Top 10 Foods Highest in Manganese

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BSc (Hons) MSc DipION Photo of Dr. Nicolette Natale Medically Reviewed by
Dr. Nicolette Natale
Evidence Based. References sourced from PubMed. Powered by USDA Nutrition Data.
Top 10 Foods Highest in Manganese

Manganese is an essential trace mineral required by the body for a wide variety of functions including digestion, reproduction, antioxidant defense, immune function, energy production, and macronutrient metabolism. (1,2)

Manganese is well-regulated in the body and deficiency or toxicity is usually due to kidney problems, gastrointestinal issues, or rare genetic conditions. (3,4) A deficiency of manganese is usually seen in the form of high blood pressure, irregular heartbeats, and weak bones (due to lack of calcium). (3) Conversely, too much manganese affects the brain leading to muscle tremors. (5)

In general, most people will not experience any problems from either manganese deficiency or toxicity. (2)

Foods high in manganese include mussels, wheat germ, tofu, sweet potatoes, nuts, brown rice, lima beans, chickpeas, spinach, and pineapples. The current daily value (DV) for manganese is 2.3mg. (6)

Below is a list of high manganese foods sorted by a common serving size, for more, see the list of high manganese foods by a 100 grams serving size, and the complete nutrient ranking of over 200 foods high in manganese .

List of High Manganese Foods

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A printable list of foods high in manganese including mussels, wheat germ, tofu, sweet potatoes, nuts, brown rice, lima beans, chickpeas, spinach, and pineapples.

Manganese Foods by Nutrient Density (Manganese per Gram)

FoodServingManganese
1. Toasted Wheat Germ + 100 grams 868% DV
(20mg)
2. Dried Pine Nuts + 100 grams 383% DV
(8.8mg)
3. Cooked Blue Mussels + 100 grams 296% DV
(6.8mg)
4. Dry Roasted Hazelnuts + 100 grams 241% DV
(5.6mg)
5. Dried Pumpkin And Squash Seeds + 100 grams 198% DV
(4.5mg)
6. Unsweetened Baking Chocolate + 100 grams 181% DV
(4.2mg)
7. Dry Roasted Pecans + 100 grams 171% DV
(3.9mg)
8. Walnuts + 100 grams 148% DV
(3.4mg)
9. Dried Coconut (Unsweetened) + 100 grams 119% DV
(2.7mg)
10. Toasted Whole Wheat Bread + 100 grams 111% DV
(2.5mg)

Manganese Requirements By Age and Gender

The adequate intake (AI) for manganese ranges from 1.2mg to 2.6mg per day. (7) The daily value for manganese is 2.3mg per day. (6)

Life StageAI
Infants*
0-6 months old0.003mg
7-12 months old0.6mg
Children
1-3 years old1.2mg
4-8 years old1.5mg
Males
9-13 years old1.9mg
14-18 years old2.2mg
19-50 years old2.3mg
50+ years old2.3mg
Females
9-13 years old1.6mg
14-18 years old1.6mg
19-50 years old1.8mg
50+ years old1.8mg
Pregnancy
14-18 years old2mg
18+ years old2mg
Lactation
14-18 years old2.6mg
18+ years old2.6mg

Source: Dietary Reference Intakes for Manganese.

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Data Sources and References

  1. Nyarko-Danquah I, Pajarillo E, Digman A, Soliman KFA, Aschner M, Lee E. Manganese metabolism in humans Molecules. 2020 Dec 12;25(24):5880. doi: 10.3390/molecules25245880. 33322668
  2. Erikson KM, Thompson K, Aschner J, Aschner M. Manganese: Its Role in Disease and Health Pharmacol Ther. 2007 Feb;113(2):369-77. doi: 10.1016/j.pharmthera.2006.09.002. Epub 2006 Sep 22. 17084903
  3. Rude RK. Clinical manifestations of magnesium deficiency Endocrinol Metab Clin North Am. 1993 Jun;22(2):377-95. 8325293
  4. Graber ML. Magnesium deficiency: pathophysiologic and clinical overview Am J Kidney Dis. 1995 Jun;25(6):973. doi: 10.1016/0272-6386(95)90587-1. 7771497
  5. Nyarko-Danquah I, Pajarillo E, Digman A, Soliman KFA, Aschner M, Lee E. Manganese metabolism in humans Molecules. 2020 Dec 12;25(24):5880. doi: 10.3390/molecules25245880. 33322668
  6. Erikson KM, Thompson K, Aschner J, Aschner M. Manganese: Its Role in Disease and Health Pharmacol Ther. 2007 Feb;113(2):369-77. doi: 10.1016/j.pharmthera.2006.09.002. Epub 2006 Sep 22. 17084903
  7. U.S.FDA - Daily Value on the New Nutrition and Supplement Facts Labels
  8. National Library of Medicine - Dietary Reference Intakes for Vitamin A, Vitamin K, Arsenic, Boron, Chromium, Copper, Iodine, Iron, Manganese, Molybdenum, Nickel, Silicon, Vanadium, and Zinc.
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