On Thu, 16 Mar 2000, Amadeus Schmidt wrote:

> On Wed, 15 Mar 2000 14:58:53 -0800, Mary <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>
> >Todd, so wouldn't almost everyone be zinc deficient, then? Even those on a
> >paleo diet? Unless they are eating oysters all day!

> It shows that various seeds are at top ranks - but as we know
> many seeds have the problem that they contain phytate which prohibits
> from assimilating the minerals (to what extent?? how's that changeable?).
> Some seeds (poppy? sesame? Sunflowers) may be low/free of phytin.
> But tree-seeds (NUTS) should be favourable - like brasils.
> This again supports my impression of early steppe hominids as nutatarians
> maybe like Kung.
>
> >From a meat-point of view, organ meats are there - that means 200g
> of innards per day - everyday.... (stomach? lung?)

Interestingly, in a random browse through the USDA database, the
best organ meat source of zinc that I found was chicken heart, at
about 6.6mg/100g.  The best overall source that I found was
sesame seeds, at about 7.5mg/100g.  Pumpkin seeds were about the
same value as chicken hearts.  Most nuts are between 3 and 4 mg,
with brazil nuts apparently at the top of the range.  Plain old
beef isn't bad, at 3.6mg/100g.  Walnuts are about 3.1mg/100g.

Todd Moody
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