Foods high in copper play a very crucial role in our diet, as well as overall health, so knowing the best foods to boost your copper levels is critical!
What is Copper?
Copper is an essential mineral in the human diet and is absorbed through the gut before being transferred to the liver. Some of the most important roles that copper plays in the body include nutrient uptake, specifically of iron. Copper is also related to immune system function, bone growth, hormonal balance in the body, and heart health. Fortunately, there are many foods high in copper that can help ensure your levels remain stable. [1]
Foods High in Copper
The best copper-rich foods include beef liver, lentils, almonds, sunflower seeds, raw kale, turnip greens, blackstrap molasses, asparagus, dark chocolate, sesame seeds, and goat cheese, among others.
The deficiency of copper can be treated with a nutritious diet or with supplements. Photo Credit: Shutterstock
Beef Liver
There are 14 milligrams of copper in 3 ounces of beef liver, representing more than 100% of your daily needs. [2]
Lentils
1 cup of lentils delivers 25% of your daily requirement, roughly 0.5 milligrams.
Almonds
Just a 1/4 cup of almonds offers 20% of your copper intake – approximately 0.4 milligrams.
Sunflower Seeds
These seeds contain approximately 30% of your copper intake for the day in every 1/4 cup.
Dark Chocolate
A single square of dark chocolate equals about 45% of your copper needs, making this one of the most concentrated forms of this mineral. [3]
Raw Kale
1 cup of this raw cruciferous vegetable has 0.2 milligrams of copper, which is about 10% of your daily recommendation.
Turnip Greens
A single cup of these greens offers 40% of your copper for the day.
Goat Cheese
1 ounce of this cheese delivers just under 10% of your daily copper needs.
Sesame Seeds
1/4 cup of these seeds is equal to about 73% of your daily needs in copper.
Dried Apricots
1 cup contains about 0.7 milligrams of copper, just over 1/3 of what you need every day. [4]
Blackstrap Molasses
2 teaspoons deliver about 0.3 milligrams, just under 15% of your daily requirement.
Asparagus
A cup of cooked asparagus has about 0.25 milligrams of copper.
Mushrooms
One cup of these fungi can contribute 20% of your copper intake for the day. [5]
