Foods rich in Selenium are mainly Brazil nuts, wheat, rice, egg yolk, sunflower seeds and chicken. Selenium is a mineral present in the soil and therefore its quantity in food varies according to the soil's richness in this mineral.
The recommended amount of selenium for an adult is 55 micrograms per day, and its adequate intake is important for functions such as strengthening the immune system and maintaining a good production of thyroid hormones. See all the benefits here.
Selenium in food
The following table shows the amount of selenium present in 100 g of each food:
| Foods | Selenium amount | Energy |
| Parsnips | 4000 mcg | 699 calories |
| Wheat flour | 42 mcg | 360 calories |
| French bread | 25 mcg | 269 calories |
| Egg yolk | 20 mcg | 352 calories |
| Cooked chicken | 7 mcg | 169 calories |
| Egg white | 6 mcg | 43 calories |
| Rice | 4 mcg | 364 calories |
| Powdered milk | 3 mcg | 440 calories |
| Bean | 3 mcg | 360 calories |
| Garlic | 2 mcg | 134 calories |
| Cabbage | 2 mcg | 25 calories |
Selenium present in foods of animal origin is better absorbed by the intestine when compared to vegetable selenium, being important to vary the diet to obtain a good amount of this mineral ..
Benefits of Selenium
Selenium plays important roles in the body, such as:
- Acting as an antioxidant, preventing diseases such as cancer and atherosclerosis;
- Participate in the metabolism of thyroid hormones;
- Detoxify the body of heavy metals;
- Strengthen the immune system;
- Improve male fertility.
To have the benefits of selenium for health a good tip is to ingest a nut a day, which in addition to selenium also has vitamin E and contributes to the health of the skin, nails and hair. See other benefits of Brazil nuts.
Recommended quantity
The recommended amount of selenium varies according to gender and age, as shown below:
- Infants from 0 to 6 months: 15 mcg
- Infants 7 months to 3 years: 20 mcg
- Children aged 4 to 8 years: 30 mcg
- Young people 9 to 13 years old: 40 mcg
- From 14 years old: 55 mcg
- Pregnant women: 60 mcg
- Breastfeeding women: 70 mcg
By making a balanced and varied diet, it is possible to obtain the recommended amounts of selenium naturally through food. Its supplementation should only be done with the advice of the doctor or the nutritionist, because its excess can cause health damages.
