Top 10 Foods Highest in Histidine

Photo of Daisy Whitbread Written by Daisy Whitbread
BSc (Hons) MSc DipION
Powered by USDA Nutrition Data.
Top 10 Foods Highest in Histidine

Histidine is an essential amino acid required for growth and tissue repair, blood cell production, and creation of the neurotransmitter histamine. Histidine can even help protect tissues from damage caused by radiation or heavy metals. (1)

High histidine foods include pork, beef, lamb, chicken, turkey, fish, soy, beans, milk, cheese, nuts, seeds, whole grains, and eggs. (2) The reference dietary intake (RDI) of histidine is 10mg per kilogram of body weight or 4.5mg per pound. A person weighing 70kg (~154 pounds) should consume around 700mg of histidine per day. (3)

Below is a list of the top 10 foods highest in histidine with the %RDI calculated for someone weighing 70kg (154lbs). For more high histidine foods see the extended list of histidine-rich foods.

List of Foods High in Histidine

A pork chop1 Pork Chops
Histidine
in 1 Pork Chop		Histidine
per 100g		Histidine
per 200 Calories
2225mg
(318% RDI)		1080mg
(154% RDI)		847mg
(121% RDI)
Nutrition Facts for Pork Chops (With Fat). (Source)

More Pork Products High in Histidine

  • 227% RDI in a cup of lean roast ham
  • 133% RDI in a bratwurst
  • 72% RDI in 3 slices of bacon
A steak on a plate2 Beef (Skirt Steak)
Histidine
per 6oz Steak		Histidine
per 100g		Histidine
per 200 Calories
2198mg
(314% RDI)		1293mg
(185% RDI)		965mg
(138% RDI)
Nutrition Facts for Skirt Steak. (Source)

More Red Meat High in Histidine

  • 147% RDI in 3oz of lamb roast
  • 138% RDI in 3oz of beef roast
  • 101% RDI in a 3oz hamburger
A roast chicken3 Lean Chicken Breast
Histidine
in a 6oz Breast		Histidine
per 100g		Histidine
per 200 Calories
2032mg
(290% RDI)		1195mg
(171% RDI)		1522mg
(217% RDI)
Nutrition Facts for Lean Chicken Breast (Cooked). (Source)

More Poultry High in Histidine

  • 262% RDI in a roast chicken leg
  • 99% RDI in 3oz of turkey roast
  • 93% RDI in a 3oz turkey patty
Tuna Fillet4 Tuna
Histidine
in a 6oz Fillet		Histidine
per 100g		Histidine
per 200 Calories
1496mg
(214% RDI)		880mg
(126% RDI)		957mg
(137% RDI)
Nutrition Facts for Bluefin Tuna (Cooked). (Source)

More Fish High in Histidine

  • 188% RDI in a 6oz snapper fillet
  • 182% RDI in a 6oz salmon fillet
  • 173% RDI in a 6oz cod fillet

See all fish high in histidine.

A block of tofu5 Firm Tofu
Histidine
per Cup		Histidine
per 100g		Histidine
per 200 Calories
1086mg
(155% RDI)		431mg
(62% RDI)		599mg
(86% RDI)
Nutrition Facts for Firm Tofu. (Source)
  • 110% RDI per cup of boiled soybeans
Navy Beans6 Canned Navy Beans
Histidine
per Cup		Histidine
per 100g		Histidine
per 200 Calories
542mg
(77% RDI)		207mg
(30% RDI)		366mg
(52% RDI)
Nutrition Facts for Canned Navy Beans. (Source)

More Beans High in Histidine

  • 72% RDI per cup of lentils
  • 67% RDI per cup of kidney beans
  • 64% RDI per cup of white beans

See all beans high in histidine.

A glass of milk7 Milk
Histidine
per 16oz Glass		Histidine
per 100g		Histidine
per 200 Calories
500mg
(71% RDI)		102mg
(15% RDI)		600mg
(86% RDI)
Nutrition Facts for Skim Milk. (Source)

More Dairy High in Histidine

  • 82% RDI per 1/2 cup of ricotta
  • 56% RDI per oz of grated Parmesan
  • 50% RDI per cup of yogurt

See all dairy foods high in histidine.

Squash and Pumpkin Seeds8 Seeds (Squash and Pumpkin Seeds)
Histidine
per 1oz Handful		Histidine
per 100g		Histidine
per 200 Calories
219mg
(31% RDI)		770mg
(110% RDI)		268mg
(38% RDI)
Nutrition Facts for Roasted Squash And Pumpkin Seeds (Unsalted). (Source)

More Nuts and Seeds High in Histidine

  • 39% RDI per oz of hemp seeds
  • 22% RDI per oz of almonds
  • 22% RDI per oz of sunflower seeds
  • 22% RDI per oz of pistachio nuts
  • 22% RDI per oz of chia seeds
  • 19% RDI per oz of flax seeds

See all nuts and seeds high in histidine.

