Top 10 Foods Highest in Zinc

Zinc is an essential mineral found in over 300 enzymes. (1) Zinc is needed for wound healing, immune system function, building proteins and DNA, fertility in adults, and growth in children. (2,3) Zinc is also needed for maintaining the senses of smell and taste. (4)

A deficiency in zinc can lead to stunted growth, impotence, hair loss, eye and skin lesions, impaired appetite, and depressed immunity. (5)

Conversely, consuming too much zinc can lead to nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, abdominal cramps, diarrhea, and headaches. High doses of zinc can also disrupt the absorption of iron and copper in the digestive tract. (6,7)

Foods high in zinc include oysters, beef, chicken, tofu, pork, nuts, seeds, lentils, yogurt, oatmeal, and mushrooms. The current daily value (DV) for zinc is 11mg. (8) This is a target intended for the general population, but some people may have different needs for zinc based on their age, gender, diet, or medical factors.

Below is a list of the top ten foods highest in zinc by common serving size, for more, see the lists of vegetarian zinc foods, high zinc vegetables, high zinc fruits, and high zinc nuts.

Top 10 High Zinc Foods

• 1. Oysters + Add

  Zinc per 6 Oysters	Zinc per 100g	Zinc per 200 Calories
  52mg (472% DV)	61mg (555% DV)	155mg (1405% DV)

  Nutrition Facts for Cooked Eastern Oysters (Wild). (Source)

  Other Seafood High in Zinc

  • 93% DV zinc in a king crab leg
  • 47% DV in 20 small clams
  • 47% DV in 1 cup of canned blue crab
  • 31% DV in a 3oz serving of lobster
  • 26% DV in a 3oz serving of octopus

  See the full list of over 100 fish high in zinc.

• 2. Beef (Chuck Steak) + Add

  Zinc per 5oz Steak	Zinc per 100g	Zinc per 200 Calories
  15mg (140% DV)	11mg (99% DV)	12mg (105% DV)

  Nutrition Facts for Braised Chuck Steak (Mock Tender) (Trimmed to 0 Inch Fat). (Source)

  More Red Meat High in Zinc

  • 129% DV zinc in a ribeye steak
  • 60% DV in 3oz of a chuck beef roast
  • 46% DV in a 3oz hamburger patty
  • 41% DV in 3oz of ground buffalo
  • 39% DV in a 3oz lamb shank

  See the full list of meats high in zinc.

• 3. Chicken Leg + Add

  Zinc per Roasted Leg (Thigh And Leg)	Zinc per 100g	Zinc per 200 Calories
  5mg (49% DV)	2mg (19% DV)	2mg (20% DV)

  Nutrition Facts for Roasted Chicken Leg. (Source)

  More Poultry High in Zinc

  • 33% DV in 1 cup of roast duck
  • 27% DV in 3oz of roast turkey
  • 23% DV in a chicken drumstick (leg)

  See the full list of meats high in zinc.

• 4. Firm Tofu + Add

  Zinc per Cup	Zinc per 100g	Zinc per 200 Calories
  4mg (36% DV)	2mg (14% DV)	2mg (20% DV)

  Nutrition Facts for Firm Tofu. (Source)

  More Soy Products High in Zinc

  • 48% DV in 1 cup of natto
  • 15% DV in 1 cup of green soybeans
  • 14% DV in 1 cup of tempeh

  See over 60 beans and legumes high in zinc.

• 5. Lean Pork Chops + Add

  Zinc in a 6oz Chop	Zinc per 100g	Zinc per 200 Calories
  4mg (32% DV)	2mg (19% DV)	2mg (19% DV)

  Nutrition Facts for Braised Pork Chops (Lean). (Source)

  More Pork Products High in Zinc

  • 36% DV in 3oz of pork spare ribs
  • 35% DV in a 3oz Boston steak
  • 32% DV in 3oz of salami
  • 25% DV in a Bratwurst Sausage
  • 21% DV in 3oz of SPAM

  See the full list of meats high in zinc.

• 6. Squash and Pumpkin Seeds + Add

  Zinc per 1 Oz Handful	Zinc per 100g	Zinc per 200 Calories
  3mg (27% DV)	10mg (94% DV)	5mg (42% DV)

  Nutrition Facts for Roasted Squash And Pumpkin Seeds (With Shells). (Source)

  More Nuts and Seeds High in Zinc

  • 17% DV per oz of pine nuts
  • 14% DV per oz of cashews
  • 13% DV per oz of sunflower seeds

  See the top 10 nuts and seeds high in zinc.

• 7. Lentils + Add

  Zinc per Cup	Zinc per 100g	Zinc per 200 Calories
  3mg (23% DV)	1mg (12% DV)	2mg (20% DV)

  Nutrition Facts for Cooked Lentils (Boiled) (Mature Seeds). (Source)

  Beans High in Zinc

  • 23% DV zinc in 1 cup of garbanzo beans (chickpeas)
  • 22% DV in 1 cup of large white beans
  • 20% DV in 1 cup of black-eyed peas
  • 18% DV in 1 cup of navy beans
  • 18% DV in 1 cup of black beans

  See the full list of beans high in zinc.

