Zinc bioavailability from beef is about fourfold greater than from a high-fiber breakfast cereal.

This study was published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 1993 Dec;58(6):902-7

 

Study title and authors:

Measurement of zinc bioavailability from beef and a ready-to-eat high-fiber breakfast cereal in humans: application of a whole-gut lavage technique.

Zheng JJ, Mason JB, Rosenberg IH, Wood RJ.

Mineral Bioavailability Laboratory, US Department of Agriculture Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging, Tufts University, Boston, MA 02111.

 

This study can be accessed at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8249876

This study compared the effects of beef and breakfast cereals on zinc absorption. The study included eight healthy adults who were given foods containing approximately 4 mg (61.2 mumol) zinc as either beef or a high-fiber, ready-to-eat breakfast cereal.

The study revealed that zinc absorption from the high-fiber breakfast cereal was 14.7%, whereas zinc absorption from beef was 55.1%.

The study demonstrates that zinc bioavailability from beef is about fourfold greater than from a high-fiber breakfast cereal.