Eating bread leads to a deficiency in Zinc

This post includes a synopsis of a paper published in the British Medical Journal 2003;326:409-410 22 February and a recipe for golden garlic shrimp.

Study title and author:
Zinc deficiency has been known of for 40 years but ignored by global health organisations

Ananda S Prasad, distinguished professor of medicine.

Books:

Wayne State University School of Medicine, Internal Medicine, University Health Center 5-C, 4201 St Antoine, Detroit, MI 48201 USA

This paper can be accessed at: http://www.bmj.com/cgi/content/full/326/7386/409

Eleven patients suffered from dwarfism, hypogonadism, hepatosplenomegaly, rough and dry skin, mental lethargy, geophagia, and iron deficiency anaemia. It was discovered they consumed a diet of NO animal protein, and they ate only unleavened bread.

It is known that phytate in cereals markedly impairs the absorption of zinc and also iron. With a well balanced animal protein diet and administration of iron, all the clinical features in the patients were corrected.

More information on this subject: Books : Scientific Studies : Other Websites : Videos : Food Mall 

Recipe of the day

Golden garlic shrimp

serves 4

Ingredients:

Food Mall: Deveined

2 pounds shrimp, peeled and deveined

1/3 cup olive oil
4 cloves garlic, peeled
1 shallot, peeled and roughly chopped
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
pinch of salt
freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup shrimp or chicken stock

How to make it:
Preheat oven to 500 degrees. Place peeled shrimp in a baking dish.

Add oil and garlic to a food processor and pulse until garlic is in tiny bits, infused into the oil, scraping down the sides as necessary. Add the shallot and red pepper flakes and pulse a few more times.

Coat the shrimp with the mixture, add stock and combine. Sprinkle with salt & pepper.

Bake for 10-15 minutes til all shrimp are pink throughout.

Serve along with sauce from the dish.