We often hear commercials saying, “Zinc supplementation is important for children” “Zinc supplementation is the key for children with anorexia” …… Various zinc supplementation commercials are flooding our lives, what exactly is zinc? Zinc is one of the trace elements necessary to maintain human life, and it is especially important for small babies. Zinc has indelible merits in the growth and intellectual development of babies. Zinc has the following roles: 1. Promotes the growth and development of bones and major organs. 2.Maintain the normal functioning of brain functions such as memory, sensory and cognition. 3.Improve immunity, maintain the normal operation of the immune system, reduce certain infections or shorten the duration of infection, such as the common cold, diarrhea, pneumonia, etc. 4.Promote cell growth and help wound healing. 5.Helps digest carbohydrates, fats and proteins in food, etc. Common symptoms of zinc deficiency in babies: (three or more are likely to suffer from zinc deficiency) 1. Loss of appetite: the amount of food eaten is reduced, and symptoms such as anorexia, picky eating and omnivorous eating appear. 2.Slow growth: weight and height are less than the same age. 3, poor immunity: frequent colds and fevers, or pneumonia, tonsillitis. 4, abnormal nails, tongue: white spots on the top of the nails, barbs on the top of the fingers, red and white irregular graphics on the tongue. 5. Slow reaction: poor concentration and poor memory. 6, vision loss: zinc deficiency can lead to vision loss, myopia, astigmatism and other eye conditions. 7.Decreased skin self-healing ability: Wounds are difficult to heal and also suffer from skin diseases. 8.Multiple mouth ulcers: recurring and cannot be healed. What foods can be supplemented with zinc? Many of the foods we eat contain zinc, so if your child’s zinc deficiency is not very serious, you can supplement zinc for your baby through dietary supplements. Foods rich in zinc are the following: seafood: such as oysters, oysters, mussels, lobsters, crabs, etc. Meat: such as beef, pork, chicken, etc. Nuts: such as cashews, almonds, peanuts, etc. (it is recommended to grind them before giving them to your baby to prevent choking caused by choking into the trachea). Legumes: such as soybeans, peas, lentils, etc. Cereals: such as whole grains, fortified breakfast cereals, etc. Dairy products: such as milk, cheese, etc. Although many plant foods, such as cereals and legumes, are rich in zinc, the phytic acid they contain can combine with zinc to form water-insoluble compounds, thus preventing the absorption of zinc in the body. In other words, the absorption rate of zinc is lower in plant foods than in animal foods, so it is advisable to eat animal foods to supplement zinc. Whether a baby is “zinc deficient” or not should be evaluated from various aspects such as diet, growth and development, health status, etc. If a baby is severely zinc deficient, he/she should take zinc supplements under the guidance of a doctor.