Our bodies contain almost as much zinc as it does iron. Yet, few of us give this mineral, usually associated with galvanized tubs and pipes, much of a thought. But, maybe we should.

Zinc is concentrated in the eye, kidney, brain, liver, muscle, and male reproductive organs, where it works as an essential activator" for many enzymes. A shortfall of zinc can cause a weakening of the immune system, slow wound healing, impaired eyesight, and a loss of the sense of smell and taste, which can affect appetite. A deficiency during childhood can impair growth, while during pregnancy, a shortfall can cause birth defects.

Fortunately, the amount of zinc needed to prevent health problems is small. Zinc is found in many common foods, such as meat, dried beans, nuts, eggs, and milk. Because this mineral is so important, when our dietary intake does slip a bit, our bodies can compensate by absorbing more of it from our food.

Although we need very little zinc in our diets, some folks do have trouble getting enough zinc. Strict vegetarians and those who limit the amount of animal products they consume need to be zinc-aware. Meat-averse pregnant and nursing women need to be faithful in taking their prenatal vitamin and mineral supplements, which contain extra zinc. Pregnancy increases a woman's zinc needs by 25 percent, and nursing increases it by more than 50 percent.