Copper

This is one in a series of fact sheets containing information to help you select foods that provide adequate daily amounts of vitamins, minerals, and dietary fiber as you follow the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. The Guidelines are -

Eat a Variety of Foods
Maintain Desirable Weight
Avoid Too Much Fat, Saturated Fat, and Cholesterol
Eat Foods with Adequate Starch and Fiber
Avoid Too Much Sugar
Avoid Too Much Sodium
If You Drink Alcoholic Beverages, Do So in Moderation

WHAT IS MEANT BY A GOOD FOOD SOURCE?

A good food source of copper contains a substantial amount of copper in relation to its calorie content and contributes at least 10 percent of the U.S. Recommended Dietary Allowance (U.S. RDA) for copper in a selected serving size. The U.S. RDA for copper is 2 milligrams per day. (The U.S. RDA given is for adults, except pregnant or lactating women, and children over 4 years of age.)

The U.S. RDA for copper is the amount of the mineral used as a standard in nutrition labeling of foods. This allowance is based on the 1968 estimate of need made by the Food and Nutrition Board of the National Academy of Sciences. The 1989 range of Estimated Safe and Adequate Intakes for adults is 1.5 to 3 milligrams per day.

As you can see, in 1985 and 1986, 29 percent of the copper in the diets of women was supplied by grain products and 26 percent was furnished by fruits and vegetables. Of the fruits and vegetables, white potatoes provided more copper than any of the other types. Foods that contain small amounts of copper but are not considered good sources can contribute significant amounts of copper to an individual's diet if these foods are eaten often or in large amounts.

WHY DO WE NEED COPPER?

Copper, a mineral, is necessary (along with iron) for the formation of hemoglobin. It also helps keep bones, blood vessels, and nerves healthy.

DO WE GET ENOUGH COPPER?

According to recent USDA surveys, the average intake of copper by women 19 to 50 years of age was about 1 milligram, and that of men of the same age was about 1.6 milligrams. For women, this amount is less than the 1.5- to 3-milligram range of Estimated Safe and Adequate Daily Dietary Intakes recommended by the Food and Nutrition Board of the National Academy of Sciences.

HOW CAN WE GET ENOUGH COPPER?

Eating a variety of foods that contain copper is the best way to get an adequate amount. Healthy individuals who eat a balanced diet rarely need supplements. Intakes of copper tend to be low in relation to recommendations, and there aren't that many foods that are really good sources; thus, it may take special care to ensure an adequate intake. The list of foods will help you select those that are good sources of copper as you follow the Dietary Guidelines. The list of good sources was derived from the nutritive value of foods tables used to analyze information for recent food consumption surveys of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Human Nutrition Information Service.

HOW TO PREPARE FOODS TO RETAIN COPPER

Copper is lost in cooking some foods even under the best conditions. To retain copper:

.Cook foods in a minimal amount of water. .Cook for the shortest possible time.

WHAT IS A SERVING?

The serving sizes used on the list of good sources are only estimates of the amounts of food you might eat. The amount of nutrient in a serving depends on the weight of the serving. For example, 1/2 cup of cooked mushrooms contains more copper than 1/2 cup of mushrooms served raw, because a serving of cooked mushrooms weighs more. Therefore, cooked mushrooms appear on the list while the raw form does not. Raw mushrooms provide the nutrient - but just not enough in a 1/2-cup serving to be considered a good source.

WHAT ARE GOOD SOURCES OF COPPER?

FOOD SELECTED PERCENTAGE SERVING SIZE U.S. RDA (1)

BREADS, CEREALS, AND OTHER GRAIN PRODUCTS

Barley, cooked 2/3 cup ++ English muffin, whole-wheat 1 + Muffin, bran 1 medium + Pita bread, whole-wheat 1 small +

FRUITS

Prunes, dried, cooked, unsweetened 1/2 cup +

VEGETABLES

Beans, lima, cooked 1/2 cup + Mushrooms, cooked 1/2 cup + Potato, baked or boiled, with skin 1 medium + Sweetpotato, baked or boiled 1 medium + Tomato juice cocktail 3/4 cup + Turnip greens, cooked 1/2 cup +

MEAT, POULTRY, FISH, AND ALTERNATES

Meat and Poultry Liver, braised: Beef or calf 3 ounces +++ Chicken or turkey 1/2 cup diced +

Fish and Seafood Clams; steamed, boiled, or canned; drained 3 ounces + Crabmeat, steamed 3 ounces ++ Lobster, steamed or boiled 3 ounces +++ Oysters: Baked, broiled, or steamed 3 ounces +++ Canned, undrained 3 ounces +++ Shrimp; broiled, steamed, boiled, or canned; drained 3 ounces +

Dry Beans, Peas, and Lentils Beans, black-eyed peas (cowpeas), or soybeans, cooked 1/2 cup + Lentils, cooked 1/2 cup +

Nuts and Seeds Almonds or cashews, roasted or dry-roasted 2 tablespoons + Brazil nuts, english walnuts, filberts (hazelnuts), pine nuts (pignolias) 2 tablespoons + Mixed nuts, dry-roasted 2 tablespoons + Peanuts, roasted 2 tablespoons + Pistachio nuts, unroasted 2 tablespoons + Pumpkin or squash seeds, hulled, roasted 2 tablespoons + Sesame seeds 2 tablespoons + Sunflower seeds, hulled; roasted, dry-roasted, or unroasted 2 tablespoons +

(1) A selected serving size contains -

+ 10-24 percent of the U.S. RDA for adults and children over 4 years of age

++ 25-39 percent of the U.S. RDA for adults and children over 4 years of age

+++ 40 percent or more of the U.S. RDA for adults and children over 4 years of age

January 1990

Article Index

Planning a Wedding? Click Here.
Planning some other event? Click Here.