What foods provide Selenium?

Plant foods are the major dietary sources of selenium in most countries throughout the world. The content of selenium in food depends on the selenium content of the soil where plants are grown or animals are raised.
For example, researchers know that soils in the high plains of northern Nebraska and the Dakotas have very high levels of selenium. People living in those regions generally have the highest selenium intakes in the United States. In the U.S., food distribution patterns across the country help prevent people living in low-selenium geographic areas from having low dietary selenium intakes.

Selenium also can be found in some meats and seafood. Animals that eat grains or plants that were grown in selenium-rich soil have higher levels of selenium in their muscle. In the U.S., meats and bread are common sources of dietary selenium. Some nuts are also sources of selenium.

*DV = Daily Value. DVs are reference numbers developed by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to help consumers determine if a food contains a lot or a little of a specific nutrient. The DV for selenium is 70 micrograms (ug).
 

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, whole wheat, commercially prepared, 1 slice	10	15
Walnuts, black, dried, 1 ounce	5	8
Bread, white, commercially prepared, 1 slice	4	6
Cheddar cheese, 1 ounce	4	6