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 “Mollusks, oyster, eastern (blue point), wild, boiled or steamed”, at 78.6 mg per 100 g. The Daily Value used on Canadian labels is 11 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 | Mollusks, oyster, eastern (blue point), wild, boiled or steamed | 75 g | 59.0 mg | 536% | 78.6 mg |
| 2 | Mollusks, oyster, pacific, boiled or steamed | 75 g | 24.9 mg | 227% | 33.2 mg |
| 3 | Veal, liver, pan-fried | 75 g | 8.93 mg | 81% | 11.9 mg |
| 4 | Beef, chuck, blade roast, boneless, lean, cooked, braised | 75 g | 8.60 mg | 78% | 11.5 mg |
| 5 | Seeds, hemp seeds, hulled | 60 ml | 4.01 mg | 36% | 9.90 mg |
| 6 | Beef, rib, rib eye steak, boneless, lean, cooked, broiled | 75 g | 6.23 mg | 57% | 8.31 mg |
| 7 | Seeds, pumpkin and squash seed kernels, roasted | 60 ml | 4.40 mg | 40% | 7.64 mg |
| 8 | Crustaceans, crab, alaska king, boiled or steamed | 75 g | 5.71 mg | 52% | 7.62 mg |
| 9 | Chicken, broiler, heart, simmered | 75 g | 5.47 mg | 50% | 7.30 mg |
| 10 | Seeds, sesame seeds, whole, roasted and toasted | 60 ml | 2.72 mg | 25% | 7.16 mg |
| 11 | Beef, ground, lean, crumbled, pan-fried | 75 g | 5.04 mg | 46% | 6.72 mg |
| 12 | Pork, liver, braised | 75 g | 5.04 mg | 46% | 6.72 mg |
| 13 | Beef, loin, top sirloin steak, boneless, lean, cooked, broiled | 75 g | 4.99 mg | 45% | 6.65 mg |
| 14 | Beef, loin, tenderloin, steak, lean, cooked, broiled | 75 g | 4.85 mg | 44% | 6.47 mg |
| 15 | Nuts, pine nuts, pignolia, dried | 60 ml | 2.21 mg | 20% | 6.45 mg |
| 16 | Lamb, liver, pan-fried | 75 g | 4.22 mg | 38% | 5.63 mg |
| 17 | Nuts, cashew nuts, dry roasted | 60 ml whole or halves | 1.95 mg | 18% | 5.60 mg |
| 18 | Seeds, sunflower seed kernels, dry roasted | 60 ml | 1.72 mg | 16% | 5.29 mg |
| 19 | Beef, liver, pan-fried | 75 g | 3.92 mg | 36% | 5.23 mg |
| 20 | Game meat, deer (venison), ground, cooked, pan-broiled | 75 g | 3.90 mg | 35% | 5.20 mg |
| 21 | Lamb, Canadian, leg, whole, lean, cooked | 75 g | 3.71 mg | 34% | 4.94 mg |
| 22 | Lamb, Canadian, ground, cooked | 75 g | 3.50 mg | 32% | 4.67 mg |
| 23 | Seeds, sesame butter, tahini, roasted and toasted kernels | 30 ml | 1.40 mg | 13% | 4.62 mg |
| 24 | Seeds, chia seeds, dried | 60 ml | 1.98 mg | 18% | 4.58 mg |
| 25 | Cheese, cheddar, medium | 100 ml shredded | 2.19 mg | 20% | 4.58 mg |
| 26 | Nuts, pecans, dried | 60 ml halves | 1.14 mg | 10% | 4.53 mg |
| 27 | Chicken, broiler, gizzard, simmered | 75 g | 3.31 mg | 30% | 4.42 mg |
| 28 | Seeds, flaxseed (linseed), whole and ground | 60 ml whole | 1.85 mg | 17% | 4.34 mg |
| 29 | Pork, kidney, braised | 75 g | 3.11 mg | 28% | 4.15 mg |
| 30 | Cheese, mozzarella, partly skimmed (17% M.F.) | 50 g | 2.04 mg | 19% | 4.09 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
- Oysters are in a league of their own; after them come liver and red meat.
- Zinc from animal foods is generally better absorbed than zinc from grains and legumes, which contain phytates.
See also: the beef liver guide, the organ meats guide and the best beef liver supplements in Canada.
FAQ
What food has the most zinc?
Eastern oysters, by far, in the Canadian Nutrient File 2026, then Pacific oysters and veal liver.
How much zinc do I need a day?
The Daily Value on Canadian labels is 11 mg.
Is red meat a good source of zinc?
Yes. Braised beef chuck ranks in the top five per 100 g.
Before you decide: read the Rise Nutrition reviews, every product rated by verified buyers.
Written by the team at Rise Nutrition, Toronto, Canada’s single-ingredient ancestral nutrition brand. Questions: ray@risenutritions.ca
From Rise Nutrition
Try it for 30 days.
Five organs in one capsule, made in Canada. Ships from Canada · Free shipping over $45 · 30-day money-back.
★★★★★ 4.6 from 45 reviews
