Top 10 Foods Highest in Leucine

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

Leucine is an essential, branched-chain amino acid (BCAA), required for the growth and repair of muscle, skin and bone. Leucine is suspected to be the only amino acid that can stimulate muscle growth and help prevent the deterioration of muscle with age.

High leucine foods include chicken, beef, pork, fish (tuna), tofu, canned beans, milk, cheese, squash seeds, and eggs. The reference dietary intake (RDI) for leucine is 39mg per kilogram of body weight, or 17.7mg per pound. A person weighing 70kg (~154 pounds) should consume around 2730mg of leucine per day.

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

Next Article Next ➞

Printable One Page Sheet

Click to Print
Printable list of foods high in leucine.

More Leucine Rich Foods

FoodServingLeucine
1. Processed Meats (Kielbasa Sausage) per large link 123% RDI
(3356mg)
2. Whelk (Cooked) per 3oz 119% RDI
(3236mg)
3. Cooked Eel per 5.6oz fillet 112% RDI
(3056mg)
4. Canned Sardines 1 cup (drained) 109% RDI
(2981mg)
5. Canned Shrimp per cup 79% RDI
(2152mg)
6. Soy Based Protein Powder per 2oz scoop 76% RDI
(2071mg)
7. Bacon per 3 slices 37% RDI
(1013mg)
8. Hemp Seeds per oz 23% RDI
(614mg)
9. Chia Seeds per oz (~2 tblsp) 14% RDI
(389mg)
10. Flax Seeds per oz 13% RDI
(351mg)

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.

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

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. U.S. Agricultural Research Service Food Data Central
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.