nutrient

Manganese

A trace mineral that activates enzymes involved in metabolism, antioxidant defence, bone formation and connective tissue.

Manganese is present in grains, nuts, legumes and tea. The body regulates absorption and excretion, but high supplemental exposure can create a different safety context from food.

What it does

Manganese is a cofactor or activator for enzymes including manganese superoxide dismutase and enzymes involved in carbohydrate, amino-acid and cholesterol metabolism. It also supports connective-tissue and bone formation.

Where it comes from

Whole grains, nuts, legumes, leafy vegetables and tea can contribute manganese.

Food sources

Per 100 g

Food amounts and reference percentages, both per 100 g
Food	Per 100 g	Daily reference
Chia seeds, dry	7.56 mg	252%
Pumpkin seeds	4.12 mg	137.33%
Rolled oats	3.23 mg	107.67%
English walnuts, raw	3 mg	100%
Brown rice, long-grain, raw	2.7 mg	90%

Show 39 more foods

Food amounts and reference percentages, both per 100 g
Food	Per 100 g	Daily reference
Ground flaxseed	2.4 mg	80%
Almonds	2.15 mg	71.67%
Almonds, dry-roasted and salted	2.02 mg	67.33%
Peanuts, raw	1.68 mg	56%
Lentils	1.57 mg	52.33%
Hummus, commercial	1.06 mg	35.33%
White rice, long-grain, raw	0.98 mg	32.7%
Spinach, raw (SR Legacy 2018)	0.9 mg	29.9%
Chickpeas, canned and rinsed	0.75 mg	24.83%
Lentils, cooked and salted (SR Legacy 2018)	0.49 mg	16.47%
Spinach	0.49 mg	16.27%
Blueberries, raw	0.42 mg	14.1%
Orange sweet potato, peeled and raw	0.42 mg	13.9%
Strawberries, raw	0.37 mg	12.27%
Banana, ripe, raw	0.26 mg	8.6%
Soy milk, unsweetened and shelf-stable	0.21 mg	6.93%
Hass avocado, raw	0.2 mg	6.57%
Rainbow trout, wild, raw (SR Legacy 2018)	0.16 mg	5.27%
Russet potato, raw	0.15 mg	5.07%
Orange bell pepper, raw	0.15 mg	4.97%
Carrots, frozen and unprepared	0.14 mg	4.77%
Anchovies, canned in olive oil, drained	0.14 mg	4.6%
Mature carrots, raw	0.13 mg	4.33%
Oat milk, unsweetened and refrigerated	0.13 mg	4.2%
Grape tomatoes, raw	0.12 mg	4.03%
Atlantic sardines, canned in oil (SR Legacy 2018)	0.11 mg	3.6%
Canned diced tomatoes	0.07 mg	2.27%
Pie pumpkin, raw	0.05 mg	1.63%
Navel orange, raw	0.03 mg	0.97%
Red Delicious apple, raw	0.03 mg	0.97%
Light tuna, canned in water, drained	0.02 mg	0.63%
Braised chicken drumstick	0.02 mg	0.6%
Atlantic salmon, farmed, cooked (SR Legacy 2018)	0.02 mg	0.53%
Cottage cheese, 2% fat	0.02 mg	0.5%
Braised chicken breast	0.01 mg	0.4%
Atlantic salmon, farmed, raw (SR Legacy 2018)	0.01 mg	0.37%
Greek yogurt, plain nonfat	<0.01 mg	0.3%
Roasted beef tenderloin	<0.01 mg	0.27%
Plain whole-milk yogurt	<0.01 mg	0.07%

Compared with EFSA’s adult reference of 3 mg/day.

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. Adequate intake: 3 mg/day. These are population references, not individual targets.

Portions recorded by the source

Almonds, dry-roasted and salted: 1 cup (135 g) — 2.73 mg, 90.9% of the daily reference.
Hummus, commercial: 2 tablespoon (33.9 g) — 0.36 mg, 11.98% of the daily reference.
Canned diced tomatoes: 1 cup (245 g) — 0.17 mg, 5.55% of the daily reference.
Light tuna, canned in water, drained: 1 can (142 g) — 0.03 mg, 0.9% of the daily reference.
Braised chicken drumstick: 1 drumstick (104 g) — 0.02 mg, 0.62% of the daily reference.
Cottage cheese, 2% fat: 1 cup (220 g) — 0.03 mg, 1.1% of the daily reference.
Braised chicken breast: 1 piece (174 g) — 0.02 mg, 0.7% of the daily reference.
Greek yogurt, plain nonfat: 1 container (156 g) — 0.01 mg, 0.47% of the daily reference.
Roasted beef tenderloin: 1 roast (462 g) — 0.04 mg, 1.23% of the daily reference.

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

Roles and processes

Bone
Manganese supports formation of Bone
Manganese-dependent enzymes participate in bone and connective-tissue formation.

Worth knowing

Many plant foods contribute. Whole grains, nuts, legumes, leafy vegetables and tea can provide manganese. The amounts vary between foods and preparation methods.

A closer look

Concentrated manganese has a different risk context

The body regulates manganese absorption and excretion, but high supplemental exposure can affect the nervous system, especially in susceptible settings. A food reference value does not justify a high-dose product.

References

Source-checked local draft.
Human editorial review pending.

NIH Office of Dietary SupplementsManganese: Fact Sheet for Health ProfessionalsChecked 2026-09-05
European Food Safety AuthorityDietary Reference Values for nutrients: Summary reportChecked 2026-09-05
U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research ServiceFoodData Central Foundation Foods, April 2026 JSON releaseChecked 2026-09-05
U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research ServiceFoodData Central SR Legacy, April 2018 JSON releaseChecked 2026-09-05
European Food Safety AuthorityScientific Opinion on Dietary Reference Values for magnesiumChecked 2026-09-04
NIH Office of Dietary SupplementsMagnesium: Fact Sheet for Health ProfessionalsChecked 2026-09-04
USDA Agricultural Research ServiceFoodData CentralChecked 2026-09-04
NIH Office of Dietary SupplementsIron: Fact Sheet for Health ProfessionalsChecked 2026-09-05

Take it into the kitchen

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

Banana & peanut oats · 8 min →

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Apple & walnut porridge · 10 min →

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