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The importance of nutrition in recovering from illness and injury is well documented. Clinical studies have discovered several types of foods that contain nutrients that can help heal wounds including deep cuts. For proper healing, you need plenty of vitamin A, vitamin C, zinc and increased amounts of protein and calories 2.
Vitamin A
Foods that are good sources of vitamin A include:
- carrots
- yellow squash
- sweet potatoes
- spinach
- kale
- collards
- apricots
- mango
- cantaloupe
Generally, foods that are deep yellow, dark green or orange are good sources of vitamin A. Vitamin A helps wounds heal, assists in preventing infections and is needed for the health of skin and tissues in the body.
Vitamin C
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Vitamin C helps wounds heal, assists in preventing infection and helps produce collagen, which is needed by your body's muscles, bones and tissues.
Zinc
Foods that are good sources of zinc include:
- red meat
- sesame seeds
- pumpkin seeds
- asparagus
- shrimp
- broccoli 2
Your body needs the mineral zinc so that your cells can properly read and carry out their genetic instructions 2. Zinc also supports the immune system 2.
Protein
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Foods that are good sources of protein include meat, poultry, fish and eggs. For wound healing, animal sources of protein are better than plant sources. Protein is the basic building block for all of your body's cells and tissues.
Calories
Healing any type of wound is an intensive process for the body, which means your body needs additional calories. Eat plenty of nutrient-dense, healthy foods, and avoid foods that are high in calories but provide little nutrition. Choose vegetable beef soup over broth for more nutrition. Choose milk and milkshakes over carbonated beverages. Choose ice cream with real fruit over Popsicles.
- Healing any type of wound is an intensive process for the body, which means your body needs additional calories.
- Choose milk and milkshakes over carbonated beverages.
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References
- Cleveland Clinic: Nutrition Guidelines to Improve Wound Healing
- NIH: Zinc
- National Institutes of Health. Office of Dietary Supplements. Zinc Fact Sheet for Health Professionals. Updated March 6, 2020.
- Wessels I, Maywald M, Rink L. Zinc as a Gatekeeper of Immune Function. Nutrients. 2017;9(12):1286. doi:10.3390/nu9121286
- Mousa HA. Prevention and Treatment of Influenza, Influenza-Like Illness, and Common Cold by Herbal, Complementary, and Natural Therapies. J Evid Based Complementary Altern Med. 2017;22(1):166-174. doi:10.1177/2156587216641831
- Krebs NF, Miller LV, Hambidge KM. Zinc deficiency in infants and children: a review of its complex and synergistic interactions. Paediatr Int Child Health. 2014;34(4):279-288. doi:10.1179/2046905514Y.0000000151
- Gogia S, Sachdev HS. Zinc supplementation for mental and motor development in children. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2012;12:CD007991. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD007991.pub2
- Ogawa Y, Kinoshita M, Shimada S, Kawamura T. Zinc and Skin Disorders. Nutrients. 2018;10(2):199. doi:10.3390/nu10020199
- Gupta M, Mahajan VK, Mehta KS, Chauhan PS. Zinc Therapy in Dermatology: A Review. Dermatol Res Pract. 2014;2014:709152. doi:10.1155/2014/709152
- Khan WU, Sellen DW. World Health Organization. Zinc supplementation in the management of diarrhoea. 2011.
- Petrilli MA, Kranz TM, Kleinhaus K, et al. The Emerging Role for Zinc in Depression and Psychosis. Front Pharmacol. 2017;8:414. doi:10.3389/fphar.2017.00414
- Fallah A, Mohammad-Hasani A, Colagar AH. Zinc is an Essential Element for Male Fertility: A Review of Zn Roles in Men's Health, Germination, Sperm Quality, and Fertilization. J Reprod Infertil. 2018;19(2):69‐81.
- Zhao J, Dong X, Hu X, et al. Zinc levels in seminal plasma and their correlation with male infertility: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Sci Rep. 2016;6:22386. Published 2016 Mar 2. doi:10.1038/srep22386
- U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. Oysters, Raw. FoodData Central. Updated 2020.
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Writer Bio
Stephanie Crumley Hill is a childbirth educator who for more than 20 years has written professionally about pregnancy, family and a variety of health and medical topics. A former print magazine editor, her insurance articles for “Resource” magazine garnered numerous awards. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of Georgia.