Top 10 Foods Highest in Phenylalanine

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Top 10 Foods Highest in Phenylalanine

Phenylalanine is an essential amino acid involved in creating brain signaling molecules such as dopamine, norepinephrine (noradrenaline), and epinephrine (adrenaline). (1) Phenylalanine can also be used by the body to make the amino acid tyrosine. (2)

Phenylalanine is used as an ingredient in artificial sweeteners containing aspartame and may have negative health effects if consumed in high amounts. People suffering from Phenylketonuria should limit their intake of phenylalanine. (3)

High phenylalanine foods include beef, chicken, pork, tofu, fish, beans, milk, nuts, seeds, pasta, whole grains, and vegetables like sweet potatoes.

The reference dietary intake (RDI) for phenylalanine and tyrosine is 25mg per kilogram of body weight or 11mg per pound. (4) Assuming a person gets half their requirement from each amino acid, a person can then consume 12.5mg per kg or 5.5mg per pound. As such, a person weighing 70kg (~154 pounds) should consume around 875mg of phenylalanine per day, and this is the amount used to calculate the reference dietary intake (RDI). If you only plan to consume phenylalanine, and no tyrosine, you should double the RDIs.

Below is a list of the top 10 foods highest in phenylalanine, for more high phenylalanine foods see the extended list of phenylalanine rich foods.

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A printable list of foods high in phenylalanine.

Extended list of Phenylalanine Rich Foods

FoodServingPhenylalanine
1. Gelatin Powder (Dry) per oz 56% RDI
(486mg)
2. Eggs in 1 large egg 38% RDI
(334mg)
3. Toasted Wheat Germ per oz 38% RDI
(332mg)
4. Avocados per avocado 22% RDI
(195mg)
5. Caviar per tblsp 20% RDI
(171mg)
6. Potatoes in a medium potato 20% RDI
(171mg)
7. Mamey Sapote 1 cup chopped 12% RDI
(107mg)
8. Mushrooms per cup cooked 11% RDI
(99mg)
9. Dried Coconut per oz 11% RDI
(99mg)
10. Shiitake Mushrooms per cup cooked 11% RDI
(97mg)
11. Grapefruit per cup 10% RDI
(87mg)
12. Kiwifruit per Cup 9% RDI
(79mg)
13. Whole Wheat Bread per slice toasted 9% RDI
(77mg)
14. Bananas per cup sliced 8% RDI
(74mg)
15. Bakers Yeast per tsp 8% RDI
(70mg)
16. Equal Artificial Sweetener (Aspartame) per tsp 5% RDI
(42mg)

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 daily value (%DV) is a general guideline for consumption that will prevent deficiency of a particular nutrient in most people. The %DV refers to the percentage of an amount that\'s found in a single serving of a food. It also accounts for absorption factors. It is set by the U.S. FDA.
  • Recommended Dietary Allowance (%RDA) - The RDA sets an average daily dietary intake level that is sufficient to meet the nutrient requirements of nearly all (97.5%) healthy individuals. It\'s more specific than the daily value, and varies by age and gender. The RDA is set by the US National Institutes of Health.
  • Reference Dietary Intake (%RDI) -The reference dietary intake is similar to the recommended daily allowance, but is specific to age and gender. The RDI for amino acids is set by the U.N. World Health Organization.
  • Adequate Intake (%AI) - This value is primarily used in reference to omega-3 and omega-6 fats. The Adequate Intake is set by the U.S. Institute of Medicine. Because there is less evidence to determine the ideal targets for consumption of these nutrients, the specific amount is considered to be less reliable. Using the term Adequate Intake, rather than one of the other terms, helps to emphasize that the ideal intake of that particular nutrient has not yet been scientifically determined.

See the Guide to Recommended Daily Intakes for more information.

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Data Sources and References

  1. Pubchem on Phenylalanine
  2. An Overview of Phenylalanine and Tyrosine Kinetics in Humans. J Nutr. 2007 Jun; 137(6 Suppl 1): 1549S–1575S.
  3. Medline Plus on Phenylketonuria
  4. World Health Organization (WHO) Technical Report Series – Protein And Amino Acid Requirements In Human Nutrition ISBN 978 92 4 120935 9
  5. U.S. Agricultural Research Service Food Data Central
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