Selenium: Food Sources & Health Benefits

Health Benefits of Selenium
(THP) Selenium is an antioxidant (scavengers of free-radicals) and a component of several essential enzymes. Health benefits of selenium are partly explained by its antioxidant effect. Selenium may delay or prevent the onset of cancer and have anti-aging effects. Selenium is also an important mineral needed for proper thyroid function. Additionally, selenium also promotes a healthy immune system.

Selenium deficiency is associated with reduced immune cell counts and higher risk of death for HIV patients.

Selenium Toxicity
If selenium is consumed in overdose, it may have toxicity effects. The upper intake level recommended for selenium (by the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences) is 45 micrograms for infants and 400 micrograms for adults.

Some of the symptoms of selenium toxicity are fatigue, hair loss, and white blotchy nails.

Natural Food Sources of Selenium
Natural food sources high in selenium include cereals (eg. corn, wheat, and rice), nuts (Brazilian nuts and walnuts), legumes (soybeans), animal products (beef, chicken, egg, cheese), and seafood (tuna). Other selenium rich foods are oats, cod and turkey. Brazilian nuts are among the very rich sources of selenium. In fact, it is advised to exercise caution with consumption of Brazilian nuts, as the selenium intake may reach a toxic level.

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Table: List of foods high in selenium content.

Selenium food sources Selenium content (µg/ 100 g food)

Nuts, brazilnuts, dried, unblanched 1917.11
Nuts, mixed nuts, oil roasted, with peanuts, with salt added 421.16
Fish, roughy, orange, cooked, dry heat 88.35
Fish, tuna, light, canned in water, drained solids 80.35
Fish, tuna, light, canned in oil, drained solids 75.96
Wheat flour, whole-grain 70.67
Mollusks, oyster, eastern, cooked, breaded and fried 66.47
Fish, tuna, white, canned in water, drained solids 65.65
Mollusks, oyster, eastern, wild, raw 63.69
Fish, swordfish, cooked, dry heat 61.70
Fish, swordfish, cooked, dry heat 61.65
Chicken, broilers or fryers, giblets, cooked, simmered 59.59
Fish, herring, Atlantic, pickled 58.55
Fish, flatfish (flounder and sole species), cooked, dry heat 58.24
Fish, flatfish (flounder and sole species), cooked, dry heat 58.19
Braunschweiger (a liver sausage), pork 58.02
Turkey, all classes, giblets, cooked, simmered, some giblet fat 57.93
Fish, ocean perch, Atlantic, cooked, dry heat 55.53
Fish, sardine, Atlantic, canned in oil, drained solids with bone 52.67
Pork, fresh, leg (ham), whole, separable lean only, cooked, roasted 49.88
Bread stuffing, bread, dry mix, prepared 49.80
Mollusks, clam, mixed species, canned, drained solids 48.59
Fast foods, fish sandwich, with tartar sauce and cheese 48.42
Crustaceans, shrimp, mixed species, canned 47.50
Fish, tuna, yellowfin, fresh, cooked, dry heat 46.82
Fish, cod, Pacific, cooked, dry heat 46.82
Fish, halibut, Atlantic and Pacific, cooked, dry heat 46.82
Fish, rockfish, Pacific, mixed species, cooked, dry heat 46.82
Fish, halibut, Atlantic and Pacific, cooked, dry heat 46.79
Fish, rockfish, Pacific, mixed species, cooked, dry heat 46.78
Waffles, plain, prepared from recipe 46.27
Pork, fresh, leg (ham), whole, separable lean and fat, cooked, roasted 45.29
Oat bran, raw 45.21
Pork, fresh, loin, center loin (chops), bone-in, separable lean and fat, cooked, broiled 44.35
Fish, pollock, walleye, cooked, dry heat 43.41
Pork, fresh, loin, center rib (roasts), bone-in, separable lean only, cooked, roasted 43.18
Beef, cured, corned beef, canned 42.92
Crustaceans, lobster, northern, cooked, moist heat 42.71
Fast foods, shrimp, breaded and fried 41.71
Crustaceans, shrimp, mixed species, cooked, breaded and fried 41.65
Fish, tuna salad 41.22
Pork, fresh, loin, center rib (roasts), bone-in, separable lean and fat, cooked, roasted 41.06
Turkey, all classes, dark meat, cooked, roasted 40.95
Fish, haddock, cooked, dry heat 40.53
Fish, haddock, cooked, dry heat 40.47
Crustaceans, crab, blue, cooked, moist heat 40.24
Crustaceans, crab, alaska king, cooked, moist heat 40.00
Wheat flour, white, bread, enriched 39.71
Pork, fresh, loin, country-style ribs, separable lean and fat, cooked, braised 39.65
Pork, fresh, backribs, separable lean and fat, cooked, roasted 39.29
Pork, fresh, loin, center loin (chops), bone-in, separable lean and fat, cooked, pan-fried 39.06
Fish, cod, Atlantic, canned, solids and liquid 38.12
Fish, salmon, sockeye, cooked, dry heat 37.81
Fish, salmon, sockeye, cooked, dry heat 37.76
Barley, pearled, raw 37.70
Turkey, all classes, meat only, cooked, roasted 36.79
Turkey, all classes, neck, meat only, cooked, simmered 36.18
Wheat flour, white, all-purpose, self-rising, enriched 34.40
Wheat flour, white, all-purpose, enriched, bleached 33.92
Crustaceans, crab, blue, canned 31.78
Chicken, broilers or fryers, breast, meat and skin, cooked, fried, batter 28.00
Couscous, cooked 27.52
Macaroni, cooked, enriched 26.43
Spaghetti, cooked, enriched, without added salt 26.43
Spaghetti, whole-wheat, cooked 25.93
Chicken, stewing, meat only, cooked, stewed 25.21
Mushrooms, shiitake, cooked, without salt 24.83
Fast foods, english muffin, with egg, cheese, and canadian bacon 24.82
Rice, white, long-grain, parboiled, enriched, dry 23.89
Noodles, egg, cooked, enriched 23.88
Fast foods, submarine sandwich, with tuna salad 23.52
Duck, domesticated, meat only, cooked, roasted 22.40
Fast foods, chicken fillet sandwich, plain 22.20
Noodles, egg, spinach, cooked, enriched 21.81
Fast foods, cheeseburger, regular, double patty and bun, plain 21.31
Pie crust, standard-type, prepared from recipe, baked 21.11
Fast foods, hamburger, regular, double patty, with condiments 20.88
Fast foods, cheeseburger, regular, double patty, plain 20.71
Fast Foods, biscuit, with egg and sausage 19.00
Fast foods, chili con carne 17.39
Fast foods, cheeseburger, large, single patty, with condiments and vegetables 17.08
Sandwiches and burgers, cheeseburger, large, single meat patty, with bacon and condiments 16.92
Cheese, ricotta, part skim milk 16.71
Sandwiches and burgers, hamburger, large, single meat patty, with condiments and vegetables 15.41
Milk, canned, condensed, sweetened 14.80
Cheese, ricotta, whole milk 14.51
Fast foods, taco 13.69
Spaghetti with meat sauce, frozen entree 11.91

Data source:
USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, release 18.

To learn more about natural sources of selenium click here>>

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