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Usage Notes

• Copper (measured in milligrams) and calories are calculated per 100g of food.
• This copper content of foods database contains approximately 7,000 most common food items.
• Click on column header to sort foods by name or by copper or calories.
• Pie chart shows relative contributions to total calories from carbohydrate, protein and fat (and alcohol, if exists).

Copper in Diet

Copper is an essential trace element that is vital to the health of all living things (humans, plants, animals, and microorganisms). In humans, copper is essential to the proper functioning of organs and metabolic processes. The human body has complex homeostatic mechanisms which attempt to ensure a constant supply of available copper, while eliminating excess copper whenever this occurs. However, like all essential elements and nutrients, too much or too little nutritional ingestion of copper can result in a corresponding condition of copper excess or deficiency in the body, each of which has its own unique set of adverse health effects.

Copper deficiency and toxicity can be either of genetic or non-genetic origin. The study of copper's genetic diseases, which are the focus of intense international research activity, has shed insight into how human bodies use copper, and why it is important as an essential micronutrient. The studies have also resulted in successful treatments for genetic copper excess conditions, enabling patients whose lives were once jeopardized to live long and productive lives.

Function of Copper

Copper is a component of numerous enzymes that affect a wide variety of metabolic processes. Copper deficiency can result in anemia, neutropenia, skeletal abnormalities, and other clinical manifestations.
Copper, along with iron, helps in the formation of red blood cells. It also helps in keeping the blood vessels, nerves, immune system, and bones healthy.

Copper is incorporated into a variety of proteins and metalloenzymes which perform essential metabolic functions; the micronutrient is necessary for the proper growth, development, and maintenance of bone, connective tissue, brain, heart, and many other body organs. Copper is involved in the formation of red blood cells, the absorption and utilization of iron, the metabolism of cholesterol and glucose, and the synthesis and release of life-sustaining proteins and enzymes. These enzymes in turn produce cellular energy and regulate nerve transmission, blood clotting, and oxygen transport.

Copper stimulates the immune system to fight infections, to repair injured tissues, and to promote healing. Copper also helps to neutralize "free-radicals", which can cause severe damage to cells.

Copper Intake Recommendations

The Food and Nutrition Board at the Institute of Medicine recommends the following dietary intake for copper (in milligrams per day):

Infants
0 - 6 months:	0.200 mg/day
7 - 12 months:	0.220 mg/day
Children
1 - 3 years:	0.340 mg/day
4 - 8 years:	0.440 mg/day
9 - 13 years:	0.700 mg/day
Adolescents and Adults
14 – 18 years:	0.890 mg/day
19 and older:	0.900 mg/day

Food Sources

Oysters and other shellfish, whole grains, beans, nuts, potatoes, and organ meats (kidneys, liver) are good sources of copper. Dark leafy greens, dried fruits such as prunes, cocoa, black pepper, and yeast are also sources of copper in the diet.

Copper Side Effects

Normally people have enough copper in the foods they eat. Menkes disease (kinky hair syndrome) is a very rare disorder of copper metabolism that is present before birth. It occurs in male infants.
Lack of copper may lead to anemia and osteoporosis.
In large amounts, copper is poisonous. A rare inherited disorder, Wilson's disease, causes deposits of copper in the liver, brain, and other organs. The increased copper in these tissues leads to hepatitis, kidney problems, brain disorders, and other problems.

Additional online COPPER content of foods databases

The following databases contain copper data in foods common in the UK or in France.

• UK Nutrient Databank (choose Minerals database)
• Table de composition nutritionnelle des aliments: Cuivre

Partner Websites

Please bookmark our partner websites to use when any of our nutrition calculators is not available or overloaded.

Copper-Rich Foods

List of 100 foods highest in copper. Copper content is in milligrams per 100 grams of food weight.

Foods Highest in Copper

Copper

Veal, variety meats and by-products, liver, cooked, pan-fried

15.05

Veal, variety meats and by-products, liver, cooked, braised

14.94

Beef, variety meats and by-products, liver, cooked, pan-fried

14.59

Beef, variety meats and by-products, liver, cooked, braised

14.28

Veal, variety meats and by-products, liver, raw

11.87

Lamb, variety meats and by-products, liver, cooked, pan-fried

9.83

Beef, variety meats and by-products, liver, raw

9.76

Goose, liver, raw

7.52

Lamb, variety meats and by-products, liver, cooked, braised

7.07

Lamb, variety meats and by-products, liver, raw

6.98

Seaweed, spirulina, dried

6.10

Duck, domesticated, liver, raw

5.96

Mollusks, oyster, eastern, wild, cooked, moist heat

5.71

Mushrooms, shiitake, dried

5.17

Soy flour, low-fat, crude protein basis (N x 6.25)

