Why is zinc important for my health?

You may have heard of zinc before, perhaps as an important ingredient in cold remedies or certain sunscreens (remember those fun-colored noses from the 1980s?). What many of you don't know is that zinc is an essential mineral in your diet. The recommended daily allowances for men and women are 11 mg and 8 mg, respectively.

Zinc plays a number of crucial functions in your body:

It accelerates the activity of approximately 100 different body enzymes;It promotes immune function to fight illness;It supports healthy cell growth and development;It ensures a proper sense of taste and smell.