Meat and poultry high in zinc (per serving)
50 meat and poultry ranked by zinc per common serving, from USDA FoodData Central. Beef, chuck leads with 10.4 mg per 3 oz (95% of the Daily Value), followed by Beef, ribeye filet (9.4 mg) and Beef, chuck eye Country-Style ribs (9.3 mg).
Top 10 at a glance
Top 10 meat and poultry highest in zinc
- Beef, chuck (short ribs, boneless, separable lean only, trimmed to 0" fat, select, cooked, braised)3 oz (85 g) · 190 kcal10.4 mg95% DV
- Beef, ribeye filet (boneless, separable lean only, trimmed to 0" fat, select, cooked, grilled)3 oz (85 g) · 158 kcal9.4 mg85% DV
- Beef, chuck eye Country-Style ribs (boneless, separable lean only, trimmed to 0" fat, choice, cooked, braised)3 oz (85 g) · 199 kcal9.3 mg85% DV
- Beef, top loin filet (boneless, separable lean and fat, trimmed to 1/8" fat, select, cooked, grilled)3 oz (85 g) · 186 kcal9.3 mg84% DV
- Beef, ribeye petite roast (boneless, separable lean only, trimmed to 0" fat, select, cooked, roasted)3 oz (85 g) · 139 kcal9.1 mg83% DV
- Beef, top loin petite roast (boneless, separable lean and fat, trimmed to 1/8" fat, select, cooked, roasted)3 oz (85 g) · 181 kcal9.1 mg82% DV
- Lamb, foreshank (separable lean only, trimmed to 1/4" fat, choice, cooked, braised)3 oz (85 g) · 159 kcal7.4 mg67% DV
- Game meat, deer (shoulder clod, separable lean only, cooked, braised)3 oz (85 g) · 162 kcal7.3 mg67% DV
- Game meat, bison (chuck, shoulder clod, separable lean only, cooked, braised)3 oz (85 g) · 164 kcal7.3 mg67% DV
- Lamb, shoulder (blade, separable lean only, trimmed to 1/4" fat, choice, cooked, braised)3 oz (85 g) · 245 kcal6.9 mg62% DV
All 50 meat and poultry 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 | Beef, chuck (short ribs, boneless, separable lean only, trimmed to 0" fat, select, cooked, braised) | 3 oz (85 g) | 10.4 | 12.3 | 190 | |
| 2 | Beef, ribeye filet (boneless, separable lean only, trimmed to 0" fat, select, cooked, grilled) | 3 oz (85 g) | 9.4 | 11 | 158 | |
| 3 | Beef, chuck eye Country-Style ribs (boneless, separable lean only, trimmed to 0" fat, choice, cooked, braised) | 3 oz (85 g) | 9.3 | 11 | 199 | |
| 4 | Beef, top loin filet (boneless, separable lean and fat, trimmed to 1/8" fat, select, cooked, grilled) | 3 oz (85 g) | 9.3 | 10.9 | 186 | |
| 5 | Beef, ribeye petite roast (boneless, separable lean only, trimmed to 0" fat, select, cooked, roasted) | 3 oz (85 g) | 9.1 | 10.7 | 139 | |
| 6 | Beef, top loin petite roast (boneless, separable lean and fat, trimmed to 1/8" fat, select, cooked, roasted) | 3 oz (85 g) | 9.1 | 10.7 | 181 | |
| 7 | Lamb, foreshank (separable lean only, trimmed to 1/4" fat, choice, cooked, braised) | 3 oz (85 g) | 7.4 | 8.7 | 159 | |
| 8 | Game meat, deer (shoulder clod, separable lean only, cooked, braised) | 3 oz (85 g) | 7.3 | 8.6 | 162 | |
| 9 | Game meat, bison (chuck, shoulder clod, separable lean only, cooked, braised) | 3 oz (85 g) | 7.3 | 8.6 | 164 | |
| 10 | Lamb, shoulder (blade, separable lean only, trimmed to 1/4" fat, choice, cooked, braised) | 3 oz (85 g) | 6.9 | 8.1 | 245 | |
| 11 | Lamb, Australian (imported, fresh, foreshank, separable lean only, trimmed to 1/8" fat, cooked, braised) | 3 oz (85 g) | 6.7 | 7.9 | 140 | |
| 12 | Lamb, New Zealand (imported, fore-shank, separable lean only, cooked, braised) | 3 oz (85 g) | 6 | 7.1 | 178 | |
| 13 | Veal, shank (fore and hind) (separable lean only, cooked, braised) | 3 oz (85 g) | 5.8 | 6.8 | 150 | |
| 14 | Lamb, cubed for stew or kabob (leg and shoulder) (separable lean only, trimmed to 1/4" fat, cooked, braised) | 3 oz (85 g) | 5.6 | 6.6 | 190 | |
| 15 | Game meat, elk (ground, cooked, pan-broiled) | 3 oz (85 g) | 5.6 | 6.6 | 164 | |
| 16 | Bison, ground (grass-fed, cooked) | 3 oz (85 g) | 4.5 | 5.3 | 152 | |
