What foods contain selenium? The selenium foods at a glance.

Selenium: an essential trace element for our body. We need it, but our body can’t make it itself. That’s why we have to eat it through food or supplements.

Which foods contain a lot of selenium? Is there a selenium food table? Can you cover your selenium needs with food? We answer these questions with: Read on here.

Relatively much selenium is generally contained in meat, fish and eggs. For a vegetarian or vegan diet, it is mushrooms, cabbage and onion vegetables, lentils, asparagus and nuts. Especially the Brazil nuts are to be emphasized here, as the plant collects selenium in the nuts.

In total, you need 60 micrograms a day as a woman and 70 microgramsa day as a man. All in all, including foods and supplements, you should not consume more than 300 micrograms of selenium per day.

The following is a table of the most important foods including their selenium content.

The selenium food table. The most important foods with selenium

In this table you will find the selenium content in micrograms for 100 g of each food. The table shows you the content taking into account the amount consumed.

We have omitted foods such as uncooked rice (10 micrograms per 100 g), which cannot be consumed in this way. You should also note that some foods such as the nut mixture, the Emmentaler or the mackerel should not be consumed in portions of 100 g – also because of other ingredients or other trace element components.

Especially abroad, however, these values can differdrastically. For example, in the USA, in some Chinese and African regions, the soil conditions are completely different from those in German-speaking countries. This also leads to other selenium concentrations.

While in the USA the soil is richer in selenium and you have to consume smaller amounts for a corresponding selenium balance, the soils in the African and Chinese regions are much less selenium. Here you would need more of the food. Selenium content can also fluctuate greatly.

Offal of beef, veal or pork (especially the kidney!) are hot tips, but – in the truest sense of the word – a matter of taste.

Brazil nuts: Hidden danger

Purely from the selenium content, you would have to eat Brazil nuts, fish or seafood and coconuts. 100 g of mackerel contains 39 g of selenium and the same amount of Brazil nuts even contains 103 micrograms!

Above, however, a nut mixture is not mentioned for nothing. Brazil nuts have a high natural radioactive radiation
exposure compared to other foods. Two Brazil nuts a day means on average that adults get 50% more radiation than
would be normal in a year. Although this is not yet a health concern, the recommendation of a maximum of two Brazil nuts a day is no coincidence.

Therefore: If you eat Brazil nuts for selenium, then a maximum of two and preferably mixed with particularly healthy walnuts.

The same applies to fungi,which also absorb radiation very well. They are therefore not suitable for daily consumption.

Take selenium through food? A balanced diet brings it

In order to cover your own selenium requirements through your diet, you need a balanced diet. Animal and plant foods in combination are almost unavoidable here.

For vegetarian or vegan diets, foods with a high selenium content are recommended. In the table, that would be a handful of nuts, white beans, lentils, oatmeal or chickpeas. Even mushrooms, salami, rye bread or blackcurrants in between help you immensely.

But watch out! If you consume other nutrients in high doses, this can change the selenium absorption in the intestines.

Vitamin C in high doses above 1 g reduces the bioavailability of selenium. Your intestines can then absorb less. If, on the other hand, you consume less than 1 g of vitamin C, this increases bioavailability.

Vitamins A and E also lead to a higher bioavailability of selenium. Other heavy metals such as cadmium, mercury, lead or arsenic can lead to undesirable interactions.

On average, you absorb 70 percent of selenium from food. For some selenium compounds it can also be 100%, for others less.

Fish, mushrooms and beans: the foods with a lot of selenium

All in all, it means eating fish, mushrooms and various beans. If these products regularly land on the plate, your selenium content will look quite good.

Of course, the usual problems with the supply of trace elements via the food are added. Some foods should not be eaten too often (mushrooms), others should only be eaten in small quantities (Brazil nuts) and others you do not like or do not want to eat. Here it is then necessary to improvise accordingly or to resort to supplements after consultation with the doctor of trust.

Finally, however, a recipe suggestion for a selenium bomb from Spanish cuisine.

Stew with pork fillet and red wine sauce

You need for four servings:

– 500 g pork fillet

– 6 peppers (yellow and red mixed)

– 500 g of fresh porcini mushrooms and mushrooms mixed

– 3 red onions

– 3 cloves of garlic

– 250 ml Spanish red wine (and to drink)

– 125 ml cream (optional)

– 2 vegetable stock cubes

– Salt, pepper, cayenne pepper, olive oil

Take a stew pot and add a dash of olive oil. First, you put the pork fillet in and fry it sharply until it is golden brown on the outside
is.

Peel the garlic cloves, press them lightly and add them to the fillet. The onions cut into fine cubes and a little salt, pepper and cayenne pepper are also added.

While it is already stewing, you cut the peppers into coarse cubes and add them gradually after each finished pod.

Finally, you cut the mushrooms either into strips or – if they are smaller – simply into quarters. You also put them in the pot, put the lid on it and let the whole thing stew for 15 minutes.

Now you extinguish everything with the quarter liter of red wine. It should also taste like this, because it goes perfectly with the dish.

Add the two vegetable stock cubes together with 200 ml of boiling water. Let it boil and stir and then put the lid on it again and saut for 10 minutes.

Optionally, you can now add cream. If you want it easier, the sauce goes without it.

A good, fresh white bread for dips and a green salad goes perfectly with it. ¡Buen apetito!