A wide variety of foods contain zinc (Table 2) [2]. Oysters contain more zinc per serving than any other food, but red meat and poultry provide the majority of zinc in the American diet. Other good food sources include beans, nuts, certain types of seafood (such as crab and lobster), whole grains, fortified breakfast cereals, and dairy products [2,11].
Phytates—which are present in whole-grain breads, cereals, legumes, and other foods—bind zinc and inhibit its absorption [2,12,13]. Thus, the bioavailability of zinc from grains and plant foods is lower than that from animal foods, although many grain- and plant-based foods are still good sources of zinc [2].
| Food | mg/serving | % DV* |
|---|---|---|
| Oysters, cooked, breaded and fried, 3 ounces | 74 | 493 |
| Beef chuck roast, braised, 3 ounces | 7 | 47 |
| Crab, Alaska king, cooked, 3 ounces | 6.5 | 43 |
| Beef patty, broiled, 3 ounces | 5.3 | 35 |
| Breakfast cereal, fortified with 25% of the DV for zinc, ¾ cup serving | 3.8 | 25 |
| Lobster, cooked, 3 ounces | 3.4 | 23 |
| Pork chop, loin, cooked, 3 ounces | 2.9 | 19 |
| Baked beans, canned, plain or vegetarian, ½ cup | 2.9 | 19 |
| Chicken, dark meat, cooked, 3 ounces | 2.4 | 16 |
| Yogurt, fruit, low fat, 8 ounces | 1.7 | 11 |
| Cashews, dry roasted, 1 ounce | 1.6 | 11 |
| Chickpeas, cooked, ½ cup | 1.3 | 9 |
| Cheese, Swiss, 1 ounce | 1.2 | 8 |
| Oatmeal, instant, plain, prepared with water, 1 packet | 1.1 | 7 |
| Milk, low-fat or non fat, 1 cup | 1 | 7 |
| Almonds, dry roasted, 1 ounce | 0.9 | 6 |
| Kidney beans, cooked, ½ cup | 0.9 | 6 |
| Chicken breast, roasted, skin removed, ½ breast | 0.9 | 6 |
| Cheese, cheddar or mozzarella, 1 ounce | 0.9 | 6 |
| Peas, green, frozen, cooked, ½ cup | 0.5 | 3 |
| Flounder or sole, cooked, 3 ounces | 0.3 | 2 |
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