The refining of cereal grains a major dietary staple in the uk has been shown to remove up to 90 of the available zinc content of these foodstuffs this combined with the trend to eat less animal derived protein is likely to be one of the reasons why a staggering one out of three adults in the uk fails to consume sufficient dietary zinc zinc is important for a healthy immune system as well as the maintenance of healthy skin and a good complexion zinc is also important for reproductive hea