About this page: Data is drawn from Nutriofia's structured database of published sources (CoFID, USDA, and published analytical literature). The coverage bar shows what percentage of our 1136 foods have been measured for Selenium. This is a research tool — nothing here constitutes medical advice.

About Selenium

Micronutrient

Selenium is a trace mineral incorporated into selenoproteins that play critical roles in antioxidant defence (including glutathione peroxidase), thyroid hormone metabolism, DNA synthesis, and immune function. The selenium content of plant foods depends heavily on soil selenium levels — UK soils are low in selenium, making dietary intake a genuine concern. Brazil nuts are extraordinary — one or two nuts per day typically meet the entire daily requirement (55 µg).

⚠️ Too little

Keshan disease (a cardiomyopathy, first described in selenium-deficient regions of China) and Kashin-Beck disease (joint degeneration). Subclinical deficiency impairs thyroid function, reduces antioxidant capacity, and weakens immune response. Common in the UK given low soil levels.

🚫 Too much

Selenium has one of the narrowest margins between adequate and toxic intakes of any mineral. Selenosis (excess) causes hair and nail loss, garlic breath, GI upset, and peripheral neuropathy. The tolerable upper limit is 400 µg/day for adults — easily exceeded by overconsumption of Brazil nuts.

Sources: NHS · NIH ODS

Daily Reference Intake

EU NRV (adults)
55 µg
Nutrient Reference Value
per European Regulation 1169/2011
Best plant source (per 100g)
280.4 µg
Nuts, brazilnuts, raw
= 510% of daily NRV
Unit
µg
Measurement unit
used in our database

Foods Containing Selenium

485 foods with recorded data, ranked highest first. Showing 101–200 of 485. Values per 100g fresh weight.

