Foods High In Selenium: The Best Outstanding Nutrition Here!

Foods high in selenium: Some plants can accumulate selenium, and the Brazil nut tree is one. Brazil nuts contain high levels of selenium.

High selenium content foods:

cabbage (broccoli, white cabbage)
onion vegetables (garlic)
mushrooms
asparagus
legumes
lentils

The number of selenium contained in plant foods depends on the selenium content of the soil. Which varies from region to region. In the USA, the soils tend to be rich in selenium – and thus also, plant foods are grown here.

Animal foods such as eggs and meats can contribute to the selenium supply. In some countries, animal foods such as meat and eggs and fish are more reliable sources of selenium.

Selenium Rich Foods

Selenium is in solid food and only in small amounts in drinking water and other beverages. Both animal and vegetable foods can contain selenium.

Relevant natural sources of selenium are meat, fish, eggs, dairy, and cereal products.

Some plants can accumulate a high selenium level, like the Brazil nut tree. That is why Brazil nuts contain high levels of selenium.

Vegetable foods with high selenium content.

Cabbage (like broccoli, white cabbage)
Legumes (like lentils)
Onion vegetables (like garlic, onions)
Asparagus
Mushrooms

Those who follow a vegetarian diet should regularly eat selenium-rich plant foods.

Foods high in selenium – Vegetable foods with high selenium content. / Image by betexion from Pixabay

Animal foods with high selenium content.

Animal foods are the more reliable sources of selenium in Europe. It is because, in the European Union, the animal feed may be getting enriched with selenium. Animal foods containing selenium are:

Meat
Fish
Eggs
Offal

Foods high in selenium – Animal foods with high selenium content. / Image by RitaE from Pixabay

Selenium Foods Nutrition Table

Get here below the list of foods in a table with high and rich selenium content:

Foods high in selenium – Foods with Selenium. / Image by Martina Janochová from Pixabay

Vegetables and Salads

1. Vegetables and Salads

Foods	Selenium content (in mg) per 100 g
Brussels sprouts	18
Peppers	4
White cabbage	3
Kale	2
Potatoes	2
Radish	2
Artichokes	1
Cauliflower	1
Broccoli	1
Cucumbers	1
Kohlrabi	1
Lettuce	1
Carrots	1
Leeks	1
Beetroot	1
Red cabbage	1
Asparagus	1
Spinach	1
Tomatoes	1
Savoy cabbage	1
Courgette	1

Legumes

2. Legumes

Foods	Selenium content (in mg) per 100 g
Soybeans	19
White beans	14
Lenses	10
Chickpeas	9
Green beans	1
Green peas	1
Lima beans	1

Meat, Poultry, and Sausages

3. Meat, Poultry, and Sausages

Foods	Selenium content (in mg) per 100 g
Liver of pork	58
Beef	35
Cutlet	20 – 30

Fish

4. Fish

Foods	Selenium content (in mg) per 100 g
Kipper	140
Tuna	82
Prawns	63
Sardine	60
Herring	55
Flounder	46
Redfish	44
Mackerel	39
Plaice	33
Eel	31
Fast fish	29
Sole	29
Oysters	28
Cod	27
Salmon	26
Trout	25
Perch	24
Pike	18

Fruits

5. Fruits

Foods	Selenium content (in mg) per 100 g
Blackcurrants	2
Mandarins	2
Grapes	2
Pineapple	1
Apples	1
Oranges	1
Apricots	1
Bananas	1
Pears	1
Strawberries	1
Red currants	1
Sweet cherries	1
Peaches	1
Plums	1
Gooseberries	1

Milk, Dairy products, and Egg

6. Milk, Dairy products, and Egg

Foods	Selenium content (in mg) per 100 g
Egg	20
Chester cheese 50 % (FDM)	11
Emmental 45 % (FDM)	11
Camembert 45 % (FDM)	3
Blue cheese 50 % (FDM)	2
Yoghurt 3,5 % fat	2
Buttermilk	1

