nutrient

Copper

An essential trace element used by enzymes involved in energy production, connective tissue, iron transport and antioxidant defence.

Educational draft · Human scientific and editorial review pending. About review status

Copper is absorbed in the small intestine and distributed through proteins such as ceruloplasmin. Zinc and copper intake can affect each other at high supplemental exposures.

Food sources

Per 100 g

Food amounts and reference percentages, both per 100 g
Food	Per 100 g	Daily reference
Chia seeds, dry	1.57 mg	98.13–120.77%
Ground flaxseed	1.34 mg	83.75–103.08%
Pumpkin seeds	1.22 mg	76.25–93.85%
English walnuts, raw	1.21 mg	75.63–93.08%
Almonds	0.91 mg	56.88–70%

Show 45 more foods

Food amounts and reference percentages, both per 100 g
Food	Per 100 g	Daily reference
Almonds, dry-roasted and salted	0.87 mg	54.37–66.92%
Lentils	0.84 mg	52.37–64.46%
Peanuts, raw	0.46 mg	28.75–35.38%
Rolled oats	0.43 mg	26.75–32.92%
Hummus, commercial	0.35 mg	21.75–26.77%
Hass avocado, raw	0.29 mg	17.81–21.92%
Chickpeas, canned and rinsed	0.27 mg	16.69–20.54%
Brown rice, long-grain, raw	0.27 mg	16.63–20.46%
Lentils, cooked and salted (SR Legacy 2018)	0.25 mg	15.69–19.31%
Anchovies, canned in olive oil, drained	0.24 mg	14.69–18.08%
White rice, long-grain, raw	0.21 mg	13.37–16.46%
Orange sweet potato, peeled and raw	0.19 mg	11.69–14.38%
Atlantic sardines, canned in oil (SR Legacy 2018)	0.19 mg	11.63–14.31%
Spinach, raw (SR Legacy 2018)	0.13 mg	8.13–10%
Rainbow trout, wild, raw (SR Legacy 2018)	0.11 mg	6.81–8.38%
Soy milk, unsweetened and shelf-stable	0.11 mg	6.75–8.31%
Banana, ripe, raw	0.1 mg	6.31–7.77%
Roasted beef tenderloin	0.1 mg	6.06–7.46%
Russet potato, raw	0.09 mg	5.69–7%
Spinach	0.08 mg	5.13–6.31%
Carrots, frozen and unprepared	0.08 mg	5–6.15%
Navel orange, raw	0.06 mg	4–4.92%
Braised chicken drumstick	0.06 mg	3.94–4.85%
Salmon	0.06 mg	3.88–4.77%
Pie pumpkin, raw	0.06 mg	3.88–4.77%
Mature carrots, raw	0.06 mg	3.81–4.69%
Grape tomatoes, raw	0.06 mg	3.62–4.46%
Ground beef, 90% lean and 10% fat	0.06 mg	3.5–4.31%
Canned diced tomatoes	0.05 mg	3.25–4%
Atlantic salmon, farmed, cooked (SR Legacy 2018)	0.05 mg	3.06–3.77%
Light tuna, canned in water, drained	0.05 mg	3–3.69%
Blueberries, raw	0.05 mg	2.88–3.54%
Atlantic salmon, farmed, raw (SR Legacy 2018)	0.05 mg	2.81–3.46%
Braised chicken breast	0.04 mg	2.75–3.38%
Beef ribeye, raw	0.04 mg	2.69–3.31%
Orange bell pepper, raw	0.04 mg	2.19–2.69%
Strawberries, raw	0.04 mg	2.19–2.69%
Cottage cheese, 2% fat	0.03 mg	1.88–2.31%
Oat milk, unsweetened and refrigerated	0.03 mg	1.69–2.08%
Atlantic salmon, farmed, raw	0.03 mg	1.56–1.92%
Red Delicious apple, raw	0.02 mg	1.5–1.85%
Greek yogurt, plain nonfat	0.02 mg	1.06–1.31%
Chicken breast, raw	<0.01 mg	0.25–0.31%
Plain whole-milk yogurt	<0.01 mg	0.19–0.23%
Low-fat milk, 1% and fortified	<0.01 mg	0.06–0.08%

Compared with EFSA’s adult reference of 1.3–1.6 mg/day. The percentage range reflects different adult reference groups.

About these amounts

These values describe the named food and preparation. A 100 g comparison is not a suggested serving. Small amounts are rounded for display; an unreported amount is not zero.

Healthy European adults; women / men. Adequate intake: 1.3–1.6 mg/day. These are population references, not individual targets.

Portions recorded by the source

Almonds, dry-roasted and salted: 1 cup (135 g) — 1.17 mg, 73.41–90.35% of the daily reference.
Hummus, commercial: 2 tablespoon (33.9 g) — 0.12 mg, 7.37–9.07% of the daily reference.
Roasted beef tenderloin: 1 roast (462 g) — 0.45 mg, 28.01–34.47% of the daily reference.
Braised chicken drumstick: 1 drumstick (104 g) — 0.07 mg, 4.1–5.04% of the daily reference.
Canned diced tomatoes: 1 cup (245 g) — 0.13 mg, 7.96–9.8% of the daily reference.
Light tuna, canned in water, drained: 1 can (142 g) — 0.07 mg, 4.26–5.24% of the daily reference.
Braised chicken breast: 1 piece (174 g) — 0.08 mg, 4.78–5.89% of the daily reference.
Cottage cheese, 2% fat: 1 cup (220 g) — 0.07 mg, 4.13–5.08% of the daily reference.
Greek yogurt, plain nonfat: 1 container (156 g) — 0.03 mg, 1.66–2.04% of the daily reference.
Low-fat milk, 1% and fortified: 1 cup (246 g) — <0.01 mg, 0.15–0.19% of the daily reference.

The source records and EFSA guidance are linked in References below.

How it works

What it does

Copper-dependent enzymes support energy production, connective-tissue cross-linking, neurotransmitter synthesis, iron transport and antioxidant protection. Copper contributes to normal red-blood-cell and immune function through these pathways.

Where it comes from

Shellfish, liver, nuts, seeds, whole grains and chocolate can provide copper, with amounts varying by food and preparation.

Roles and processes

Red blood cells
Copper supports iron use in Red blood cells
Copper-dependent proteins support iron transport and use in normal blood formation.
Evidence: Established · Source checked 2026-09-05 · Sources: NIH Office of Dietary Supplements: Copper: Fact Sheet for Health Professionals

Worth knowing

Copper helps iron move. Copper-dependent proteins support iron transport and use, but copper is not a substitute for iron.
Zinc can change copper absorption. Long-term high zinc exposure can reduce copper absorption. This interaction is a product and intake issue, not a reason to treat zinc and copper as the same nutrient.

A closer look

Supplement safety

High copper intake can cause gastrointestinal and liver effects, while high zinc intake can reduce copper absorption. Product stacking and medical conditions need professional review.

References

Source-checked local draft.
Human editorial review pending.

Take it into the kitchen

Explore this nutrient in simple meals. Recipe pages show estimated amounts and missing data.

Mushroom cashew brown rice · 20 min →

Tofu zucchini rice · 22 min →

Lentil mushroom tomato pasta · 25 min →

Compare meals by copper →