Foods high in zinc, ranked by milligrams

The daily zinc target is 11 mg for men and 8 mg for women, and oysters, beef, pumpkin seeds, and legumes are the densest sources. The mg-per-serving ranking, why plant zinc absorbs worse, and how to hit the number from food.

1. 01

   Oysters: ~30-70 mg per 100 g

   Oysters are the single densest source by a wide margin, carrying roughly 30-70 mg of zinc per 100 g depending on species and season, several times the daily target in one serving (USDA FoodData Central). Six medium oysters can supply well over 30 mg. They also deliver B12, copper, and selenium. Because the dose is so high, oysters are an occasional powerhouse rather than a daily food, and eating them a few times a month meaningfully raises average intake.

2. 02

   Beef and lamb: ~5-7 mg per 100 g cooked

   Red meat is the most practical everyday zinc source: a 100 g cooked serving of beef supplies ~5-7 mg, roughly half to two-thirds of the daily target, and lamb is similar (USDA). The zinc is highly bioavailable, absorbed better than plant zinc, and arrives with heme iron, B12, and complete protein. A modest daily or near-daily serving of red meat effectively guarantees adequate zinc, which is why deficiency is rare among people who eat it regularly.

3. 03

   Crab and other shellfish: ~4-7 mg per 100 g

   Crab supplies ~4-7 mg of zinc per 100 g, with lobster, mussels, and shrimp adding useful amounts (USDA). Like oysters, shellfish zinc is well absorbed and comes with selenium and B12. Shellfish are a strong option for people who want marine sources without the very high dose of oysters, and they pair naturally with the oily fish that anchor omega-3 intake, so a seafood-forward week tends to cover several nutrients at once.

4. 04

   Pumpkin seeds: ~2.2 mg per ounce

   Pumpkin seeds are the densest plant source at ~2.2 mg per ounce (28 g), alongside magnesium, iron, and healthy fats (USDA). As a seed they carry some phytates, so absorption is lower than from meat, but roasting and the fact that they are eaten in concentrated handfuls make them a genuinely useful top-up. A daily ounce stirred into yogurt or eaten as a snack adds meaningful zinc and doubles as one of the densest magnesium sources too.

5. 05

   Legumes: chickpeas and lentils, ~2.5 mg per cup cooked

   A cup of cooked chickpeas or lentils supplies ~2.5 mg of zinc, making legumes the backbone of plant-based zinc (USDA). The catch is phytate: absorption is lower than from animal sources, which is why vegetarians are advised to aim higher. Soaking dried legumes before cooking, and choosing sprouted or fermented forms, breaks down phytate and improves uptake. Legumes also anchor low-cost protein, so they do double duty in a budget-conscious, zinc-adequate diet.

6. 06

   Cashews and other nuts: ~1.6 mg per ounce

   Cashews lead the nuts at ~1.6 mg of zinc per ounce, with almonds and peanuts adding smaller amounts (USDA). As with seeds and legumes, phytate limits absorption, so nuts are a supporting source rather than a base. Their value is convenience and stacking: an ounce of cashews plus an ounce of pumpkin seeds already approaches half a woman's daily target from snacks alone, before any meal-based zinc from meat or legumes.

7. 07

   Dairy, eggs, and whole grains: the steady background

   Milk, cheese, yogurt, and eggs supply modest, well-absorbed zinc (~1 mg per serving) with no phytate penalty, and whole grains add more, though refining strips it, which is why white flour is near-zero (USDA). None is a standout, but together they form the steady background intake that, stacked with a daily protein source, clears the target for most mixed eaters. For vegetarians, fermented and leavened whole grains (sourdough) are better than unleavened, because leavening reduces phytate.