Zinc-Rich Vegetarian Foods in India: 26 Foods Ranked (IFCT 2017)
Seeds, nuts, dals and whole grains come up when vegetarians look for zinc. This guide ranks 26 foods by zinc per 100 g using Table 5 of the ICMR-NIN Indian Food Composition Tables 2017 (IFCT 2017), then shows what a serving we chose holds. It ranks the zinc in the food, not how much the body absorbs, which IFCT does not report.
The short answer
By IFCT 2017, black sesame has the most zinc of the 26 foods here at 8.59 mg per 100 g, then white sesame at 7.77 mg and sunflower seeds at 7.07 mg. Chana dal has 3.65 mg, wheat atta 2.85 mg, paneer 2.74 mg and raw milled rice 1.21 mg. Whole cow milk has 0.33 mg per 100 g. Our reading: per 100 g the seeds lead, but a spoon of seeds is a far smaller serving than a bowl of dal, so look at the serving table too.
26 foods ranked by zinc per 100 g
Each row is one IFCT 2017 Table 5 row (minerals and trace elements), per 100 g edible portion as listed in the book, mean value. Seeds, nuts, grains and pulses are dry or raw; spinach is raw; milk is as sold. Where IFCT lists several varieties we use one row and name it.
| Food (IFCT 2017 Table 5 row) | Zinc per 100 g |
|---|---|
| Gingelly seeds, black (black sesame, til) (H009) | 8.59 mg |
| Gingelly seeds, white (white sesame, til) (H011) | 7.77 mg |
| Sunflower seeds (H020) | 7.07 mg |
| Cashew nut (H005) | 5.34 mg |
| Linseeds (flaxseed, alsi) (H014) | 4.86 mg |
| Garden cress, seeds (halim) (H008) | 4.83 mg |
| Soybean, brown, dry (B024) | 4.01 mg |
| Bengal gram dal, dry (chana dal) (B001) | 3.65 mg |
| Lentil dal, dry (masoor dal) (B013) | 3.61 mg |
| Almond (H001) | 3.50 mg |
| Bengal gram, whole, dry (whole chana) (B002) | 3.37 mg |
| Ground nut (peanut), raw (H012) | 3.18 mg |
| Black gram dal, dry (urad dal) (B003) | 3.00 mg |
| Walnut (H021) | 2.94 mg |
| Wheat flour, atta (A019) | 2.85 mg |
| Bajra (pearl millet) (A003) | 2.76 mg |
| Paneer (L003) | 2.74 mg |
| Green gram, whole, dry (whole moong) (B011) | 2.67 mg |
| Red gram dal, dry (toor dal) (B021) | 2.63 mg |
| Rajmah, brown, dry (B019) | 2.60 mg |
| Ragi (the grain, raw) (A010) | 2.53 mg |
| Jowar (sorghum) (A005) | 1.96 mg |
| Rice, raw, milled (A015) | 1.21 mg |
| Wheat flour, refined (maida) (A018) | 0.88 mg |
| Spinach, raw (palak) (C033) | 0.46 mg |
| Milk, whole, cow (L002) | 0.33 mg |
Several spices (poppy seeds, ajwain, cumin, coriander and others) and dried mushrooms also have high zinc per 100 g in IFCT 2017, but spices are eaten in grams and dried mushrooms are a niche food, so they are left out of this ranking.
Zinc in a serving, with weights we chose
IFCT lists food per 100 g, so a serving needs a weight, and these are ours. Each figure is zinc per 100 g times the grams, divided by 100, to the nearest 0.1 mg.
| Serving (weights are ours) | Zinc |
|---|---|
| 10 g black sesame (H009) | 0.9 mg |
| 10 g white sesame (H011) | 0.8 mg |
| 20 g sunflower seeds (H020) | 1.4 mg |
| 20 g cashew nuts (H005) | 1.1 mg |
| 20 g almonds (H001) | 0.7 mg |
| 30 g chana dal, dry (B001) | 1.1 mg |
| 30 g toor dal, dry (B021) | 0.8 mg |
| 30 g whole moong, dry (B011) | 0.8 mg |
| 40 g wheat flour (atta) (A019) | 1.1 mg |
| 50 g paneer (L003) | 1.4 mg |
| 30 g ragi grain, raw (A010) | 0.8 mg |
| 200 g whole cow milk (L002) | 0.7 mg |
| 30 g raw milled rice (A015) | 0.4 mg |
What the numbers say
- Seeds lead, in small servings. Black sesame has 8.59 mg per 100 g and sunflower seeds 7.07 mg, so 10 g of black sesame holds about 0.9 mg and 20 g of sunflower seeds about 1.4 mg.
- Dals sit at about 2.5 to 3.7 mg per 100 g. Chana dal 3.65 mg, masoor dal 3.61 mg, urad dal 3.00 mg, whole moong 2.67 mg and toor dal 2.63 mg. For protein in the same dals, see which dal has the most protein.
- Atta is well ahead of maida and rice. 2.85 mg per 100 g against 0.88 mg for refined flour and 1.21 mg for raw milled rice. Ragi has 2.53 mg, bajra 2.76 mg and jowar 1.96 mg; see millets vs rice and wheat.
