Foods high in Selenium, Se

Selenium works through a small family of selenoproteins that defend cells against oxidative damage and help convert thyroid hormone into its active form, so it plays an outsized role in health relative to how little of it the body actually needs. Because a single Brazil nut can supply an entire day's worth, or more, the ranked list below should be read with portion size in mind rather than just the raw per-100-gram number — the top entry isn't a food most people eat by the cup. Selenium content in plant foods also depends heavily on how much selenium was in the soil where they were grown, which is why seafood and organ meats tend to be steadier, more predictable sources than grains or vegetables. People with digestive conditions that impair absorption, such as Crohn's disease, or those relying on long-term intravenous feeding, are the groups most likely to need closer attention to selenium intake; deficiency from diet alone is otherwise uncommon in the United States. Because the gap between too little and too much is narrower for selenium than for many other trace minerals, this is one nutrient where checking the list against realistic serving sizes, rather than chasing the single highest number, is especially worthwhile.

Adults need about 70.0000 UG/day (age 14-50 years) — NIH ODS Selenium Health Professional Fact Sheet.