Cereals

7. Cereals

Foods	Selenium content (in mg) per 100 g
Wheat bran	60 – 130
Natural Rice	11
Oatmeal	10
Whole-wheat bread	8
White bread	5
Cornflakes	3
Rye Bread	3
Wheat toast bread	1

Miscellaneous

8. Miscellaneous

Foods	Selenium content (in mg) per 100 g
Butter	1
Full beer	up to 19
Coconuts	810
Brazil nuts	100
Walnuts	6
Hazelnuts	5
Black tea	5
Milk chocolate	3
Peanuts	2
Almonds	2

Recommendation of the experts for nutrition [mg/day]

Nutrition [mg/day]

Foods	[mg/day]
Babies (0 to under 4 months)	10
Babies (4 to under 12 months)	15
Children (1 to under 4 years)	15
Children (4 to under 7 years)	20
Children (7 to under 10 years)	30
Children (10 to under 13 years)	45
Children (13 to under 15 years)	60
Male youth (15 to under 19 years)	70
Female youth (15 to under 19 years)	60
Male adults (19 and over)	70
Female adults (from 19 years)	60
Pregnant women	60
Breastfeeding	70

Selenium Health And Benefits

Selenium protects our cells from free radicals. It is caused by environmental toxins such as pesticides in food. But the body also needs selenium in other places. The nutrient gets the food and killer cells on their toes, which destroy pathogens. Selenium also plays a vital role in reproduction.

Selenium is a component of enzymes that control the metabolism in the human body. The trace element has a detoxifying effect. It inhibits the formation of dangerous metabolic products in the body. These are called free radicals, which damage our cells.

Foods high in selenium – Health Effects of Selenium to the Human Body. / Image by Foundry Co from Pixabay

It is not only environmental toxins. Such as pesticides and exhaust fumes that damage our cell metabolism. Also, alcohol, smoking, enormous stress, and unhealthy fat- and sugar-rich nutrition. It has a cell-protective effect. Selenium controls thyroid hormones and sperm formation in men.

Selenium Deficiency

Selenium deficiency is a threat to a poor diet in cereal products and meat. But a selenium deficiency can also be caused by chronic inflammatory bowel diseases such as Crohn’s disease because we can fully utilize nutrients from the food. A deficit can also occur in dialysis patients in the case of cystic fibrosis or severe forms of alcohol-related liver disease. The possible consequences include:

impaired sperm formation
restricted muscle function
weakened immune system

Stress and pollution can increase the selenium requirement. If the supply of the trace element is below ten micrograms per day in the long term, Keshan disease can develop with heart enlargement and cardiac arrhythmia. Untreated, the condition is fatal. However, a pronounced selenium deficiency is very rare in industrialized countries.

FAQ Selenium Foods

Where is the most selenium contained?

Selenium is in fish, meat, cereals, eggs, dairy products, lentils, nuts, and asparagus. The selenium-rich foods plant depends on the selenium content of the soil.

Which foods are rich in selenium?

In addition to nuts and kernels, pulses, cereal products, certain vegetables, and mushrooms also contain considerable amounts of selenium: Sunflower seeds, Asparagus, Cashew kernels, White cabbage, Coconut, Broccoli, White Beans, Wheat, oat bran, Red lentils, Soybeans, Oatmeal, Porcini mushrooms, Rice, Shiitake mushrooms, Mushrooms.

Which nut has the most selenium?

Vegetable foods with selenium Nuts, especially Brazil nuts, are the highest among selenium suppliers. However, Brazil nuts do not have a high selenium content in all countries of origin.

What happens when there is a selenium deficiency?

A selenium deficiency weakens the entire organism, with many different consequences: From nail changes with white patches, thin and pale hair, and the reduced quality of sperm to anemia, liver damage, damage to nerves and muscles, also in the area of the heart muscle like cardiomyopathy.

