Last updated: October 11, 2026. Information checked at the time of writing.
Short answer: in Health Canada’s 2026 Canadian Nutrient File, the richest common food is “Veal, liver, pan-fried”, at 15.1 mg per 100 g. The Daily Value used on Canadian labels is 2 mg. The table ranks 30 foods by amount per 100 g and shows the amount in a typical serving.
The ranking
| Rank | Food (CNF) | Serving | Per serving | % DV per serving | Per 100 g |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Veal, liver, pan-fried | 75 g | 11.3 mg | 564% | 15.1 mg |
| 2 | Beef, liver, pan-fried | 75 g | 10.9 mg | 547% | 14.6 mg |
| 3 | Lamb, liver, pan-fried | 75 g | 7.37 mg | 369% | 9.83 mg |
| 4 | Mollusks, oyster, eastern (blue point), wild, boiled or steamed | 75 g | 4.28 mg | 214% | 5.71 mg |
| 5 | Mollusks, oyster, pacific, boiled or steamed | 75 g | 2.01 mg | 100% | 2.68 mg |
| 6 | Seeds, sesame seeds, whole, roasted and toasted | 60 ml | 0.94 mg | 47% | 2.47 mg |
| 7 | Nuts, cashew nuts, dry roasted | 60 ml whole or halves | 0.77 mg | 39% | 2.22 mg |
| 8 | Seeds, sunflower seed kernels, dry roasted | 60 ml | 0.59 mg | 30% | 1.83 mg |
| 9 | Candies, chocolate, dark, 70-85% cocoa solids | 40 g | 0.70 mg | 35% | 1.76 mg |
| 10 | Nuts, brazilnuts, dried, unblanched | 60 ml | 0.62 mg | 31% | 1.74 mg |
| 11 | Nuts, filberts or hazelnuts, dried | 60 ml whole | 0.59 mg | 30% | 1.73 mg |
| 12 | Seeds, sesame butter, tahini, roasted and toasted kernels | 30 ml | 0.49 mg | 24% | 1.61 mg |
| 13 | Seeds, hemp seeds, hulled | 60 ml | 0.65 mg | 32% | 1.60 mg |
| 14 | Nuts, walnuts, English or Persian | 60 ml chopped | 0.47 mg | 24% | 1.59 mg |
| 15 | Crustaceans, lobster, american (northern), boiled or steamed | 75 g | 1.16 mg | 58% | 1.55 mg |
| 16 | Nuts, pine nuts, pignolia, dried | 60 ml | 0.45 mg | 23% | 1.32 mg |
| 17 | Nuts, pistachio nuts, dry roasted | 60 ml | 0.40 mg | 20% | 1.29 mg |
| 18 | Seeds, pumpkin and squash seed kernels, roasted | 60 ml | 0.73 mg | 37% | 1.27 mg |
| 19 | Seeds, flaxseed (linseed), whole and ground | 60 ml whole | 0.52 mg | 26% | 1.22 mg |
| 20 | Nuts, pecans, dried | 60 ml halves | 0.30 mg | 15% | 1.20 mg |
| 21 | Crustaceans, crab, alaska king, boiled or steamed | 75 g | 0.89 mg | 44% | 1.18 mg |
| 22 | Nuts, almonds, dried, unblanched, unroasted | 60 ml whole | 0.37 mg | 19% | 1.03 mg |
| 23 | Seeds, chia seeds, dried | 60 ml | 0.40 mg | 20% | 0.92 mg |
| 24 | Beef, spleen, braised | 75 g | 0.69 mg | 35% | 0.92 mg |
| 25 | Mushroom, shiitake, cooked | 125 ml pieces | 0.69 mg | 34% | 0.90 mg |
| 26 | Nuts, macadamia (bushnuts, queensland), raw | 60 ml whole or halves | 0.26 mg | 13% | 0.76 mg |
| 27 | Mollusks, octopus, common, boiled or steamed | 75 g | 0.55 mg | 28% | 0.74 mg |
| 28 | Mollusks, clam, mixed species, boiled or steamed | 75 g | 0.52 mg | 26% | 0.69 mg |
| 29 | Pork, kidney, braised | 75 g | 0.51 mg | 26% | 0.68 mg |
| 30 | Soybean, fermented products, natto | 175 ml | 0.86 mg | 43% | 0.67 mg |
Source: Health Canada, Canadian Nutrient File 2026 (14th edition). Amounts per 100 g and per serving as listed by the CNF; servings use CNF measures such as one Canada’s Food Guide serving of meat (75 g).
What to know
- Liver is by far the richest source. A 75 g serving of veal or beef liver is above the adult upper limit of 10 mg a day, another reason to eat liver in modest portions.
- Oysters, nuts, seeds and dark chocolate are the next tier.
See also: the beef liver guide, the organ meats guide and the best beef liver supplements in Canada.
FAQ
What food has the most copper?
Veal liver, then beef liver and lamb liver, in the Canadian Nutrient File 2026.
How much copper do I need a day?
The Daily Value on Canadian labels is 2 mg; the adult upper limit is 10 mg a day.
Why does copper matter with iron?
Copper is needed to move iron around the body, which is why the two are often discussed together.
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Written by the team at Rise Nutrition, Toronto, Canada’s single-ingredient ancestral nutrition brand. Questions: ray@risenutritions.ca
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