Intake of Selenium Rich Foods in children helps in the proper functioning of the thyroid gland, and eventually may help protect against free radical damage and cancer. Deficiency of Selenium in diet selenium can lead to pain in the muscles and joints, unhealthy hair, and white spots on the fingernails. Long term deficiency of selenium is known as Hashimoto’s disease, where the body’s immune system attacks the thyroid gland. On the contrary excess selenium intake can cause bad breath, diarrhea, and hair loss.

Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA)

Appropriate quantity of selenium intake can be ensured by following the Recommended Dietary Allowance of the mineral for children which is given below.

Food Sources of Selenium

Foods from plants are the major sources of selenium, like nuts, whole grains, cereals, and their products. Animal foods like eggs, mushrooms, organ meat (liver and kidney), fish, and some seafood contain good quantities of selenium.

Top 10 Selenium Rich Foods 

1. Nuts: Nuts, especially brazil nuts are very good sources of selenium. 100g of brazil nuts contains 1917μg selenium. One ounce of mixed nuts can provide almost 118μg of selenium.

2. Shellfish (Oysters, Mussels, & Whelk): Pacific oysters provide the most selenium with 154μg per 100 gram serving, followed by blue mussels and whelk.

3. Liver: Liver from any animal sources can be consumed in a variety of forms and provides 116μg of selenium per 100g serving.

4. Fish: Orange roughy is the richest source of selenium (90 μg) followed by canned tuna, canned anchovies, swordfish, pickled herring, and tilefish.

5. Sunflower Seeds: Sunflower seeds provide 79μg of selenium per 100 gram serving, these can be toasted and consumed as a snack.

6. Bran (Wheat, Rice, and Oat): Bran is very beneficial, wheat bran contains 78μg of selenium per 100g. Oats and rice bran are good sources too.

7. Caviar: One ounce of caviar can provide 18μg of selenium, making it a good source of the mineral

8. Bacon and Pork Chops: Bacon and lean pork chops are very good sources of selenium (65-43 μg/100g)

9. Lobster and Crab: Like many other seafood, lobsters and crabs are an excellent source of selenium.

10. Shrimps (Prawns and Camarones): Only 4 large shrimps can provide almost 9 μg of selenium.

Note: Children, especially ones under 2 yrs are prone to food intolerance and allergy. Introduce any new food slowly and cautiously. If you are aware of you child's food allergies avoid the any food that contains that particular allergen completely.

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