Grains high in zinc (per serving)
17 grains ranked by zinc per common serving, from USDA FoodData Central. Wheat, KAMUT khorasan leads with 3.2 mg per 1 cup (29% of the Daily Value), followed by Cereals, oats (2.9 mg) and Teff, cooked (2.8 mg).
Top 10 at a glance
Top 10 grains highest in zinc
- Wheat, KAMUT khorasan (cooked)1 cup (172 g) · 227 kcal3.2 mg29% DV
- Cereals, oats (regular and quick, not fortified, dry)1 cup (81 g) · 307 kcal2.9 mg27% DV
- Teff, cooked1 cup (252 g) · 255 kcal2.8 mg25% DV
- Spelt, cooked1 cup (194 g) · 246 kcal2.4 mg22% DV
- Wild rice, cooked1 cup (164 g) · 166 kcal2.2 mg20% DV
- Quinoa, cooked1 cup (185 g) · 222 kcal2 mg18% DV
- Millet, cooked1 cup (174 g) · 207 kcal1.6 mg14% DV
- Pasta, whole-wheat (cooked)1 cup spaghetti not packed (117 g) · 174 kcal1.6 mg14% DV
- Spaghetti, spinach (cooked)1 cup (140 g) · 182 kcal1.5 mg14% DV
- Rice, brown (long-grain, cooked)1 cup (202 g) · 248 kcal1.4 mg13% DV
All 17 grains ranked
Sort any column. Serving sizes are USDA household measures (a cup, a medium fruit, 3 oz of cooked meat or fish, 1 oz of nuts or cheese). %DV is based on the FDA Daily Value of 11 mg.
| # | Food | Serving | Zinc (mg) | % Daily Value | Per 100 g | kcal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wheat, KAMUT khorasan (cooked) | 1 cup (172 g) | 3.2 | 1.8 | 227 | |
| 2 | Cereals, oats (regular and quick, not fortified, dry) | 1 cup (81 g) | 2.9 | 3.6 | 307 | |
| 3 | Teff, cooked | 1 cup (252 g) | 2.8 | 1.1 | 255 | |
| 4 | Spelt, cooked | 1 cup (194 g) | 2.4 | 1.2 | 246 | |
| 5 | Wild rice, cooked | 1 cup (164 g) | 2.2 | 1.3 | 166 | |
| 6 | Quinoa, cooked | 1 cup (185 g) | 2 | 1.1 | 222 | |
| 7 | Millet, cooked | 1 cup (174 g) | 1.6 | 0.9 | 207 | |
| 8 | Pasta, whole-wheat (cooked) | 1 cup spaghetti not packed (117 g) | 1.6 | 1.3 | 174 | |
| 9 | Spaghetti, spinach (cooked) | 1 cup (140 g) | 1.5 | 1.1 | 182 | |
| 10 | Rice, brown (long-grain, cooked) | 1 cup (202 g) | 1.4 | 0.7 | 248 | |
| 11 | Barley, pearled (cooked) | 1 cup (157 g) | 1.3 | 0.8 | 193 | |
| 12 | Bulgur, cooked | 1 cup (182 g) | 1 | 0.6 | 151 | |
| 13 | Buckwheat groats, roasted (cooked) | 1 cup (168 g) | 1 | 0.6 | 155 | |
| 14 | Pasta, gluten-free (corn, cooked) | 1 cup (140 g) | 0.9 | 0.6 | 176 | |
| 15 | Rice noodles, cooked | 1 cup (176 g) | 0.4 | 0.2 | 190 | |
| 16 | Couscous, cooked | 1 cup, cooked (157 g) | 0.4 | 0.3 | 176 | |
| 17 | Noodles, japanese (somen, cooked) | 1 cup (176 g) | 0.4 | 0.2 | 231 |
Zinc in specific foods
How this list is built. Values are from USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy, with Foundation Foods analytical updates where available). The pool is 1,677 whole foods: fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts and seeds, grains, fish, meat, poultry, dairy and eggs. Spices, herbs, baby foods, powders, flours, dried and freeze-dried items, juices, processed meats, organ meats other than liver and uncommon foods are excluded; meats, fish, grains and legumes are ranked cooked. Each food family appears once and no single animal or plant fills more than six places. Ranking is by amount per serving; the per-100 g column is shown for reference. A food that USDA has not analysed for zinc is left out rather than counted as zero. Full methodology.
Frequently asked questions
Which food is highest in zinc?
Among grains in the USDA database, Wheat, KAMUT khorasan (cooked) has the most zinc per serving: 3.2 mg per 1 cup (29% of the Daily Value). Per 100 g it contains 1.8 mg.
How much zinc do I need per day?
The FDA Daily Value used on Nutrition Facts labels is 11 mg of zinc for adults and children aged 4 and over. Individual needs vary with age, sex, pregnancy and health conditions.
What counts as a food high in zinc?
FDA labeling rules call a food a 'good source' when one serving provides 10 to 19% of the Daily Value and 'high' or 'excellent' at 20% or more. 5 of the 17 foods on this list reach 20% DV per serving.
Related rankings
- Foods high in potassium
- Foods high in magnesium
- Foods high in iron
- Foods high in calcium
- Foods high in selenium
- Foods high in copper
- All foods high in zinc
- Fruits high in zinc
- Vegetables high in zinc
- Legumes high in zinc
- Nuts and seeds high in zinc
- Fish and seafood high in zinc
- Meat and poultry high in zinc
- Dairy and eggs high in zinc
Nutrient values are from USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy, April 2018; Foundation Foods, April 2026) and shown per serving as described on each page. %DV uses the FDA Daily Values for adults and children aged 4 and over. This is nutrition data for general information, not medical or dietary advice; talk to a clinician or registered dietitian about your own needs. How the numbers are calculated.