Foods Highest in Lysine

Quick answer

In our data the foods with the highest lysine per 100 g are Beaver (game meat) (3.24 g), Veal Cutlet (3.15437 g), Mutton (3 g). This ranks the 508 foods that have a lysine value out of 790 relevant foods; dried foods and spices are listed separately because they are concentrated. Values come unchanged from USDA FoodData Central, UK CoFID and the Canadian Nutrient File.

Top foods by category

• Fruits: Tamarind (0.139 g), 51 foods with a value
• Vegetables: Mushrooms, white button (1.7 g), 127 foods with a value
• Nuts & Seeds: Cottonseed kernels (1.65 g), 27 foods with a value
• Legumes: Natto (1.15 g), 31 foods with a value
• Grains: Oats (0.701 g), 29 foods with a value
• Meat & Poultry: Beaver (game meat) (3.24 g), 93 foods with a value
• Fish & Seafood: Whelks (2.93 g), 80 foods with a value
• Dairy & Eggs: Romano cheese (2.94 g), 61 foods with a value
• Traditional foods: Mutton (3 g), 9 foods with a value

Full ranking: 508 foods by lysine per 100 g

Dried foods and spices (ranked separately)

Coverage and limitations

• 508 of 790 relevant foods have a lysine value; 282 are not ranked because the source has none.
• All amounts are per 100 g of the food as described by the source record, in g. Preparation is shown for every row and is never merged: the same food cooked differently is a separate record.
• Ranks are positions in this dataset only. Food composition varies by variety, season and processing.
• We do not show recommended intakes or health claims on this page. It is general information and not medical advice. Read more in About our data.

Questions about lysine in foods

Which food has the most lysine in this dataset?

Beaver (game meat) has the highest lysine value in our ranking: 3.24 g per 100 g (USDA SR Legacy record 175295). This is the highest among the 508 foods with a value, not a statement about every food in existence.

What do the numbers mean?

Each value is the amount of lysine in g per 100 g of the food as described by the source record, for the preparation shown on that row. The unit is g.

How complete is the data for lysine?

508 of the 790 relevant foods in our data have a lysine value (64%). 282 have no usable value and are not ranked; a missing value is never treated as zero.

Why are dried foods and spices listed separately?

Dried foods, powders and spices are measured in a concentrated form, so they would outrank fresh foods per 100 g. We rank 55 such foods separately (the highest is Spirulina, dried at 3.02 g).

Where do the values come from?

One source record is used per food, in a fixed order: USDA FoodData Central (Foundation Foods, then SR Legacy), then UK CoFID, then the Canadian Nutrient File. Values are never averaged. In this ranking: USDA SR Legacy (443 foods), Canadian CNF (40 foods), USDA Foundation (25 foods).

Tools for this nutrient

• Calculate how much of a food provides a nutrient amount
• Explore food combinations for nutrient targets