Whole Wheat Spaghetti9 Whole Wheat Pasta
Histidine
per Cup		Histidine
per 100g		Histidine
per 200 Calories
164mg
(23% RDI)		140mg
(20% RDI)		188mg
(27% RDI)
Nutrition Facts for Whole Wheat Pasta. (Source)

More Grains High in Histidine

  • 36% RDI per cup of kamut
  • 34% RDI per cup of quinoa
  • 32% RDI per cup of teff
  • 19% RDI per cup of brown rice
  • 18% RDI per cup of oatmeal

See all grains high in histidine.

Eggs10 Eggs
Histidine
in 1 Large Egg		Histidine
per 100g		Histidine
per 200 Calories
149mg
(21% RDI)		298mg
(43% RDI)		385mg
(55% RDI)
Nutrition Facts for Hard Boiled Eggs. (Source)
Next ➞

Printable One Page Sheet

Click to Print
Printable list of foods high in histidine.

More Histidine Rich Foods

FoodServingHistidine
1 Subway Tuna Sub
View (Source)
per 6 inch sub232% RDI
(1626mg)
2 Kielbasa Sausage
View (Source)
per large link189% RDI
(1321mg)
3 Cooked Eel
View (Source)
per 5.6oz fillet158% RDI
(1107mg)
4 Soy Based Protein Powder
View (Source)
per 2oz scoup97% RDI
(680mg)
5 Toasted Wheat Germ
View (Source)
per oz33% RDI
(230mg)
6 Canned Eastern Oysters
View (Source)
1 cup (drained)31% RDI
(220mg)
7 Gelatin
View (Source)
per 1oz package26% RDI
(185mg)
8 Peanut Butter
View (Source)
per 2 tblsp25% RDI
(178mg)
9 Green Peas
View (Source)
per cup cooked24% RDI
(168mg)
10 Fish Roe (Ikura, Caviar)
View (Source)
per tblsp12% RDI
(85mg)

About the Data

Data for the curated food lists comes from the USDA Food Data Central Repository.

You can check our data against the USDA by clicking the (Source) link at the bottom of each food listing.

Note: When checking data please be sure the serving sizes are the same. In the rare case you find any difference, please contact us and we will fix it right away.

About Nutrient Targets

Setting targets can provide a guide to healthy eating.

Some of the most popular targets include:
  • Daily Value (%DV) - The daily value (%DV) is a general guideline for consumption that will prevent deficiency of a particular nutrient in most people. The %DV refers to the percentage of an amount that's found in a single serving of a food. It also accounts for absorption factors. It is set by the U.S. FDA.
  • Recommended Dietary Allowance (%RDA) - The RDA sets an average daily dietary intake level that is sufficient to meet the nutrient requirements of nearly all (97.5%) healthy individuals. It's more specific than the daily value, and varies by age and gender. The RDA is set by the US National Instutites of Health.
  • Reference Dietary Intake (%RDI) -The reference dietary intake is similar to the recommended daily allowance, but is specific to age and gender. The RDI for amino acids is set by the U.N. World Health Organization.
  • Adequate Intake (%AI) - This value is primarily used in reference to omega-3 and omega-6 fats. The Adequate Intake is set by the U.S. Institute of Medicine. Because there is less evidence to determine the ideal targets for consumption of these nutrients, the specific amount is considered to be less reliable. Using the term Adequate Intake, rather than one of the other terms, helps to emphasize that the ideal intake of that particular nutrient has not yet been scientifically determined.

See the Guide to Recommended Daily Intakes for more information.

Want to set your own targets? Sign up for an account and set custom targets in the daily meal planner.

Use the ranking tool links below to select foods and create your own food list to share or print.


View more nutrients with the nutrient ranking tool, or see ratios with the nutrient ratio tool.

Data Sources and References

  1. NIH Pubchem Histadine Entry
  2. U.S. Agricultural Research Service Food Data Central
  3. World Health Organization (WHO) Technical Report Series – Protein And Amino Acid Requirements In Human Nutrition ISBN 978 92 4 120935 9
MyFoodData provides free nutrition data tools and articles to help you organize and understand the foods you eat.

Try the recipe nutrition calculator, or daily meal planner.

Create a free account to log and track foods.

feedback