• 8. Low-Fat Yogurt + Add

  Zinc per Cup	Zinc per 100g	Zinc per 200 Calories
  2mg (22% DV)	1mg (9% DV)	3mg (31% DV)

  Nutrition Facts for Non Fat Yogurt. (Source)

  More Dairy Foods High in Zinc

  • 16%DV zinc per 16oz glass of milk
  • 15% DV in 1/2 cup of low-fat ricotta
  • 11% DV in a 1oz slice of Swiss cheese
  • 11% DV in 1oz of grated parmesan
  • 10% DV in 1oz of Gouda

  See all dairy products high in zinc.

• 9. Oatmeal + Add

  Zinc per Cup	Zinc per 100g	Zinc per 200 Calories
  2mg (21% DV)	1mg (9% DV)	3mg (26% DV)

  Nutrition Facts for Cooked Oatmeal. (Source)

  Fortified breakfast cereals can provide 170% DV zinc per serving, but are not necessarily a healthier choice, as some can be high in added sugar and salt.

  See 200 breakfast cereals high in zinc.

• 10. Shiitake Mushrooms + Add

  Zinc per Cup Cooked	Zinc per 100g	Zinc per 200 Calories
  2mg (18% DV)	1mg (12% DV)	5mg (43% DV)

  Nutrition Facts for Cooked Shiitake Mushrooms. (Source)

  More Vegetables High in Zinc

  • 17% DV zinc in 1 cup of green peas
  • 12% DV in 1 cup of cooked spinach
  • 12% DV in 1 cup of lima beans

  For more see the top 10 high zinc vegetables.

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Zinc Requirements By Age and Gender

The recommended daily allowance (RDA) for zinc ranges from 3mg to 11mg per day, depending on a person's age and gender. The daily value for zinc is 11mg per day. (8) The daily value is a general guideline that will prevent deficiency for most people and is listed on food labels, while the RDA is specific for age and gender.

Life Stage	RDA
Infants
0-6 months old*	2mg
7-12 months old	3mg
Children
1-3 years old	3mg
4-8 years old	5mg
Males
9-13 years old	8mg
14-18 years old	11mg
19-50 years old	11mg
50+ years old	11mg
Females
9-13 years old	8mg
14-18 years old	9mg
19-50 years old	8mg
50+ years old	8mg
Pregnancy
14-18 years old	12mg
18+ years old	11mg
Lactation
14-18 years old	13mg
18+ years old	12mg

*The amounts for children less than 6 months old is the adequate intake (AI) not RDA.
Source: Dietary Reference Intakes for Zinc.

From the Nutrient Ranking Tool

Use the ranking tool links below to select foods and create your own food list to share or print.

• Foods High in Zinc
• Foods Low in Zinc
• Vegetables High in Zinc
• Fruits High in Zinc
• Vegetarian Foods High in Zinc
• Nuts High in Zinc
• Grains High in Zinc
• Beans High in Zinc
• Dairy High in Zinc
• Breakfast Cereals High in Zinc
• Fast Foods High in Zinc

View more nutrients with the nutrient ranking tool, or see ratios with the nutrient ratio tool.

Related

• High Zinc Foods for Vegans and Vegetarians
• High Zinc Vegetables
• High Zinc Fruits
• High Zinc Nuts
• 200 Breakfast Cereals High in Zinc
• High Copper Foods
• Foods for Skin Health
• The Best 10 Foods For Healthy Hair And Nails

Data Sources and References

1. Zastrow ML, Pecoraro VL. Function and mechanism of zinc metalloenzymes Biochemistry. 2014 Feb 18;53(6):957-78. doi: 10.1021/bi4016617. Epub 2014 Feb 7. 24506795
2. Rasouli M, Rahimi A, Soleimani M, Keshel SH. Zinc in Wound Healing Modulation Acta Histochem. 2021 Oct;123(7):151785. doi: 10.1016/j.acthis.2021.151785. Epub 2021 Sep 6. 34500185
3. Haase H, Rink L. Zinc and the immune system Metallomics. 2014 Jul;6(7):1175-80. doi: 10.1039/c3mt00353a. 24531756
4. Doty RL. Zinc and the special senses Handb Clin Neurol. 2019;164:229-246. doi: 10.1016/B978-0-444-63855-7.00015-0. 31604550
5. Crider K, Williams J, Qi YP, Gutman J, Yeung L, Mai C, Finkelstain J, Mehta S, Pons-Duran C, Menéndez C, Moraleda C, Rogers L, Daniels K, Green P. Zinc Deficiency Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2022 Feb 1;2(2022):CD014217. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD014217. 36321557
6. Crider K, Williams J, Qi YP, Gutman J, Yeung L, Mai C, Finkelstain J, Mehta S, Pons-Duran C, Menéndez C, Moraleda C, Rogers L, Daniels K, Green P. Zinc Toxicity Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2022 Feb 1;2(2022):CD014217. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD014217. 36321557
7. Maret W, Sandstead HH. Zinc toxicity J Trace Elem Med Biol. 2006;20(1):3-18. doi: 10.1016/j.jtemb.2006.01.006. Epub 2006 Feb 21. 16632171
8. U.S.FDA - Daily Value on the New Nutrition and Supplement Facts Labels