Copper is a mineral essential for health. Since your body cannot manufacture its own copper, your diet must provide the amounts you need for your body to work properly. Your body uses the copper in your diet to provide the blood with hemoglobin, needed to carry oxygen through the body. Copper is also needed for the formation of brown pigment in your hair and skin, and for the healthy functioning of your central nervous system. Copper is found in a variety of healthy foods. The copper content in a specific food can vary depending on a number of factors, including the amount of copper present in the soil where the food was grown.
Organ Meats and Shellfish Rich in Copper
According to the Linus Pauling Institute, non-pregnant adults age 19 years and older require 0.9 mg of dietary copper per day. One ounce of cooked beef liver provides 4 mg of copper, and one medium oyster has 0.67 mg of copper. Other copper-rich foods include cooked crabmeat and cooked clams.
Nuts, Seeds and Dried Beans
A 1-oz. serving of cashews contains 0.629 mg of copper, which is high compared to other nuts. Sunflower seeds are also comparatively high in copper. Lentils are inexpensive and versatile. One cup of cooked lentils contains 0.429 mg of copper.
Other Copper-Rich, Healthy Foods
According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, other healthy sources of copper include unsweetened or semisweet baker's chocolate and cocoa; enriched cereals such as bran flakes, shredded wheat and raisin bran; and fruits and vegetables such as dried fruits, raw mushrooms, tomatoes, potatoes, sweet potatoes, bananas, grapes and avocado.
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