Top 10 Foods Highest in Manganese

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Written by Daisy Whitbread, BSc (Hons) MSc DipIONPowered by USDA Nutrition Data
Top 10 Foods Highest in Manganese

Manganese is an essential trace mineral required by the body for bone development, calcium absorption, healthy skin and blood sugar regulation. (1) It also helps activate superoxide dismutase (SOD), an important antioxidant enzyme.

Manganese deficiency is rare but can be expressed in poor bone health, joint pain, fertility problems and an increased risk of seizures. (1)

Overconsumption of manganese from food sources is also rare and can adversely affect the neurological system. (2)

Foods high in manganese include mussels, wheat germ, tofu, sweet potatoes, nuts, brown rice, lima beans, chickpeas, spinach, and pineapples. (3) The current daily value (DV) for manganese is 2.3mg. (4)

Below is a list of high manganese foods sorted by a common serving size, for more, see the complete nutrient ranking of over 200 foods high in manganese .

List of High Manganese Foods

Mussels1 Mussels
Manganese
per 3oz		Manganese
per 100g		Manganese
per 200 Calories
5.8mg
(251% DV)		6.8mg
(296% DV)		7.9mg
(344% DV)
Nutrition Facts for Cooked Blue Mussels. (Source)

More Shellfish High in Manganese

  • 83% DV in 20 small clams
  • 45% DV in 3oz of oysters
  • 19% DV in 3oz of cooked crayfish

See all fish and seafood high in manganese.

Photo of wheat plants2 Toasted Wheat Germ
Manganese
per Oz		Manganese
per 100g		Manganese
per 200 Calories
5.7mg
(246% DV)		20mg
(868% DV)		10.4mg
(454% DV)
Nutrition Facts for Toasted Wheat Germ. (Source)

Sprinkle toasted wheat germ on top of cereal, salads, and toast.

A block of tofu3 Firm Tofu
Manganese
per Cup		Manganese
per 100g		Manganese
per 200 Calories
3mg
(129% DV)		1.2mg
(51% DV)		1.6mg
(71% DV)
Nutrition Facts for Firm Tofu. (Source)

More Soy Products High in Manganese

  • 94% DV in 1 cup of tempeh
  • 39% DV in 1 cup of green soybeans (edamame)
Sweet Potatoes4 Sweet Potatoes
Manganese
per Cup Mashed		Manganese
per 100g		Manganese
per 200 Calories
2.5mg
(110% DV)		1mg
(43% DV)		2mg
(85% DV)
Nutrition Facts for Mashed Sweet Potatoes. (Source)

More Vegetables High in Manganese

  • 42% DV in 1 cup of collards
  • 37% DV in 1 cup of peas
  • 34% DV in 1 cup of okra

See all vegetables high in manganese.

Pine Nuts5 Pine Nuts
Manganese
per Oz		Manganese
per 100g		Manganese
per 200 Calories
2.5mg
(109% DV)		8.8mg
(383% DV)		2.6mg
(114% DV)
Nutrition Facts for Pine Nuts (Dried). (Source)

More Nuts and Seeds High in Manganese

  • 94% DV per oz of hemp seeds
  • 76% DV per oz of hazelnuts
  • 56% DV per oz of pecans

See all nuts and seeds high in manganese.

Brown Rice6 Brown Rice
Manganese
per Cup		Manganese
per 100g		Manganese
per 200 Calories
2.1mg
(93% DV)		1.1mg
(48% DV)		2mg
(85% DV)
Nutrition Facts for Cooked Brown Rice. (Source)

More Whole Grains High in Manganese

  • 67% DV in 1 cup of whole wheat pasta
  • 59% DV in 1 cup of oatmeal
  • 51% DV in 1 cup of quinoa

See all whole grains high in manganese.

Lima Beans7 Lima Beans
Manganese
per Cup Cooked		Manganese
per 100g		Manganese
per 200 Calories
2.1mg
(93% DV)		1.3mg
(54% DV)		2mg
(89% DV)
Nutrition Facts for Cooked Lima Beans. (Source)

See all vegetables high in manganese.