- Milk and spinach are low per 100 g. Whole cow milk 0.33 mg and raw spinach 0.46 mg, against paneer at 2.74 mg.
The same Table 5 also gives calcium and iron, which we rank in calcium-rich vegetarian foods and iron-rich vegetarian foods. For a vitamin from another table of the same book, see vitamin E-rich vegetarian foods.
What the requirement tables say
The ICMR-NIN 2020 brief note on nutrient requirements for Indians (PDF page 6) lists, for zinc, an RDA of 17 mg in its Table 3 (males) and 13.0 mg in its Table 4 (females), and an EAR of 14 mg and 11 mg. The tables, as we read them, do not say here what diet the figures assume. As a size check, our arithmetic: 30 g of dry chana dal holds about 1.1 mg of zinc, which is 1.1 / 17 = 6% of 17 mg and 1.1 / 13 = 8% of 13 mg. That is food content against a table figure, not a statement about what you need or absorb.
Absorption is not the same as content
A 2003 review of vegetarian diets says iron and zinc are the trace minerals of greatest concern, that with more phytate-containing legumes and whole grains the absorption of both is lower than on non-vegetarian diets, and that improved assessment methods are required to determine whether vegetarians are at risk of zinc deficiency (Hunt, 2003, abstract). Our reading: that is why this page ranks the zinc in the food and does not claim how much of it you will take up.
What this page leaves out
- Absorption: IFCT 2017 reports the zinc in the food, not how much the body takes up, and we did not read a source that gives this for Indian foods, so we make no claim for any single food.
- Cooked values and foods with no IFCT row (roti, cooked dal, ragi flour, curd, tofu).
- Zinc-fortified foods, supplements and non-vegetarian sources.
- Whether you have enough zinc: only a doctor can tell you that.
A note on health
This article is general educational content, not medical advice. It does not say that any food prevents or treats any condition or zinc deficiency. If you are pregnant, breastfeeding, follow a restricted diet, have a medical condition or have been told your zinc is low, talk to a doctor or registered dietitian about your own situation before changing your diet or taking any supplement.
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Join the NYUS waitlistFrequently asked questions
Which vegetarian foods have the most zinc?
In IFCT 2017 Table 5, per 100 g, black sesame (H009) has 8.59 mg of zinc, white sesame (H011) 7.77 mg, sunflower seeds (H020) 7.07 mg, cashew nuts (H005) 5.34 mg and linseeds (H014) 4.86 mg. Seeds are eaten in small amounts, so a 10 g serving of black sesame holds about 0.9 mg by our arithmetic.
Which dal or pulse has the most zinc?
Among the pulses here, IFCT 2017 gives dry soybean (B024) 4.01 mg of zinc per 100 g, chana dal (B001) 3.65 mg and masoor dal (B013) 3.61 mg, then whole chana (B002) 3.37 mg, urad dal (B003) 3.00 mg, whole moong (B011) 2.67 mg, toor dal (B021) 2.63 mg and brown rajmah (B019) 2.60 mg. A 30 g serving of dry chana dal holds about 1.1 mg by our arithmetic. These are dry values; IFCT 2017 has no rows for cooked dal.
Is there more zinc in wheat atta, ragi or rice?
Per 100 g, IFCT 2017 lists wheat flour (atta, A019) at 2.85 mg of zinc, ragi (A010) at 2.53 mg and raw milled rice (A015) at 1.21 mg, with refined wheat flour (maida, A018) at 0.88 mg. IFCT 2017 has no row for roti or cooked rice, so we give no figures for them.
How much zinc do I need each day, and do I need a supplement?
The ICMR-NIN 2020 brief note lists a zinc RDA of 17 mg in its table for males and 13.0 mg in its table for females, with EARs of 14 mg and 11 mg. This page does not say whether you are getting enough, and it does not recommend supplements. If you think your zinc may be low, ask a doctor or registered dietitian.
Sources
- ICMR-NIN, Indian Food Composition Tables 2017 (IFCT 2017). Table 5 (Minerals and Trace Elements), zinc (Zn) column, per 100 g edible portion, rows opened and read from the PDF on 24 Oct 2026: cereals A003, A005, A010, A015, A018 (PDF page 152) and A019 (page 154); pulses B001, B002, B003, B011, B013 (page 154), B019, B021 and B024 (page 156); spinach C033 (page 160); nuts and seeds H001, H005, H008, H009, H011, H012, H014 (page 180) and H020, H021 (page 182); milk and paneer L002, L003 (page 184).
- ICMR-NIN, Nutrient Requirements for Indians 2020, brief note, Tables 3 and 4, PDF page 6.
- Hunt JR. Bioavailability of iron, zinc, and other trace minerals from vegetarian diets. Am J Clin Nutr 2003;78(3 Suppl):633S-639S (PubMed 12936958; abstract read 24 Oct 2026).
The serving weights and the serving zinc figures are NYUS's own arithmetic, and every sentence starting "Our reading" is NYUS opinion, not from a study. Names in brackets are our matching to the IFCT row names.