How much selenium per day?

According to food experts, an intake of 300 µg of selenium per day for adults is tolerable without the risk of harmful side effects. Most food supplements contain a maximum of 200 µg per day.

In which plants is selenium contained?

The best rich selenium content in plants are; Brazil nuts, approximately 100 micrograms/100 g, Soybeans, approximately 45 micrograms/100 g, Natural rice, about 40 micrograms/100 g, Pistachios, approximately 130 micrograms/100 g, Wheat bran around 100 micrograms/100 g, Mung beans approximately 16 micrograms/100 g, Coconuts 400-800 micrograms/100 g, Porcini about 190 micrograms/100 g.

For what is selenium suitable?

Selenium is a vital trace element that all cells in the body need! The trace element supports the normal functioning of the immune system and the thyroid gland and helps preserve the cells from oxidative stress, maintain healthy hair and nails, and ensure average sperm production.

How do I deliver selenium to the body?

Selenium is absorbed in the upper sections of the small intestine and is excreted mainly through urine. Selenium is an essential trace element that we must take in with food. In pork, offal, fish and nuts, and porcini mushrooms, animal protein is rich in selenium.

Is selenium good for the thyroid?

The thyroid gland needs selenium and iodine, and the organ requires selenium to convert the hormone thyroxine into triiodothyronine. The hormone triiodothyronine, also called T3, is responsible for many processes in the body. For example, it raises blood pressure and heart rate and regulates the body’s heat balance.

Does the body excrete too much selenium?

Overdose of selenium: Selenium in higher concentrations has toxic effects, and it is why the body usually excretes excess selenium with the urine. According to the food expert’s recommendations, adults should not exceed a daily intake of 300 µg of selenium.

Can we overdose on selenium?

Acute symptoms of an overdose are possible from approx. 300 micrograms per day can lead to joint pain and gastrointestinal problems, nervous disorders, visual and memory problems, dental problems, skin damage, hair loss, and disturbed nail formation.

When is the best time to take selenium?

Without consulting your doctor and checking the selenium level in your blood, you should not take more than 300 micrograms of selenium per day. Selenium is best getting taken with a meal, and it improves the stomach’s tolerance.

Does the intake of selenium have side effects?

Products containing sodium selenite are well-tolerated and safe. Side effects may occur if you overdose on selenium. The first signs are a garlicky breath smell, diarrhea, nausea, abdominal pain, tiredness, and hair loss.

Is selenium good for the skin?

Food supplements containing selenium are good for skin and hair, protect the cells, and even prevent diseases. But the benefits have not been scientifically proven, and some study evaluation confirms that additional selenium intake does not protect against cardiovascular disease.

What happens if you take too much selenium?

But healthy people risk poisoning when taking it, and if healthy people swallow selenium as a dietary supplement, they risk poisoning. It is noticeable that gastrointestinal problems, hair loss, nail changes, fatigue, irritability, and nerve irritation are also possible.

Is selenium poisonous?

Selenium and selenium compounds are toxic. Direct contact damages the skin and mucous membranes. Poisoning caused by excessive intake of selenium is called selenosis. Selenium intake of more than 3000 µg/d can lead to liver cirrhosis, hair loss, and heart failure.

Is selenium sensitive to heat?

Selenium is sensitive to heat cooking and 50% of the content in food gets lost by cooking.

Is selenium good for your hair?

The trace element selenium is a blessing for hair and nails, and it also protects the cells from oxidative stress and affects the immune system. Foods rich in selenium are fish, nuts, wheat bran, soybeans, eggs, liver, and coconut, with an excellent content of 810 µg/100 g.

Conclusion

If you assume that you have a selenium deficiency, you should see your doctor. You can have your selenium level determined from a blood sample to determine your absolute selenium requirement.

Foods High In Selenium: The Best Outstanding Nutrition Here!

Selenium Rich Foods