Zinc Rich Foods Chart
Zinc per 100 g and per 100 kcal, ranked from the same USDA table as every other page. Shellfish and red meat lead per gram; seeds and legumes are the plant column.
Fortified breakfast cereals rank high here because zinc is added during manufacturing. Among naturally occurring sources, oysters lead by a wide margin, followed by other shellfish and red meat.
| Food | Per 100 g | Per 100 kcal | %DV |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oysters (cooked) | 78.6 mg | 77.1 mg | 715% DV |
| Cheerios (plain) | 13.4 mg | 3.6 mg | 122% DV |
| Wheat germ (raw) | 12.3 mg | 3.4 mg | 112% DV |
| Hemp seeds (hulled) | 9.9 mg | 1.8 mg | 90% DV |
| Nutritional yeast | 7.9 mg | 2.4 mg | 72% DV |
| Poppy seeds | 7.9 mg | 1.5 mg | 72% DV |
| Sesame seeds | 7.8 mg | 1.4 mg | 70% DV |
| Ground beef (90% lean, cooked) | 6.7 mg | 3.1 mg | 60% DV |
| Pine nuts | 6.5 mg | 1.0 mg | 59% DV |
| Pumpkin seeds | 6.3 mg | 1.1 mg | 58% DV |
| Cashews | 5.1 mg | 0.9 mg | 46% DV |
| Sunflower seeds | 5.0 mg | 0.9 mg | 45% DV |
| Sunflower seed butter | 4.9 mg | 0.8 mg | 44% DV |
| Tahini | 4.6 mg | 0.8 mg | 42% DV |
| Chia seeds | 4.6 mg | 0.9 mg | 42% DV |
| Pecans | 4.5 mg | 0.7 mg | 41% DV |
| Swiss cheese | 4.4 mg | 1.1 mg | 40% DV |
| Flax seeds | 4.3 mg | 0.8 mg | 39% DV |
| Granola | 4.2 mg | 0.9 mg | 38% DV |
| Freekeh (cooked) | 4.1 mg | 1.2 mg | 37% DV |
| Brazil nuts | 4.1 mg | 0.6 mg | 37% DV |
| Lobster (cooked) | 4.0 mg | 4.6 mg | 37% DV |
| Gruyère | 3.9 mg | 0.9 mg | 35% DV |
| Crab (cooked) | 3.8 mg | 4.6 mg | 35% DV |
| Monterey Jack | 3.8 mg | 1.0 mg | 34% DV |
| Cheddar cheese | 3.7 mg | 0.9 mg | 33% DV |
| Corned beef (canned) | 3.6 mg | 1.4 mg | 32% DV |
| Bacon (cooked) | 3.4 mg | 0.6 mg | 31% DV |
| Dark chocolate (70–85%) | 3.3 mg | 0.6 mg | 30% DV |
| Lamb loin (cooked) | 3.3 mg | 1.7 mg | 30% DV |
Common questions
How much zinc do I need per day?
The FDA daily value is 11 mg; the adult RDA is 8 mg for women and 11 mg for men. Phytates in grains and legumes lower absorption, so plant-based diets may need more.
Where do these numbers come from?
USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy and Foundation Foods), synced per food with source entry IDs on each food page. One dataset, one per-100 g basis, per-100 kcal computed here.
Method
Values are USDA FoodData Central per-100 g figures (SR Legacy / Foundation), the same rows behind every food page on this site; per-100 kcal is computed as nutrient ÷ kcal × 100. DV = FDA daily value for adults (11 mg for this nutrient, 21 CFR 101.9).