# Food Per 100g % NRV Level
★ Cheese, Red Leicester 11 µg 20%
★ Bread, white, Danish style 11 µg 20%
★ Cheese, Double Gloucester 11 µg 20%
4 Bread, wholemeal, toasted 11 µg 20%
5 Asparagus, roasted in rapeseed oil 11 µg 20%
6 Asparagus, grilled 11 µg 20%
7 Pasta, white, dried, boiled in unsalted water 11 µg 20%
8 Cheese, Wensleydale 11 µg 20%
9 Edamame (Green Soybeans) 11 µg 20%
10 Flour, 00 10.3 µg 19%
11 Rice (Brown, Short Grain) 10 µg 18%
12 Lentils, red, split, dried, boiled in unsalted water 10 µg 18%
13 Bread, white, premium 10 µg 18%
14 Cheese, Cheshire 10 µg 18%
15 Rice, brown, wholegrain, raw 10 µg 18%
16 Flan, cheese and mushroom, wholemeal, homemade 10 µg 18%
17 Flan, cheese and mushroom, homemade 10 µg 18%
18 Nut and vegetable roast, mixed nuts, homemade 10 µg 18%
19 Nut and vegetable roast, mixed nuts with egg, homemade 10 µg 18%
20 Rice (Brown, Long Grain) 10 µg 18%
21 Chilli, bean and lentil, homemade 10 µg 18%
22 Asparagus, steamed 9 µg 16%
23 Coffee, powder, instant 9 µg 16%
24 Nut and rice roast, mixed nuts, homemade 9 µg 16%
25 Mushrooms, closed cup, raw 9 µg 16%
26 Buckwheat Groats 9 µg 16%
27 Nut and rice roast, mixed nuts with egg, homemade 9 µg 16%
28 Flour, wheat, bread/strong, white 9 µg 16%
29 Spinach, dried 9 µg 16%
30 Flour, corn, yellow, fine meal, enriched 8.3 µg 15%
31 Chickpea flour (gram flour) 8.26 µg 15%
32 Egg white, raw 8 µg 15%
33 Cheese, Camembert 8 µg 15%
34 Omelette, Spanish, homemade 8 µg 15%
35 Roulade, spinach 8 µg 15%
36 Fig Rolls 8 µg 15%
37 Macadamia nuts (raw) 7 µg 13%
38 Cheese, Stilton 7 µg 13%
39 Black-eyed Beans/Peas 7 µg 13%
40 Aubergine, stuffed with lentils and vegetables 7 µg 13%
41 Rice, ready-cooked, "plain", re-heated 7 µg 13%
42 Rice, white, long grain, easy cook, boiled in unsalted water 7 µg 13%
43 Rice, white, basmati, easy cook, boiled in unsalted water 7 µg 13%
44 Apricots, dried 7 µg 13%
45 Beans, blackeye, whole, dried, raw 7 µg 13%
46 Bread, white, average 7 µg 13%
47 Bread rolls, wholemeal 7 µg 13%
48 Bread, white, crusty bloomer, unsliced, fresh, large 7 µg 13%
49 Flour, soya 7 µg 13%
50 Spinach, baby, boiled in unsalted water 7 µg 13%
51 Pilau, mushroom, homemade 7 µg 13%
52 Bread rolls, brown, soft 6 µg 11%
53 Crumpets, toasted 6 µg 11%
54 Rice, brown, easy cook, boiled in unsalted water 6 µg 11%
55 Bread, white, sliced, fried in rapeseed oil 6 µg 11%
56 Pumpkin seeds 6 µg 11%
57 Paprika 6 µg 11%
58 Doughnuts, ring, iced 6 µg 11%
59 Milk bread, homemade 6 µg 11%
60 Pecan nuts, kernel only, weighed with shells 6 µg 11%
61 Minibreads, toasted, retail 6 µg 11%
62 Cookies, oatmeal, soft, with raisins 6 µg 11%
63 Green Beans 6 µg 11%
64 Soup, mushroom, carton, chilled 6 µg 11%
65 Pistachios (raw) 6 µg 11%
66 Semolina, raw 6 µg 11%
67 Bread, white, sliced 6 µg 11%
68 Cheese, Brie 6 µg 11%
69 Breadsticks, plain 6 µg 11%
70 Shortbread 6 µg 11%
71 Rice, brown, basmati, boiled in unsalted water 6 µg 11%
72 Beans, pinto, dried, boiled in unsalted water 6 µg 11%
73 Semolina (Durum Wheat) 6 µg 11%
74 Flour, wheat, brown 6 µg 11%
75 Onion rings, breaded, par fried, frozen, prepared, heated in oven 5.6 µg 10%
76 Flour, rice, white, unenriched 5.3 µg 10%
77 Flour, pastry, unenriched, unbleached 5 µg 9%
78 Bread, white, toasted 5 µg 9%
79 Spinach, baby, raw 5 µg 9%
80 Yorkshire pudding, made with whole milk 5 µg 9%
81 Cheese, Feta 5 µg 9%
82 Rice, white, long grain, boiled in unsalted water 5 µg 9%
83 Rice, white, basmati, boiled in unsalted water 5 µg 9%
84 Cheese, cottage 5 µg 9%
85 Couscous, plain, raw 5 µg 9%
86 Nuts, mixed 5 µg 9%
87 Bread, brown, toasted 5 µg 9%
88 Re-fried beans 5 µg 9%
89 Rice, Thai fragrant, raw 5 µg 9%
90 Cheese, Brie, with outer rind removed 5 µg 9%
91 Crispbread, rye 5 µg 9%
92 Parsley, dried 5 µg 9%
93 Beans, mung, dahl, dried, boiled in unsalted water 5 µg 9%
94 Garlic powder 5 µg 9%
95 Aubergine, stuffed with vegetables, cheese topping 5 µg 9%
96 Beans, cannellini, canned, re-heated, drained 5 µg 9%
97 Flan, spinach, wholemeal, homemade 5 µg 9%
98 Flour, wheat, wholemeal 5 µg 9%
99 Flour, wheat, wholemeal, self raising 5 µg 9%
100 Couscous (Dry) 5 µg 9%

* Values are per 100g fresh weight. % NRV = percentage of EU Nutrient Reference Value. Bar shows relative level compared to the highest value across all foods in the database.

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Data sources: Standard nutrients: McCance & Widdowson's Composition of Foods Integrated Dataset (CoFID), Public Health England. EU Nutrient Reference Values: Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 (Annex XIII). All values per 100g fresh weight unless stated. Nothing here constitutes medical advice. Nutriofia database · Argarth Collective Ltd · Company No. 16864945.