Top 10 Foods Highest in Valine

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Top 10 Foods Highest in Valine

Valine is an essential branched chain amino acid (BCAA) that promotes muscle repair and growth. It's also used to treat metabolic and liver diseases. (1)

High valine foods include beef, chicken, pork, fish, tofu, yogurt, beans, podded peas, seeds, nuts, and whole grains like oatmeal.

The reference dietary intake (RDI) for valine is 26mg per kilogram of body weight or 12mg per pound. A person weighing 70kg (~154 pounds) should consume around 1820mg of valine per day. (2)

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

List of High Valine Foods

A steak on a plate1 Beef (Skirt Steak)
Valine
per 6oz Steak
Valine
per 100g
Valine
per 200 Calories
2834mg
(156% RDI)
1667mg
(92% RDI)
1244mg
(68% RDI)

More Red Meat High in Valine

  • 95% RDI in a 3oz veal roast
  • 90% RDI in a 3oz lamb roast
  • 77% RDI in a 3oz beef chuck roast
  • 70% RDI in a buffalo sirloin steak
  • 60% RDI in a 3oz broiled minced beef

See more meats high in valine.

A roast chicken2 Lean Chicken Breast
Valine
in a 6oz Breast
Valine
per 100g
Valine
per 200 Calories
2822mg
(155% RDI)
1660mg
(91% RDI)
2115mg
(116% RDI)

More Poultry High in Valine

  • 165% RDI in a whole chicken leg
  • 137% RDI in 6oz of ground turkey
  • 118% RDI in 1 cup of chopped chicken breast
  • 94% RDI in 1 cup of roast duck
  • 82% RDI in a chicken thigh

See more meats high in valine.

A pork chop3 Lean Pork Chops
Valine
in a 6oz Chop
Valine
per 100g
Valine
per 200 Calories
2666mg
(146% RDI)
1568mg
(86% RDI)
1608mg
(88% RDI)

More Pork Products High in Valine

  • 118% RDI per cup of lean roast ham
  • 89% RDI per 5oz rack of pork ribs
  • 71% RDI per 3oz of roasted wild boar
  • 69% RDI per 3oz pork loin
  • 69% RDI per 3oz bratwurst sausage
  • 65% RDI per 3oz of ground pork
  • 34% RDI per 3 slices of bacon (~1 oz)

See more meats high in valine.

Tuna Fillet4 Tuna
Valine
in a 6oz Fillet
Valine
per 100g
Valine
per 200 Calories
2620mg
(144% RDI)
1541mg
(85% RDI)
1675mg
(92% RDI)

More Fish High in Valine

  • 142% RDI per 7oz grouper fillet
  • 136% RDI per 6oz salmon fillet
  • 127% RDI per 6oz snapper fillet
  • 120% RDI per 6oz tilapia fillet
  • 119% RDI per 6oz pike fillet

See more fish high in valine.

A block of tofu5 Firm Tofu
Valine
per Cup
Valine
per 100g
Valine
per 200 Calories
2192mg
(120% RDI)
870mg
(48% RDI)
1208mg
(66% RDI)

More Soy Foods High in Valine

  • 84% RDI per cup of tempeh (fermented tofu)
  • 79% RDI per cup of cooked soybeans (edamame)
  • 49% RDI per cup of natto
  • 24% RDI per cup of soybean sprouts
  • 16% RDI per 8oz cup of soymilk
Plain yogurt with raspberries6 Low-Fat Yogurt
Valine
per Cup
Valine
per 100g
Valine
per 200 Calories
1161mg
(64% RDI)
474mg
(26% RDI)
1693mg
(93% RDI)

More Dairy Foods High in Valine

  • 60% RDI per 16oz glass of milk
  • 48% RDI per 1/2 cup of ricotta cheese
  • 38% RDI per oz of grated Parmesan
  • 33% RDI per oz of Swiss cheese
  • 33% RDI per oz of hard goat cheese

See more dairy foods high in valine.

Navy Beans7 Navy Beans
Valine
per Cup
Valine
per 100g
Valine
per 200 Calories
917mg
(50% RDI)
504mg
(28% RDI)
720mg
(40% RDI)

More Beans High in Valine

  • 50% RDI per cup of white beans
  • 49% RDI per cup of pinto beans
  • 49% RDI per cup of lentils
  • 49% RDI per cup of kidney beans
  • 44% RDI per cup of black beans
  • 42% RDI per cup of split peas

See more beans high in valine.

Podded green peas8 Podded Peas
Valine
per Cup Cooked
Valine
per 100g
Valine
per 200 Calories
547mg
(30% RDI)
342mg
(19% RDI)
1315mg
(72% RDI)

More Vegetables High in Valine

  • 20% RDI per cup of green peas
  • 18% RDI per cup of mashed sweet potatoes
  • 17% RDI per cup of spinach
  • 15% RDI per cup of mushrooms
  • 12% RDI per cup of asparagus

See more vegetables high in valine.

Squash and Pumpkin Seeds9 Squash and Pumpkin Seeds
Valine
per 1oz Handful
Valine
per 100g
Valine
per 200 Calories
443mg
(24% RDI)
1559mg
(86% RDI)
543mg
(30% RDI)

More Nuts and Seeds High in Valine

  • 28% RDI per oz of hemp seeds
  • 20% RDI per cup of pistachios
  • 20% RDI per cup of sunflower seeds
  • 17% RDI per oz of flax seeds
  • 16% RDI per oz of cashews
  • 15% RDI per oz of chia seeds
  • 13% RDI per oz of almonds

See more nuts and seeds high in valine.

A bowl of oatmeal with blueberries10 Oatmeal
Valine
per Cup
Valine
per 100g
Valine
per 200 Calories
374mg
(21% RDI)
160mg
(9% RDI)
451mg
(25% RDI)

More Whole Grains High in Valine

  • 25% RDI per cup of kamut
  • 21% RDI per cup of wild rice
  • 18% RDI per cup of millet
  • 17% RDI per cup of brown rice
  • 17% RDI per cup of pasta
  • 14% RDI per cup of couscous

See more grains high in valine.

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Printable list of foods high in valine.

Extended List of Valine Rich Foods

FoodServingValine
1 Cheese Pizzaper slice42% RDI
(770mg)
2 Baked Beansper cup36% RDI
(660mg)
3 Toasted Wheat Germper oz24% RDI
(428mg)
4 Eggsin 1 large egg21% RDI
(384mg)
5 Broccoliper Cup Cooked12% RDI
(215mg)
6 Avocadosper avocado12% RDI
(215mg)
7 Guavasper Cup8% RDI
(144mg)
8 Wheat-Bran Breadper slice8% RDI
(139mg)
9 Mamey Sapote1 cup chopped7% RDI
(128mg)
10 Kiwifruitper Cup6% RDI
(103mg)

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 Institutes 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.

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

Data Sources and References

  1. PubChem on Valine
  2. World Health Organization (WHO) Technical Report Series – Protein And Amino Acid Requirements In Human Nutrition ISBN 978 92 4 120935 9
  3. U.S. Agricultural Research Service Food Data Central
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