Nuts and seeds high in zinc (per serving)
12 nuts and seeds ranked by zinc per common serving, from USDA FoodData Central. Seeds, sesame butter leads with 2.9 mg per 2 tbsp (27% of the Daily Value), followed by Seeds, pumpkin and squash seeds (2.9 mg) and Seeds, sesame seed kernels (2.9 mg).
Top 10 at a glance
Top 10 nuts and seeds highest in zinc
- Seeds, sesame butter (tahini, from unroasted kernels (non-chemically removed seed coat))2 tbsp (28 g) · 170 kcal2.9 mg27% DV
- Seeds, pumpkin and squash seeds (whole, roasted, without salt)1 oz (85 seeds) (28 g) · 126 kcal2.9 mg26% DV
- Seeds, sesame seed kernels (toasted, without salt added (decorticated))1 oz (28 g) · 161 kcal2.9 mg26% DV
- Seeds, hemp seed (hulled)1 oz (28 g) · 157 kcal2.8 mg26% DV
- Seeds, sesame seeds (whole, dried)1 oz (28 g) · 162 kcal2.2 mg20% DV
- Seeds, pumpkin and squash seed kernels (roasted, without salt)1 oz (28 g) · 163 kcal2.2 mg20% DV
- Nuts, cashew butter (plain, without salt added)2 tbsp (32 g) · 188 kcal1.7 mg15% DV
- Nuts, pine nuts (dried)1 oz (167 kernels) (28 g) · 191 kcal1.6 mg15% DV
- Nuts, cashew nuts (dry roasted, without salt added)1 oz (28 g) · 163 kcal1.6 mg14% DV
- Nuts, pecans (dry roasted, without salt added)1 oz (28 g) · 201 kcal1.4 mg13% DV
All 12 nuts and seeds 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 | Seeds, sesame butter (tahini, from unroasted kernels (non-chemically removed seed coat)) | 2 tbsp (28 g) | 2.9 | 10.4 | 170 | |
| 2 | Seeds, pumpkin and squash seeds (whole, roasted, without salt) | 1 oz (85 seeds) (28 g) | 2.9 | 10.3 | 126 | |
| 3 | Seeds, sesame seed kernels (toasted, without salt added (decorticated)) | 1 oz (28 g) | 2.9 | 10.2 | 161 | |
| 4 | Seeds, hemp seed (hulled) | 1 oz (28 g) | 2.8 | 9.9 | 157 | |
| 5 | Seeds, sesame seeds (whole, dried) | 1 oz (28 g) | 2.2 | 7.8 | 162 | |
| 6 | Seeds, pumpkin and squash seed kernels (roasted, without salt) | 1 oz (28 g) | 2.2 | 7.6 | 163 | |
| 7 | Nuts, cashew butter (plain, without salt added) | 2 tbsp (32 g) | 1.7 | 5.2 | 188 | |
| 8 | Nuts, pine nuts (dried) | 1 oz (167 kernels) (28 g) | 1.6 | 5.7 | 191 | |
| 9 | Nuts, cashew nuts (dry roasted, without salt added) | 1 oz (28 g) | 1.6 | 5.6 | 163 | |
| 10 | Nuts, pecans (dry roasted, without salt added) | 1 oz (28 g) | 1.4 | 5.1 | 201 | |
| 11 | Nuts, mixed nuts (oil roasted, without peanuts, without salt added) | 1 oz (28 g) | 1.3 | 4.7 | 174 | |
| 12 | Nuts, brazilnuts (dried, unblanched) | 1 oz (6 kernels) (28 g) | 1.2 | 4.1 | 187 |
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 nuts and seeds in the USDA database, Seeds, sesame butter (tahini, from unroasted kernels (non-chemically removed seed coat)) has the most zinc per serving: 2.9 mg per 2 tbsp (27% of the Daily Value). Per 100 g it contains 10.4 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 12 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
- Grains 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.