Manganese: what it does & best food sources
What it does — EU-authorised health claims
Manganese contributes to the maintenance of normal bones.
Manganese contributes to the normal formation of connective tissue.
Wording as authorised in Regulation (EU) No 432/2012 EUR-LexEU Commission
How much do adults need?
| Age | Men | Women |
|---|---|---|
| 19–30 | 2.3 mg | 1.8 mg |
| 31–50 | 2.3 mg | 1.8 mg |
| 51–70 | 2.3 mg | 1.8 mg |
| 71+ | 2.3 mg | 1.8 mg |
- US Recommended Dietary Allowance / Adequate Intake (US National Academies), as published by NIH ODS — see the table above. NIH ODS
- US label FDA Daily Value: 2.3 mg. On a US food label, 5 % DV or less per serving is low and 20 % or more is high. FDA
- EU label EU Nutrient Reference Value: 2 mg. EUR-Lex
Best food sources (per portion)
| Food | Portion | Manganese | % US DV | % EU NRV |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Oat flakes (rolled oats) | 50 g | 2.5 mg | 107 % | 123 % |
 Blueberries | 100 g | 2 mg | 88 % | 101 % |
 Wholemeal pasta, boiled | 180 g | 1.9 mg | 84 % | 96 % |
 Wheat germ | 10 g | 1.6 mg | 70 % | 81 % |
 Hazelnuts | 25 g | 1.6 mg | 69 % | 79 % |
 Tofu | 150 g | 1.6 mg | 68 % | 78 % |
 Chickpeas, canned, drained | 120 g | 1.5 mg | 65 % | 74 % |
 Oat bran flakes | 30 g | 1.5 mg | 64 % | 74 % |
 Brown rice, boiled | 150 g | 1.4 mg | 61 % | 70 % |
 Wholemeal rye bread | 80 g | 1.2 mg | 52 % | 60 % |
 Wholemeal bread | 80 g | 1.2 mg | 52 % | 60 % |
 Red lentils (dry) | 60 g | 1 mg | 45 % | 52 % |
 Wheat bran | 10 g | 0.97 mg | 42 % | 49 % |
 Spinach | 100 g | 0.84 mg | 37 % | 42 % |
 Buckwheat groats (dry) | 60 g | 0.82 mg | 36 % | 41 % |
Per normal portion. Values from BLS 4.0. % US DV = share of the FDA Daily Value. % EU NRV = share of the EU Nutrient Reference Value.
Sources
- Manganese — fact sheet for health professionals — NIH Office of Dietary Supplements
- Daily Value on the Nutrition and Supplement Facts labels — US Food and Drug Administration
- Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 on food information (Annex XIII: Nutrient Reference Values; Art. 7(3)) — European Union (EUR-Lex)
- Commission Regulation (EU) No 432/2012 — list of permitted health claims (consolidated) — European Union (EUR-Lex)
- EU Register of nutrition and health claims made on foods — European Commission
- Bundeslebensmittelschlüssel (BLS) 4.0 — German Nutrient Database — Max Rubner-Institut