effects of using a zinc supplement include indigestion, diarrhea, headaches, vomiting, and nausea. Therefore, only take a zinc supplement if you are sure you need to.
How did we choose these products?
When selecting these products, we checked to ensure that they were vegan-friendly. We also made sure that the dosages were appropriate and that a variety of different zinc types were included in our recommendations for these supplements.
Additionally, we only chose these products as they are high-quality and come from trusted brands. This means that you can be sure that these vegan zinc supplements will actually do what they say they will.
Summary
If you don’t think you’re getting enough zinc in your vegan meals, then you can easily resolve this by taking a vegan zinc supplement. There are a number of different options including liquids and lozenges. These can help to boost your zinc levels, promoting better all-around health, concentration, and digestion.
You can take a look at our top-rated vegan zinc supplements right here.