If you are trying to eat more Zinc, ranked lists are useful because the best options are often not the most obvious ones. The foods below are ordered by Zinc content in mg per 100 g, drawn from the foods in our database.
Dried herbs, spices, garlic and chilli are excluded from this ranking. Per 100 g they top almost every nutrient table — ground turmeric alone would lead on iron, potassium and manganese — but they are eaten a teaspoon at a time, so listing them as a source would be misleading.
Remember: ranking by one nutrient is only one way to choose foods. Pairing matters too. Use the Zinc compound page to understand absorption, forms and interactions.
Sesame Seeds — the top-ranked source
| Total Fat | 49.7 g |
|---|---|
| Saturated Fat | 6.96 g |
| Sodium | 11 mg |
| Potassium | 468 mg |
| Total Carbohydrate | 23.4 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 11.8 g |
| Total Sugars | 0.3 g |
| Protein | 17.7 g |
Top 15 Zinc foods
- Sesame Seeds — 7.75 mg per 100g (70% DV). Calcium, lignans, magnesium
- Pumpkin Seeds — 6.34 mg per 100g (58% DV). Magnesium, zinc, iron
- Sunflower Seeds — 5.58 mg per 100g (51% DV). Vitamin E, magnesium, selenium
- Chia Seeds — 5.56 mg per 100g (51% DV). Calcium, phosphorus, plant omega-3 (ALA)
- Lean Beef (95% lean) — 5.09 mg per 100g (46% DV). Heme iron, zinc, vitamin B12
- Cashews — 5.07 mg per 100g (46% DV). Magnesium, copper, manganese
- Flaxseed — 4.74 mg per 100g (43% DV). Thiamine, magnesium, lignans
- Pecans — 3.93 mg per 100g (36% DV). Manganese, copper, zinc
- Lentils — 3.86 mg per 100g (35% DV). Folate, iron, manganese
- Cheddar Cheese — 3.74 mg per 100g (34% DV). Calcium, protein, vitamin B12
- Black Beans — 3.65 mg per 100g (33% DV). Folate, magnesium, anthocyanins
- Oats — 3.64 mg per 100g (33% DV). Manganese, phosphorus, magnesium
- Dark Chocolate (70–85%) — 3.31 mg per 100g (30% DV). Iron, magnesium, copper
- Lamb — 3.19 mg per 100g (29% DV). Protein, vitamin B12, zinc
- Chickpeas — 3.12 mg per 100g (28% DV). Folate, manganese, iron
How to actually eat more Zinc
A handful of additions usually move the needle more than a full diet reset. Zinc is best consumed from whole foods rather than supplements whenever possible. Try adding one new source each week, track how you feel, and build from there rather than forcing every meal to hit a target.
For broader context, see our Immune Support hub and the Zinc compound page.
Common questions
How much Zinc do I need a day? Needs differ by age, sex, life stage and health status. The figures here are not prescriptions; use them to compare foods, then apply your own context.
Are supplements better than food sources? Not automatically. Food provides co-factors such as fibre, fat and other micronutrients that help the body use Zinc effectively. Supplements are useful for filling confirmed gaps.
Scientific references & clinical evidence
This guide is built on peer-reviewed research — verify the primary sources below.
