What foods contain selenium?
The main source of dietary items for selenium are plant foods. They span a large percentage of countries throughout the world. Depending on the content of selenium found in the soil where the plants are grown has a lot to do with how much selenium the surrounding people have in their system.
As an example, individuals researching the topic know that soils in areas of Nebraska and North and South Dakota have high levels of selenium. Those people living in these areas have some of the highest levels of selenium in their system then anybody else in the United States. Alternatively, areas of China and Russia have very low amounts of selenium and deficiency of selenium is reported often in these areas.
Selenium can be found in a lot of seafood and different types of meats. Those animals that eat plants and grains grown in areas with high contents of selenium can expect to have high quantities of selenium, as well. Meats and bread are very common sources of selenium in the United States, as are some nuts.
The content of selenium in different foods can vary. As a sample, Brazilian nuts can contain 544 micrograms of selenium for each ounce, while some can contain much, much less. Because of their unusually high content of selenium, it’s recommended to only digest them occasionally.
Below is a table with foods that contain selenium.
| Food | Micrograms (μg) |
Percent DV* |
|---|---|---|
| Brazil nuts, dried, unblanched, 1 ounce | 544 | 780 |
| Tuna, light, canned in oil, drained, 3 ounces | 63 | 95 |
| Beef, cooked, 3½ ounces | 35 | 50 |
| Spaghetti w/ meat sauce, frozen entrée, 1 serving | 34 | 50 |
| Cod, cooked, 3 ounces | 32 | 45 |
| Turkey, light meat, roasted, 3½ ounces | 32 | 45 |
| Beef chuck roast, lean only, roasted, 3 ounces | 23 | 35 |
| Chicken Breast, meat only, roasted, 3½ ounces | 20 | 30 |
| Noodles, enriched, boiled, 1/2 cup | 17 | 25 |
| Macaroni, elbow, enriched, boiled, 1/2 cup | 15 | 20 |
| Egg, whole, 1 medium | 14 | 20 |
| Cottage cheese, low fat 2%, 1/2 cup | 12 | 15 |
| Oatmeal, instant, fortified, cooked, 1 cup | 12 | 15 |
| Rice, white, enriched, long grain, cooked, 1/2 cup | 12 | 15 |
| Rice, brown, long-grained, cooked, 1/2 cup | 10 | 15 |
| Bread, enriched, whole wheat, commercially prepared, 1 slice | 10 | 15 |
| Walnuts, black, dried, 1 ounce | 5 | 8 |
| Bread, enriched, white, commercially prepared, 1 slice | 4 | 6 |
| Cheddar cheese, 1 ounce | 4 | 6 |
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