Nutrient lists · USDA FNDDS 2021–2023
Foods high in lutein and zeaxanthin
Per serving, the top food in USDA’s FNDDS is Spinach, frozen, cooked, no added fat, with 16,770 µg of lutein and zeaxanthin in ½ cup (107.5 g). Turnip greens, frozen, cooked, no added fat, Collards, frozen, cooked with oil and Cress, cooked come next. It also leads per 100 grams, at 15,600 µg.
Per serving
Serving size a usual portion
| Food | Serving | Lutein + zeaxanthin |
|---|---|---|
| 1Spinach, frozen, cooked, no added fat | ½ cup · 107.5 g | 16,770 µg |
| 2Turnip greens, frozen, cooked, no added fat | ½ cup · 82.5 g | 9,818 µg |
| 3Collards, frozen, cooked with oil | ½ cup · 87.5 g | 9,275 µg |
| 4Cress, cooked | ½ cup · 70 g | 8,680 µg |
| 5Chard, cooked | ½ cup · 75 g | 8,175 µg |
| 6Dandelion greens, cooked | ½ cup · 55 g | 7,425 µg |
| 7Greens, frozen, cooked, fat added | ½ cup · 87.5 g | 6,956 µg |
| 8Turrnip greens, NS as to form, cooked | ½ cup · 75 g | 6,128 µg |
| 9Mustard greens, frozen, cooked, fat added | ½ cup · 85 g | 5,491 µg |
| 10Kale, frozen, cooked, fat added | ½ cup · 87.5 g | 4,218 µg |
| 11Watercress, cooked | ½ cup · 71 g | 4,047 µg |
| 12Sweet potato, squash, pumpkin, chrysanthemum, or bean leaves, cooked | ½ cup · 34.5 g | 3,829 µg |
| 13Wasabi peas | ½ cup · 60 g | 2,958 µg |
| 14Vegetable smoothie | 1 cup · 216 g | 2,311 µg |
| 15Fruit and vegetable smoothie, no dairy | 1 cup · 216 g | 2,130 µg |
No FDA Daily Value.
Per 100 grams
Serving size 100 g
| Food | Lutein + zeaxanthin |
|---|---|
| 1Spinach, frozen, cooked, no added fat | 15,600 µg |
| 2Dandelion greens, raw | 13,600 µg |
| 3Cress, raw | 12,500 µg |
| 4Cress, cooked | 12,400 µg |
| 5Turnip greens, frozen, cooked, no added fat | 11,900 µg |
| 6Sweet potato, squash, pumpkin, chrysanthemum, or bean leaves, cooked | 11,100 µg |
| 7Chard, raw | 11,000 µg |
| 8Chard, cooked | 10,900 µg |
| 9Collards, frozen, cooked, no added fat | 10,900 µg |
| 10Radicchio, raw | 8,830 µg |
| 11Greens, frozen, cooked, no added fat | 8,180 µg |
| 12Turrnip greens, NS as to form, cooked | 8,170 µg |
| 13Mustard greens, frozen, cooked, no added fat | 6,650 µg |
| 14Kale, fresh, cooked, no added fat | 6,380 µg |
| 15Kale, raw | 6,260 µg |
No FDA Daily Value.
About lutein and zeaxanthin in this data
FNDDS reports lutein and zeaxanthin, two yellow carotenoids, as one combined value in micrograms, and Calorie Tape shows it the same way, as “Lutein + zeaxanthin”. Neither has an FDA Daily Value. Cooked dark leafy greens lead both lists, with spinach first.
For what carotenoids such as lutein and zeaxanthin are and what research says about them, see Carotenoids, Linus Pauling Institute Micronutrient Information Center.
How these lists work
- Foods. USDA’s generic foods, less baby foods, meal replacements, energy drinks, vitamin waters, mixed dishes such as sandwiches and soups, and recipe ingredients.
- Serving. One of FNDDS’s own portions, the one nearest the amount FNDDS assumes when someone doesn’t say how much they ate.
- One row per food. A food FNDDS lists several ways, such as baked, fried and grilled, shows once, at its highest.
Track lutein and zeaxanthin in Calorie Tape
Calorie Tape logs every nutrient a food reports, lutein and zeaxanthin included, and shows which foods your day’s lutein and zeaxanthin came from. It works offline, needs no account, and keeps your log on your iPhone.
Related nutrients
- Foods high in vitamin KTop per serving: Chard, cooked
- Foods high in vitamin ATop per serving: Liver, beef
- Foods high in lycopeneTop per serving: Spaghetti sauce, fat free
- Foods high in vitamin ETop per serving: Wheat germ oil
- Compare the top twoSpinach, frozen, cooked, no added fat vs Turnip greens, frozen, cooked, no added fat, every nutrient, in Food vs food
- All 27 nutrientsVitamins, minerals, protein, fiber and more
Sources
- USDA Food and Nutrient Database for Dietary Studies (FNDDS) 2021–2023, from FoodData Central: every food, amount and portion. Public domain (CC0 1.0).
- Carotenoids, Linus Pauling Institute Micronutrient Information Center.
- Daily Value on the Nutrition and Supplement Facts Labels, U.S. Food and Drug Administration: the Daily Values behind % DV.
- Calorie Tape Food Data: where the app’s foods come from.
Calorie Tape is a food log, not medical advice. Spotted a wrong number? Email hellochillcreatures@gmail.com.