Podcast

Zinc: How to Get Enough Zinc with Baby-Led Weaning Foods

WHAT zinc is and how having enough zinc ensures your baby's body can perform more than 300 different enzymatic reactions related to things like immune function, taste and smell, growth and development and cognition.
WHEN baby's zinc needs begin increasing and why it's important to include zinc containing foods as part of the weaning diet
WHICH foods contain zinc and if your family eats animal foods, how you can work in a rotation of these foods to ensure your baby is getting adequate zinc from BLW foods

LISTEN TO THIS EPISODE

Episode Description

Zinc is kind of like iron’s lesser known micronutrient sibling. It’s not as talked about, but it’s role in growth and development for babies is really important. And while breastmilk and/or formula will meet your baby’s zinc needs for the first 6 months or so of life...it is important to start including zinc containing foods when you start baby-led weaning.

In this episode we’re looking at zinc and what it does for babies’ growth and health...but also how you can offer foods that contain zinc to ensure your baby is getting enough zinc from foods.

SUMMARY OF EPISODE

In this episode we’re covering

WHAT zinc is and how having enough zinc ensures your baby’s body can perform more than 300 different enzymatic reactions related to things like immune function, taste and smell, growth and development and cognition.
WHEN baby’s zinc needs begin increasing and why it’s important to include zinc containing foods as part of the weaning diet
WHICH foods contain zinc and if your family eats animal foods, how you can work in a rotation of these foods to ensure your baby is getting adequate zinc from BLW foods

LINKS from episode

Other BABY-LED WEANING MADE EASY podcast episodes mentioned in this episode:
- Episode 19 Meat: How to Prepare Meat Safely for Baby-Led Weaning
- Episode 76 Sustainable Meat: Smart Selections for Starting Solids with Diana Rodgers, RD
- Episode 117 Game Meat: How to Offer Game Meats Safely to Your Baby
Get your copy of my 100 FIRST FOODS list with 20 different protein foods that contain zinc. Everyone on my free weekly workshop “BABY-LED WEANING FOR BEGINNERS” gets a copy of this list & you can sign up for this week’s workshop times here.

RESEARCH LINKS FROM EPISODE

Zinc deficiency in infants and children: a review of its complex and synergistic interactions: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25203844/
NIH Zinc fact sheet for healthcare professionals: https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Zinc-HealthProfessional/

TRANSCRIPT of episode

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