Arginine Foods high in arginine and how much you need · Amino acids

Q: What does arginine do for the body?

Arginine is an amino acid that plays a crucial role in many bodily functions, including wound healing. It also serves as a precursor for the production of nitric oxide, a molecule that helps relax and dilate blood vessels, which may contribute to improved blood flow and cardiovascular health.

Q: How much arginine do I need?

The recommended dietary allowance for arginine is not established. However, it is important to consume adequate amounts of protein-containing foods to ensure sufficient overall protein intake.

Q: How do vegans get their arginine intake?

Vegans can get their arginine intake from plant-based sources such as chickpeas, lentils, soybeans, nuts and seeds.

Arginine is an amino acid that plays a crucial role in various bodily functions, including the production of proteins.

Most in a serving: Chicken strips

There's no official daily target for arginine.

Among plant foods, pumpkin seed; pea, green, split, mature seeds and soy mince have the most arginine per serving. Among animal foods, the most are in chicken strips; lutefish and skyr, <0.5% fat.

Plant sources

Also high in it

Are you getting enough arginine?

Knowing where arginine comes from is one part of the puzzle. Nutriely adds it up across your day against your own targets, shows which foods it came from and how it fits with every other nutrient.

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Foods highest in arginine

Ranked from 986 foods in our catalog, one entry per food.

1

Chicken strips 2.7 g

medium portion (200 g) · Chicken and other birds
2

Lutefish 2 g

serving (85 g) · Fish
3

Pork fillet, sirloin 2 g

serving (110 g) · Steaks and chops
4

Beef steak, fried 1.9 g

serving (85 g) · Steaks and chops
5

Lobster 1.9 g

serving (110 g) · Crustaceans and molluscs
6

Pumpkin seed 1.9 g

serving (30 g) · Nuts, seeds and dried fruits
7

Reindeer, boiled, salt 1.8 g

serving (85 g) · Steaks and chops
8

Turkey mince, fat 5-6% 1.8 g

serving (110 g) · Chicken and other birds
9

Pheasant, cooked, total edible 1.7 g

serving (85 g) · Chicken and other birds
10

Pea, green, split, mature seeds 1.7 g

serving (90 g) · Pulses
11

Mollusks, clam, mixed species, canned, drained solids 1.7 g

serving (85 g) · Crustaceans and molluscs
12

Pork, ears, frozen, raw 1.6 g

serving (85 g) · Offal dishes
13

Veal, liver, cooked, braised 1.6 g

serving (85 g) · Offal dishes
14

Tuna 1.5 g

serving (110 g) · Fish
15

Kidney, boiled, salt 1.5 g

serving (85 g) · Offal dishes
16

Soy mince 1.5 g

serving (35 g) · Pulse products
17

Shrimp 1.5 g

serving (110 g) · Crustaceans and molluscs
18

Zander, pike-perch 1.4 g

serving (110 g) · Fish
19

Hemp seed, without hull 1.4 g

serving (30 g) · Nuts, seeds and dried fruits
20

Salami, light, 15% fat 1.4 g

serving (55 g) · Cold cuts, sausages
21

Cottonseed kernel, roasted (glandless) 1.3 g

serving (30 g) · Nuts, seeds and dried fruits
22

Soy protein concentrate, 58% protein 1.3 g

serving (30 g) · Miscellaneous ingredients
23

Bean, yellow, mature 1.2 g

serving (90 g) · Pulses
24

Redfish, rosefish, frozen 1.2 g

serving (110 g) · Fish products
25

Tofu, firm (with calcium sulfate) 1.2 g

serving (85 g) · Pulse products
26

Soy bean, boiled 1.2 g

serving (90 g) · Pulses
27

Seeds, cottonseed flour, low fat (glandless) 1 g

serving (15 g) · Flour
28

Tempeh 0.97 g

serving (85 g) · Miscellaneous ingredients
29

Tahini, sesami seed butter 0.97 g

serving (30 g) · Condiments
30

Chicken nuggets, deep-fried, lactose-free 0.96 g

serving (85 g) · Poultry dishes
31

Pork and beef, canned 0.95 g

serving (85 g) · Meat products
32

Salmon in oil, canned 0.94 g

serving (85 g) · Fish products
33

Peanut butter 0.92 g

serving (32 g) · Condiments
34

Broad bean, fava bean, dried 0.89 g

serving (35 g) · Pulse products
35

Rice, wholegrain, boiled 0.83 g

serving (140 g) · Rice
36

Coconut milk 0.79 g

serving (240 g) · Vegetable juices
37

Almond butter 0.79 g

serving (32 g) · Condiments
38

Skyr, <0.5% fat 0.71 g

serving (170 g) · Quark
39

Macaroni, boiled 0.68 g

serving (140 g) · Pasta
40

Spaghetti, boiled 0.68 g

serving (140 g) · Pasta
41

Herring, salted 0.63 g

serving (85 g) · Fish products
42

Whey protein concentrate (75%) 0.63 g

scoop (28.7 g) · Miscellaneous ingredients
43

Turkey cold cuts 0.6 g

serving (55 g) · Cold cuts, meat
44

Soya drink, calcium 0.58 g

cup (243 g) · Vegetable juices
45

Cheese, hard cheese, edam type, 24-27% fat 0.56 g

serving (55 g) · Cheese, ripened cheese
46

Cottage cheese, 4% fat 0.5 g

serving (100 g) · Cheese, unripened, fresh cheese
47

Nut, chili nut 0.49 g

serving (30 g) · Savoury snacks
48

Quinoa, cooked 0.48 g

serving (140 g) · Rice
49

Frankfurter, fried without fat 0.45 g

serving (55 g) · Sausages
50

Buckwheat 0.44 g

serving (45 g) · Rice

Learn about arginine

What does arginine do for the body?

Arginine is an amino acid that plays a crucial role in many bodily functions, including wound healing. It also serves as a precursor for the production of nitric oxide, a molecule that helps relax and dilate blood vessels, which may contribute to improved blood flow and cardiovascular health.

How much arginine do I need?

The recommended dietary allowance for arginine is not established. However, it is important to consume adequate amounts of protein-containing foods to ensure sufficient overall protein intake.

How do vegans get their arginine intake?

Vegans can get their arginine intake from plant-based sources such as chickpeas, lentils, soybeans, nuts and seeds.

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