Zinc-Rich Foods: Chart per 100 g

Zinc is concentrated in oysters, beef, pumpkin seeds, sesame, hemp seeds and pulses. On a plant-based diet the amount actually absorbed is lower than the chart suggests – which is why the German reference value is tiered by phytate intake.

Zinc contributes to the normal function of the immune system, to the maintenance of normal skin, hair and nails, and to the protection of cells from oxidative stress.

The German DGE tiers zinc by phytate intake: 7 to 10 mg for women, 11 to 16 mg for men. Percentages below use 10 mg.

#	Food	Zinc per 100 g	Share of daily reference	Category	Source
1	Hemp seeds	9.9 mg	99 %	Dry goods & tinned	USDA
2	Poppy seeds	7.9 mg	79 %	Other	USDA
3	Pumpkin seeds	7.8 mg	78 %	Dry goods & tinned	USDA
4	Sesame	7.8 mg	78 %	Other	USDA
5	Pine nuts	6.5 mg	65 %	Dry goods & tinned	USDA
6	Wild rice	6 mg	60 %	Other	USDA
7	Cashew nuts	5.8 mg	58 %	Dry goods & tinned	USDA
8	Beef	5 mg	50 %	Meat & fish	BLS
9	Sunflower seeds	5 mg	50 %	Dry goods & tinned	USDA
10	Soybeans	4.9 mg	49 %	Dry goods & tinned	USDA
11	Tahini	4.6 mg	46 %	Dry goods & tinned	USDA
12	Chia seeds	4.6 mg	46 %	Other	USDA
13	Ground beef	4.6 mg	45 %	Meat & fish	USDA
14	Pecan nuts	4.5 mg	45 %	Dry goods & tinned	USDA
15	Flaxseed	4.3 mg	43 %	Dry goods & tinned	USDA
16	Muesli	4.2 mg	42 %	Dry goods & tinned	–
17	Brazil nuts	4.1 mg	41 %	Dry goods & tinned	USDA
18	Provolone	4 mg	40 %	Dairy & cheese	BLS
19	Beef liver	4 mg	40 %	Meat & fish	USDA
20	Soy flour	3.9 mg	39 %	Dry goods & tinned	USDA
21	Gouda	3.9 mg	39 %	Dairy	USDA
22	Lamb meat	3.8 mg	38 %	Meat & fish	USDA
23	Coconut flour	3.7 mg	37 %	Dry goods & tinned	USDA
24	White beans	3.7 mg	37 %	Dry goods & tinned	USDA
25	Black beans	3.7 mg	37 %	Dry goods & tinned	USDA
26	Oats	3.6 mg	36 %	Dry goods & tinned	–
27	Borlotti beans	3.6 mg	36 %	Dry goods & tinned	USDA
28	Red lentils	3.6 mg	36 %	Dry goods & tinned	USDA
29	Spelt whole grain flour	3.6 mg	36 %	Dry goods & tinned	USDA
30	Spelt	3.3 mg	33 %	Dry goods & tinned	USDA
31	Peanuts	3.3 mg	33 %	Nuts & seeds	USDA
32	Green lentils	3.3 mg	33 %	Other	USDA
33	Lentils	3.3 mg	33 %	Dry goods & tinned	USDA
34	Prosciutto di Parma	3.3 mg	33 %	Meat	BLS
35	Green spelt	3.2 mg	32 %	Other	BLS
36	Fava beans	3.1 mg	31 %	Dry goods & tinned	BLS
37	Buckwheat flour	3.1 mg	31 %	Dry goods & tinned	USDA
38	Almonds	3.1 mg	31 %	Dry goods & tinned	USDA
39	Quinoa	3.1 mg	31 %	Dry goods & tinned	USDA
40	Walnuts	3.1 mg	31 %	Dry goods & tinned	USDA
41	Rice	3 mg	30 %	Dry goods & tinned	BLS
42	Rice cakes	3 mg	30 %	Dry goods & tinned	USDA
43	Whole wheat pasta	3 mg	30 %	Dry goods & tinned	USDA
44	Mozzarella	2.9 mg	29 %	Dairy	USDA
45	Feta	2.9 mg	29 %	Other	USDA
46	Feta cheese	2.9 mg	29 %	Chilled	USDA
47	Amaranth	2.9 mg	29 %	Dry goods & tinned	USDA
48	Halloumi	2.8 mg	28 %	Dairy	BLS
49	Chickpea flour	2.8 mg	28 %	Dry goods & tinned	USDA
50	Kidney beans	2.8 mg	28 %	Other	USDA

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High values, small amounts

These ingredients score very high per 100 g but are eaten by the teaspoon, not by the plate. That is why they are not in the chart above. The right-hand column shows what a usual amount actually contributes.

Ingredient	per 100 g	usual amount	in that amount
Cocoa	6.8 mg	10 g	0.68 mg
Nutritional yeast	8.4 mg	5 g	0.42 mg
Miso	2.6 mg	15 g	0.38 mg
Pesto	0.9 mg	20 g	0.18 mg
Curry paste	1 mg	15 g	0.15 mg
Cardamom	7.5 mg	2 g	0.15 mg

Phytate, and what helps against it

Grains and pulses contain phytic acid, which binds zinc and lowers absorption. Soaking, sprouting and sourdough fermentation break part of it down – sourdough bread delivers more available zinc than the same flour in a yeasted loaf. It is also why the German reference is a range rather than a single number.

How much of it adds up across your week?

Up-Food calculates over 30 nutrients from the real ingredient amounts in your weekly plan – using the same verified values you see in this chart.

See the weekly plan

Frequently Asked Questions

Which foods are highest in zinc?

Oysters by a wide margin, then beef, pumpkin seeds, sesame, hemp seeds, oats and pulses.

How much zinc per day?

The German DGE gives 7 to 10 mg for women and 11 to 16 mg for men depending on phytate intake. US RDAs are 8 mg and 11 mg.

Does zinc help with colds?

Zinc contributes to the normal function of the immune system – that is the approved statement. Trials of zinc lozenges in acute colds are mixed; that is a different question from dietary zinc and belongs in a pharmacy, not a nutrient chart.

Do vegans get enough zinc?

It is achievable but takes attention: plenty of seeds and pulses, plus soaking or sourdough. German guidance deliberately sets a higher reference for a phytate-rich diet.

References

The figures in the chart come from the nutrient databases named below. The statements in the running text on this page rest on the following work:

Hotz C, Gibson RS: Assessment of home-based processing methods to reduce the phytate content and phytate/zinc molar ratio of white maize. J Agric Food Chem 2001. doi:10.1021/jf000462w

Where these numbers come from

All values come from the Up-Food ingredient database: 370 foods, with values from USDA FoodData Central or the German Federal Food Code (BLS). Every row names its source. Daily reference intakes are the D-A-CH reference values of the German Nutrition Society. Data as of 2026-09-19.

What this chart is not
A nutrient chart is a set of measurements, not dietary advice and not medical information. Whether someone is actually short of a nutrient shows in a blood test, not in a list. For symptoms, or before taking supplements, a doctor is the right address.