Copper
Last Updated on Sunday, 28 February 2010 20:54
Copper is a trace mineral that helps in the formation of blood cells and helps your body use iron. It also helps to maintain healthy bones, tissues, blood vessels and nerves.
A lack of copper in the body may lead to anemia and osteoporosis.
Recommended Intakes
The Food & Nutrition Board at the Institute of the National Academies established recommended dietary allowances for copper for children and adults. They are listed below in micrograms (mcg) per day.
| Age | Males (mcg/day) | Females(mcg/day) | Pregnant(mcg/day) | Lactating(mcg/day) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0-6 months | 200 | 200 | N/A | N/A |
| 7-12 months | 220 | 220 | N/A | N/A |
| 1-3 years | 340 | 340 | N/A | N/A |
| 4-8 years | 440 | 440 | N/A | N/A |
| 9-13 years | 700 | 700 | N/A | N/A |
| 14-18 years | 890 | 890 | 1000 | 1300 |
| 19-70 years | 900 | 890 | 1000 | 1300 |
| 70+ years | 900 | 900 | N/A | N/A |
Sources of Copper
| Food | Serving Size | Milligrams (mg) |
|---|---|---|
| Beef, variety meats and by-products, liver, cooked, pan-fried | 3 oz | 12.400 |
| Mollusks, oyster, eastern, wild, raw | 6 medium | 3.740 |
| Mollusks, oyster, eastern, cooked, breaded and fried | 3 oz | 3.650 |
| Crustaceans, lobster, northern, cooked, moist heat | 3 oz | 1.649 |
| Mushrooms, shiitake, cooked, without salt | 1 cup | 1.299 |
| Snacks, trail mix, regular, with chocolate chips, salted nuts and seeds | 1 cup | 1.232 |
| Candies, semisweet chocolate | 1 cup | 1.176 |
| Crustaceans, crab, blue, canned | 1 cup | 1.026 |
| Crustaceans, crab, alaska king, cooked, moist heat | 3 oz | 1.005 |
| Tomato products, canned, paste, without salt added | 1 cup | 0.956 |
| Baking chocolate, unsweetened, squares | 1 square | 0.917 |
| Barley, pearled, raw | 1 cup | 0.840 |
| Mushrooms, white, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt | 1 cup | 0.786 |
| Snacks, trail mix, tropical | 1 cup | 0.739 |
| Nuts, chestnuts, european, roasted | 1 cup | 0.725 |