Chickpeas8 Chickpeas (Garbanzo Beans)
Manganese
per Cup		Manganese
per 100g		Manganese
per 200 Calories
1.7mg
(73% DV)		1mg
(45% DV)		1.3mg
(55% DV)
Nutrition Facts for Chickpeas (Garbanzo Beans) (Cooked). (Source)

More Beans High in Manganese

  • 49% DV in 1 cup of large white beans
  • 43% DV in 1 cup of navy beans
  • 43% DV in 1 cup of lentils

See all beans high in manganese.

A Bowl of Spinach9 Spinach
Manganese
per Cup Cooked		Manganese
per 100g		Manganese
per 200 Calories
1.7mg
(73% DV)		0.9mg
(41% DV)		8.1mg
(353% DV)
Nutrition Facts for Cooked Spinach. (Source)

See all vegetables high in manganese.

Pineapples10 Pineapple
Manganese
per Cup		Manganese
per 100g		Manganese
per 200 Calories
1.5mg
(67% DV)		0.9mg
(40% DV)		3.7mg
(161% DV)
Nutrition Facts for Pineapple. (Source)

More Fruits High in Manganese

  • 40% DV in 1 cup of blackberries
  • 36% DV in 1 cup of raspberries
  • 29% DV in 1 cup of grapes
  • 28% DV in 1 cup of strawberries
  • 22% DV in 1 cup of blueberries

See all fruits high in manganese.

Printable One Page Sheet

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A printable list of foods high in manganese including mussels, wheat germ, tofu, sweet potatoes, nuts, brown rice, lima beans, chickpeas, spinach, and pineapples.

Health Benefits of Manganese

  • Antioxidant Protection - Manganese superoxide dismutase (MnSOD) is the principal antioxidant used during energy production in the mitochondria (the powerhouse of our cells). (1)
  • Osteoporosis Protection (*Controversial) - Two recent studies have found that women with osteoporosis have lower blood manganese levels than women without osteoporosis. (5) This finding is a correlation and does not suggest any specific link between manganese and osteoporosis, however, it is promising since manganese is involved in bone development.
  • Prevention of Epileptic Seizures - Preliminary studies in rats show that those with lower manganese levels are more prone to epileptic seizures. (6) The causes of epilepsy, however, are not well understood, and more research needs to be done before there can be a conclusive link between epilepsy and manganese. (7)

Warnings

  • Intake of manganese from enriched infant formulas can lead to hyperactive children, or learning disabled children. Excessive levels of manganese are toxic and supplements should be approached with care. (8)

About the Data

Data for the curated food lists comes from the USDA Food Data Central Repository.

You can check our data against the USDA by clicking the (Source) link at the bottom of each food listing.

Note: When checking data please be sure the serving sizes are the same. In the rare case you find any difference, please contact us and we will fix it right away.

About Nutrient Targets

Setting targets can provide a guide to healthy eating.

Some of the most popular targets include:
  • Daily Value (%DV) - The %DV is a general guideline for everyone and accounts for absorption factors. It is the most common target in the U.S. and is the target on the nutrition labels of most products. It is set by the U.S. FDA.
  • Reference Dietary Intake (%RDI) - The Reference Dietary Intake (RDI) is a customized target accounting for age and gender. It is set by the U.S. Institute of Medicine. The RDI for amino acids is set by the U.N. World Health Organization. The daily value (%DV) builds on the reference dietary intake to create a number for everyone.
  • Adequate Intake (%AI) - Sets a target for Omega 3 and Omega 6 fats. The Adequate Intake is also set by the U.S. Institute of Medicine. It represents a number to ensure adequacy but lacks the same level of evidence as the Reference Dietary Intake. In short, the number is less accurate than the RDI.

    • See the Guide to Recommended Daily Intakes for more information.

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Data Sources and References

  1. Role of manganese in neurodegenerative diseases
  2. Manganese in health and disease.
  3. U.S. Agricultural Research Service Food Data Central
  4. NIH: Dietary Supplement Label Database
  5. Correlation between bone mineral density and serum trace elements in response to supervised aerobic training in older adults
  6. Manganese and epilepsy: brain glutamine synthetase and liver arginase activities in genetically epilepsy prone and chronically seizured rats.
  7. Manganese and epilepsy: a systematic review of the literature.
  8. Manganese in infant formulas and learning disability.