Plant Based Sources of Selenium | Plant Sourced

If you’ve been following my nutrition series this year, you’ll may have noticed that there hasn’t been a plant sourced post this month. There are a few reasons for this. 1) No one wants to read about nutrition at this time of year. 2) With Christmas, there isn’t really time to dedicate a full month to one vitamin. 3) And possibly the most important reason, the final mineral I want to feature this year isn’t really something that I can do a recipe series on. Today we’re talking about plant based sources of selenium. 

Now, selenium isn’t necessarily lacking in a vegan diet. Actually, the top source is plant based. But one of the easiest ways to get it isn’t an option if you can’t eat gluten, which is why I wanted to do this post today.  

What is selenium?  

Selenium is a mineral that plays a role in many bodily functions. It isn’t found in high quantities in many foods, but thankfully, we don’t need a lot to function.  

How Much Do We Need?  

According to the NHS, we need the following amounts: 

• 60μg a day for women (19 to 64 years) 
• 75μg a day for men (19 to 64 years) 

And while getting enough is important, you can also get selenium toxicity if you consume too much, which can lead to hair and nail loss, fatigue, nausea and vomiting. Don’t panic, it’s rare. But it is a mineral that getting too much of a problem.  

A US study found that most people have a tolerable upper intake limit of 400 μg/day, considerably higher than the recommended amount.  

What does selenium do?  

Selenium is involved in a lot of different areas of your body! It’s involved with fertilty, is essential for healthy thyroid functioning and helps prevent infections.  

Symptoms of deficiency 

Unfortunately, not having enough also makes your hair fall out. Among the most common symptoms of deficiency you will find patients with:  

• Hair loss  
• Thyroid issues 
• Muscle weakness  
• Frequent illness  
• Infertility/ fertility issues 

Suggested Post: The Hair Growth Diet

Plant Based Sources of Selenium  

Now I’ve well and truly scared you, it’s time to share how you can get it. 

Brazil nuts 

The best source of selenium in the world, better than absolutely anything and everything else, is brazil nuts. Which are by far the worst nuts on earth, and the only ones I truly hate. Forcing my daily brazil nut down with my morning coffee was the inspiration for this post, if anyone is wondering why I’m ranting about how much I hate them.  

The humble brazil nut provides between 65 –90 μg of selenium per brazil nut. As in the full RDA per nut, not per serving. One brazil nut is all you need.  

Bread

However, you’re like me and gag at the thought of eating one, and you’re not gluten intolerant, bread could be the answer for you.  

The majority of fortified products in the UK (& other countries), including flour, are fortified with selenium. 

One average thick slice of wholemeal bread contains 11μg  

Wheat Flour

Bread not your thing either?  

I mentioned that flour is often fortified as well, on average ½ a cup of plain white flour contains 21 μg.  

If you’re simply baking, you’re not likely to get a huge amount per serving, but I you were making something like pancakes you’d likely get enough to make a dent in your daily target.  

Rice  

Brown rice is also a source of selenium, although you’d need a lot of it. Half a cup of uncooked brown rice contains 16 μg, roughly 25% of the RDA for women, so you would still need to top that up with other sources.  

Vegetables 

Other vegetables like spinach and mushrooms are also in the top 20 sources, but they contain very small amounts. 100g of mushrooms provides 12 μg, and 1 cup of cooked spinach provides 11 μg. They aren’t tiny amounts given that the RDA isn’t huge, but you would obviously have to eat a lot of these things to reach your daily requirement.  

Not gluten free flour?  

Generally speaking, gluten free is less often fortified than the regular mainstream stuff. Occasionally you fill find some in there, but it won’t be a huge amount. Typically speaking it’s 10 μg or less per full cup.  

Do I get enough selenium on my plant based diet?  

If you eat gluten, probably. Likewise, if you eat brazil nuts, definitely. But if you don’t eat gluten and nuts aren’t a regular feature in your diet, there’s a good chance you’re lacking.  

Seitan is made from whole wheat flour, so if you eat a high amount of meat alternatives with a seitan base, you’re also likely to be getting enough even if you don’t automatically think of bread/ flour based products as a heavy feature in your diet.  

But, back to square one. If you are vegan, and also coeliac or gluten intolerant, like me, start eating a brazil nut a day. Or a serving of them a few times a week.  

A quick note for vegetarians, although brazil nuts are #1, and meat and fish make up the majority of the top 10 sources of selenium, eggs are the 10^th highest source. One egg provides approximately 20 μg, so you’re likely getting enough if you consume gluten too.   

Did you learn anything new today? Which foods are the main sources of selenium in your diet?  

Until next time,  

Sophie 

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