Zinc
Oysters and pork medallion both carry 90 mg zinc per 100 grams in our database and share first place; it is one shared row in our source data. Sesame seeds follow at 7.75 mg, pumpkin seeds at 7.64 mg and crab at 7.6 mg. Europe applies 10 mg per day as the reference intake (EU NRV).
What the regulation permits about zinc
Regulation (EU) No 432/2012 lists for zinc, among others: "zinc contributes to normal protein synthesis", "zinc contributes to the normal function of the immune system" and "zinc contributes to the maintenance of normal testosterone levels in the blood". That last sentence is stretched relentlessly in the sports market into promises about muscle growth and libido. Maintaining a normal level is something entirely different from raising one, and that boundary is fixed in law.
The outlier and the realistic sources
Per 100 grams: oysters and pork medallion both at 90 mg, sesame seeds 7.75 mg, pumpkin seeds 7.64 mg, crab 7.6 mg and wheat bran 7.27 mg. That 90 mg is not a second measurement: oysters and pork medallion carry all twenty-eight micronutrient columns identically in our source data, so it is one reference value spread across two products. Cashews follow at 5.78 mg. The oyster is a statistical outlier you eat a few times a year; the rest of the list is what you can build in daily. Thirty grams of pumpkin seeds already supplies over 2 mg, and meat and dairy add to that in smaller steps.
10 mg a day and where absorption meets resistance
The EU NRV sits at 10 mg per day. Zinc carries an absorption issue that matters less for other minerals: phytate in wholegrains and pulses binds zinc and lowers utilisation. Soaking, sprouting and sourdough fermentation reduce that effect. This is no reason to cut wholegrains — those products sit high on the list themselves — but it explains why a purely plant-based pattern asks for more attention here.
Where intake gets tight in practice
We mainly see it in two cases: a fully plant-based pattern without nuts, seeds and pulses, and prolonged steep calorie restriction where the daily menu has shrunk to four products. Both are patterns you can see coming on paper. Whether it genuinely applies to you is a question for your GP with a measurement attached, not something to infer from a list of contents.
Doses we deliberately do not publish
Individual coaching schedules contain zinc doses well above the reference intake. Such figures are personal prescriptions inside a supervised programme and not public advice, so we do not put them on a public page. We sell no supplements and hold no interest in any brand. If you want to act on this, that is a conversation with your doctor — and on the plate with pumpkin seeds, sesame, meat and shellfish.
How we compile this list
We sort every row in the DCRAFT food database on the measured value per 100 grams and take the top of that list. Rows recorded per piece, per slice or per portion do not count, because a value per piece cannot be compared with a value per 100 grams. Products listed under a brand name are left out: their composition changes outside our control, and a ranking resting on it ages without us noticing. Where several products carry precisely the same value, it comes from one shared row in our source data and we name one product from that group. We set this rule out here because a ranking without a visible selection rule is an opinion rather than a measurement.
Frequently asked questions
Which foods contain the most zinc?
Oysters and pork medallion both sit at 90 mg per 100 grams — one shared row in our source data. Sesame seeds follow at 7.75 mg, pumpkin seeds at 7.64 mg and crab at 7.6 mg.
How much zinc per day?
The European reference intake is 10 mg per day (EU NRV). Thirty grams of pumpkin seeds already supplies over 2 mg of it.
Does zinc raise your testosterone?
The authorised wording reads: "zinc contributes to the maintenance of normal testosterone levels in the blood". That concerns maintaining a normal level, not raising one.
Why is zinc from plant sources absorbed less well?
Phytate in wholegrains and pulses binds zinc. Soaking, sprouting and sourdough fermentation reduce that effect and improve utilisation.
Sources
- DCRAFT food database — KILLER COACH ENGINE V2.3 workbook (accessed 26 August 2026)
- EU NRV — Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011, Annex XIII (accessed 26 August 2026)
- Regulation (EU) No 432/2012 (accessed 26 August 2026)
Please note: This is general information about nutrition, not medical advice. If you have symptoms or suspect a deficiency, discuss it with your doctor. We do not sell supplements and have no commercial interest in any brand.
Last updated: .
Written by Dennis, founder of Dcraft Of Fitness.