5.08

Pepeao, dried

5.07

Mollusks, oyster, eastern, canned

4.46

Mollusks, oyster, eastern, wild, cooked, dry heat

4.44

Mollusks, oyster, eastern, cooked, breaded and fried

4.29

Seeds, sesame butter, paste

4.21

Seeds, sesame seeds, whole, dried

4.08

Soy flour, defatted

4.07

Cocoa, dry powder, unsweetened

3.79

Cocoa, dry powder, hi-fat or breakfast, plain

3.61

Cocoa, dry powder, hi-fat or breakfast, processed with alkali

3.61

Cocoa, dry powder, unsweetened, processed with alkali

3.61

Baking chocolate, unsweetened, squares

3.23

Soy protein isolate, PROTEIN TECHNOLOGIES INTERNATIONAL, ProPlus

3.00

Soy flour, full-fat, raw, crude protein basis (N x 6.25)

2.92

Foods Highest in Copper

Copper

Soy flour, full-fat, raw

2.92

Winged beans, mature seeds, raw

2.88

Mollusks, oyster, eastern, wild, raw

2.86

Moose, liver, braised (Alaska Native)

2.79

Mollusks, oyster, Pacific, cooked, moist heat

2.68

Beverage, instant breakfast powder, chocolate, sugar-free, not reconstituted

2.60

Seeds, sesame seeds, whole, roasted and toasted

2.47

Spices, mace, ground

2.47

Snacks, soy chips or crisps, salted

2.46

Seeds, breadnut tree seeds, dried

2.46

OSCAR MAYER, Luncheon Loaf (spiced)

2.31

Soy flour, full-fat, roasted, crude protein basis (N x 6.25)

2.22

Soy flour, full-fat, roasted

2.22

Nuts, cashew nuts, dry roasted, with salt added

2.22

Nuts, cashew nuts, dry roasted, without salt added

2.22

Nuts, cashew nuts, raw

2.20

Nuts, cashew butter, plain, without salt added

2.19

Nuts, cashew butter, plain, with salt added

2.19

Gelatins, dry powder, unsweetened

2.16

Mollusks, squid, mixed species, cooked, fried

2.11

Spices, basil, dried

2.10

Mollusks, whelk, unspecified, cooked, moist heat

2.06

Nuts, cashew nuts, oil roasted, with salt added

2.04

Nuts, cashew nuts, oil roasted, without salt added

2.04

Peanut flour, low fat

2.04

Soy meal, defatted, raw

2.00

Soy meal, defatted, raw, crude protein basis (N x 6.25)

2.00

Vermicelli, made from soy

1.92

Baking chocolate, unsweetened, liquid

1.91

Mollusks, squid, mixed species, raw

1.89

Sea lion, Steller, liver (Alaska Native)

1.89

Foods High in Copper

Copper

Grape leaves, canned

1.84

Seeds, sunflower seed kernels, toasted, without salt

1.83

Seeds, sunflower seed kernels, toasted, with salt added

1.83

Seeds, sunflower seed kernels, dry roasted, without salt

1.83

Seeds, sunflower seed kernels, dry roasted, with salt added

1.83

Seeds, sunflower seed kernels, oil roasted, with salt added

1.80

Seeds, sunflower seed kernels, oil roasted, without salt

1.80

Peanut flour, defatted

1.80

Seeds, sunflower seed kernels, dried

1.80

Nuts, mixed nuts, oil roasted, without peanuts, with salt added

1.80

Nuts, mixed nuts, oil roasted, without peanuts, without salt added

1.80

Spices, coriander leaf, dried

1.79

Peanut butter, chunky, vitamin and mineral fortified

1.77

Chocolate, dark, 70-85% cacao solids

1.77

Nuts, hazelnuts or filberts, dry roasted, without salt added

1.75

Seeds, safflower seed kernels, dried

1.75

Nuts, brazilnuts, dried, unblanched

1.74

Seeds, safflower seed meal, partially defatted

1.73

Nuts, hazelnuts or filberts

1.73

Seeds, sunflower seed flour, partially defatted

1.71

Cereals ready-to-eat, BEAR NAKED Banana Nut

1.70

Soybeans, mature seeds, raw

1.66

Peanut butter, smooth, vitamin and mineral fortified

1.64

Radishes, oriental, dried

1.63

Spices, poppy seed

1.63

Seeds, sesame butter, tahini, from raw and stone ground kernels

1.62

Seeds, sesame butter, tahini, type of kernels unspecified

1.61

Seeds, sesame butter, tahini, from roasted and toasted kernels (most common type)

1.61

Soy flour, low-fat

1.60

Nuts, hazelnuts or filberts, blanched

1.60

Soy flour, defatted, crude protein basis (N x 6.25)

1.60

Foods High in Copper

Copper

Soy protein isolate, potassium type, crude protein basis

1.60

Soy protein isolate, potassium type

1.60

Soy protein isolate

1.60

Seeds, sunflower seed butter, without salt

1.60

Seeds, sunflower seed butter, with salt added

1.60

Nuts, walnuts, english

1.59

Mollusks, oyster, Pacific, raw

1.58

Crustaceans, lobster, northern, cooked, moist heat

1.55

Spearmint, dried

1.54

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