Zinc

Found in beans, grains, nuts and seeds — a few kitchen habits help you absorb more.

• Supplement: rarely needed
• Last checked: Oct 2026

Zinc rarely needs a supplement on a varied vegan diet. It does reward a little know-how in the kitchen.

Why you need it

Zinc helps your body make new cells and enzymes, process the carbohydrate, fat and protein in your food, heal wounds, and keep your immune system working. Too little can lead to hair loss, more infections and slow wound healing.

Why it matters for vegans

The best plant sources — whole grains and legumes — also contain phytate, which holds on to zinc and reduces how much you absorb. That’s why vegans may need somewhat more zinc than meat-eaters, and why studies find lower zinc intake and levels in vegetarians, more so in vegans.

Where to get it

Beans, lentils, chickpeas, tofu, wholemeal bread, whole grains, nuts, seeds and fortified breakfast cereals.

Help your body absorb it

• Choose leavened bread. Yeast breaks down phytate, so leavened wholemeal bread gives you more usable zinc than flatbreads or crackers.
• Soak, sprout and ferment. Soaking beans and grains, sprouting them, and fermented foods such as tempeh all reduce phytate. (If you sprout at home, follow food-hygiene advice.)

How much?

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) sets reference intakes that rise with how much phytate you eat: 7.5–12.7 mg a day for women and 9.4–16.3 mg for men. A diet rich in whole grains and legumes is at the higher end. The upper limit is 25 mg a day.

Should you supplement?

Usually not. The Vegan Society considers a varied, mostly whole-food vegan diet to provide enough zinc, and supplements are best kept for when your diet is low in zinc-rich foods or a deficiency has been found.

Don’t take more than 25 mg a day of zinc supplements unless a doctor advises it. High doses reduce how much copper you absorb, which can lead to anaemia and weaker bones, and can cause stomach cramps and diarrhoea.

How to check

There’s no reliable blood test for zinc status. The best check is your plate: zinc-rich foods every day, prepared in ways that help you absorb it.

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