Complete list of selenium foods ranked by mcg per serving. From Brazil nuts to tuna, find the top 20 sources and hit your 55 mcg daily target with ease.
Frequently Asked Questions
What food is the highest in selenium?
Brazil nuts are by far the richest source — a single 1-oz serving (6–8 nuts) provides roughly 544 mcg of selenium, nearly 10 times the adult RDA of 55 mcg. Because of this, most nutrition experts recommend eating just 1–2 Brazil nuts per day rather than a full serving.
How much selenium do I need per day?
Adults need 55 mcg of selenium per day according to the NIH. Pregnant women need 60 mcg and breastfeeding women need 70 mcg. The Tolerable Upper Limit is 400 mcg per day — above this, toxicity (selenosis) can occur.
What are good plant-based sources of selenium?
Brazil nuts, sunflower seeds, whole-wheat pasta, brown rice, tofu, and shiitake mushrooms are the best plant-based selenium foods. Amounts vary based on the selenium content of the soil where crops were grown.
Can you get too much selenium from food alone?
Excess selenium from everyday foods is extremely rare. The main risk is eating large quantities of Brazil nuts — a single 1-oz serving already exceeds the daily upper limit. For all other foods, reaching 400 mcg from diet alone would require implausibly large portions.
What are the symptoms of selenium deficiency?
Selenium deficiency can cause fatigue, muscle weakness, impaired immune function, hair loss, and — in severe cases — Keshan disease (a form of cardiomyopathy) or Kashin-Beck disease (joint degeneration). Deficiency is rare in the US but common in parts of Europe, China, and New Zealand where soils are selenium-poor.