| 17 | Veal, foreshank (osso buco, separable lean only, cooked, braised) | 3 oz (85 g) | 4.5 | 5.3 | 133 | |
| 18 | Game meat, goat (cooked, roasted) | 3 oz (85 g) | 4.5 | 5.3 | 122 | |
| 19 | Lamb, rib (separable lean only, trimmed to 1/4" fat, choice, cooked, broiled) | 3 oz (85 g) | 4.5 | 5.3 | 200 | |
| 20 | Pork, fresh (shoulder, (Boston butt), blade (steaks), separable lean only, cooked, braised) | 3 oz (85 g) | 4.4 | 5.2 | 198 | |
| 21 | Turkey, all classes (liver, cooked, simmered) | 3 oz (85 g) | 3.9 | 4.5 | 161 | |
| 22 | Turkey, all classes (leg, meat and skin, cooked, roasted) | 3 oz (85 g) | 3.6 | 4.3 | 177 | |
| 23 | Turkey thigh, pre-basted (meat and skin, cooked, roasted) | 3 oz (85 g) | 3.5 | 4.1 | 133 | |
| 24 | Pork, loin (leg cap steak, boneless, separable lean and fat, cooked, broiled) | 3 oz (85 g) | 3.5 | 4.1 | 134 | |
| 25 | Turkey, whole (neck, meat only, cooked, simmered) | 3 oz (85 g) | 3.4 | 4 | 138 | |
| 26 | Turkey, all classes (back, meat and skin, cooked, roasted) | 3 oz (85 g) | 3.3 | 3.9 | 207 | |
| 27 | Veal, ground (cooked, broiled) | 3 oz (85 g) | 3.3 | 3.9 | 146 | |
| 28 | Dove, cooked | 3 oz (85 g) | 3.3 | 3.8 | 181 | |
| 29 | Chicken, broilers or fryers (neck, meat only, cooked, simmered) | 3 oz (85 g) | 3.2 | 3.8 | 152 | |
| 30 | Turkey, ground (93% lean, 7% fat, pan-broiled crumbles) | 3 oz (85 g) | 3.2 | 3.8 | 181 | |
| 31 | Turkey, ground (85% lean, 15% fat, pan-broiled crumbles) | 3 oz (85 g) | 3 | 3.6 | 219 | |
| 32 | Pork loin, fresh (backribs, bone-in, cooked-roasted, lean only) | 3 oz (85 g) | 2.8 | 3.2 | 217 | |
| 33 | Goose, domesticated (meat only, cooked, roasted) | 3 oz (85 g) | 2.7 | 3.2 | 202 | |
| 34 | Chicken, stewing (dark meat, meat only, cooked, stewed) | 3 oz (85 g) | 2.7 | 3.1 | 219 | |
| 35 | Quail, cooked (total edible) | 3 oz (85 g) | 2.6 | 3.1 | 193 | |
| 36 | Pork, Leg sirloin tip roast (boneless, separable lean and fat, cooked, braised) | 3 oz (85 g) | 2.4 | 2.9 | 133 | |
| 37 | Chicken, broilers or fryers (leg, meat only, cooked, stewed) | 3 oz (85 g) | 2.4 | 2.8 | 157 | |
| 38 | Pork, shoulder (petite tender, boneless, separable lean and fat, cooked, broiled) | 3 oz (85 g) | 2.3 | 2.7 | 132 | |
| 39 | Chicken, broilers or fryers (back, meat only, cooked, roasted) | 3 oz (85 g) | 2.3 | 2.6 | 203 | |
| 40 | Duck, domesticated (meat only, cooked, roasted) | 3 oz (85 g) | 2.2 | 2.6 | 171 | |
| 41 | Chicken, broilers or fryers (thigh, meat only, cooked, stewed) | 3 oz (85 g) | 2.2 | 2.6 | 166 | |
| 42 | Chicken, canned (no broth) | 3 oz (85 g) | 2.1 | 2.5 | 157 | |
| 43 | Pork, Shoulder breast (boneless, separable lean and fat, cooked, broiled) | 3 oz (85 g) | 2.1 | 2.4 | 138 | |
| 44 | Game meat, rabbit (wild, cooked, stewed) | 3 oz (85 g) | 2 | 2.4 | 147 | |
| 45 | HORMEL ALWAYS TENDER, Boneless Pork Loin (Fresh Pork) | 3 oz (85 g) | 1.4 | 1.6 | 123 | |
| 46 | Turkey breast, pre-basted (meat and skin, cooked, roasted) | 3 oz (85 g) | 1.3 | 1.5 | 107 | |
| 47 | HORMEL ALWAYS TENDER, Pork Tenderloin (Teriyaki-Flavored) | 3 oz (85 g) | 1.3 | 1.5 | 101 | |
| 48 | HORMEL ALWAYS TENDER, Center Cut Chops (Fresh Pork) | 3 oz (85 g) | 1.3 | 1.5 | 142 | |
| 49 | Pheasant, cooked (total edible) | 3 oz (85 g) | 1.2 | 1.4 | 203 | |
| 50 | HORMEL ALWAYS TENDER, Pork Loin Filets (Lemon Garlic-Flavored) | 3 oz (85 g) | 1.1 | 1.3 | 100 |
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 meat and poultry in the USDA database, Beef, chuck (short ribs, boneless, separable lean only, trimmed to 0" fat, select, cooked, braised) has the most zinc per serving: 10.4 mg per 3 oz (95% of the Daily Value). Per 100 g it contains 12.3 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. 40 of the 50 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
- Grains high in zinc
- Fish and seafood 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.