Calcium, alcohol, and certain plant compounds, like lectins, tannins, and phytates, or phytic acid, can make it harder for your body to absorb zinc. Here are seven foods to avoid when taking zinc supplements to maximize absorption.

1. Kidney Beans

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Kidney beans and other legumes, like chickpeas and pinto beans, contain phytates , “antinutrients” that block zinc absorption.

However, cooking and soaking beans reduces the phytates, making it easier to absorb zinc, according to Leah Oldham, RDN , a registered dietitian nutritionist at Henry Ford Health in Detroit.

2. Peanuts

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Like kidney beans, peanuts contain phytates that can interfere with zinc absorption.

Peanuts and other high-phytate foods only block absorption if consume

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