Foods Highest in Nitrogen

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Top 50 whole foods per 100g, from USDA Standard Reference and Foundation databases

Egg, white, dried ranks #1 of 50 for Nitrogen, at 12.8G per 100g.

What These Nitrogen Rankings Mean

This ranking surfaces the top 50 whole foods for Nitrogen, pulled from USDA Standard Reference Legacy and Foundation databases. Those two sources intentionally exclude branded and processed entries, which keeps the list focused on raw ingredients where nutrient content reflects the food itself rather than fortification or recipe adjustments. There is no established FDA Daily Value for Nitrogen, so amounts are reported in absolute terms (G per 100g edible portion).

At the top of the ranking sits Egg, white, dried, delivering 12.8G per 100g. The top three (Egg, white, dried, Flour, soy, defatted, Egg, whole, dried) together form a practical "big lever" set, foods where a single serving meaningfully moves daily intake. The visual bars beside each row scale against the top food, so you can see at a glance whether a lower-ranked food is still a strong source or a distant runner-up.

Because this page excludes branded products, it is the right tool for comparing whole-food cooking choices rather than packaged-food shopping decisions, for those, the per-food pages and the branded search tools cover the same nutrient at product level. All values are reported per 100g edible portion, which means the raw numbers can be directly compared but real-world servings differ (a 100g portion of spinach is very different from 100g of almonds by volume). The nutrition guides linked below explain how to translate % DV and per-100g figures into practical daily targets and how to read nutrition labels when comparing whole foods to their processed equivalents.

→ Compare the top three Nitrogen sources side-by-side

# Food Amount % DV
1 Egg, white, dried 12.8 G -
2 Flour, soy, defatted 8.2 G -
3 Egg, whole, dried 7.7 G -
4 Pork, cured, bacon, cooked, restaurant 6.5 G -
5 Flour, soy, full-fat 6.2 G -
6 Seeds, pumpkin seeds (pepitas), raw 5.6 G -
7 Egg, yolk, dried 5.5 G -
8 Chicken, broiler or fryers, breast, skinless, boneless, meat only, cooked, braised 5.1 G -
9 Cheese, parmesan, grated, refrigerated 4.7 G -
10 Cheese, parmesan, grated 4.6 G -
11 Peanut butter, creamy 4.4 G -
12 Turkey, ground, 93% lean, 7% fat, pan-broiled crumbles 4.3 G -
13 Turkey, ground, 93% lean, 7% fat, pan-broiled crumbles 4.3 G -
14 Anchovies, canned in olive oil, with salt, drained 4.3 G -
15 Cheese, swiss 4.2 G -
16 Cheese, swiss 4.2 G -
17 Flour, almond 4.2 G -
18 Nuts, almonds, whole, raw 4.1 G -
19 Peanut butter, smooth style, with salt 4.1 G -
20 Almond butter, creamy 4.0 G -
21 Seeds, sunflower seed kernels, dry roasted, with salt added 4.0 G -
22 Tuna, ahi or yellowfin, frozen, wild caught 4.0 G -
23 Nuts, almonds, dry roasted, with salt added 3.9 G -
24 Nuts, pistachio nuts, raw 3.9 G -
25 Cheese, dry white, queso seco 3.8 G -
26 Cheese, dry white, queso seco 3.8 G -
27 Chicken, broilers or fryers, drumstick, meat only, cooked, braised 3.8 G -
28 Cheese, cotija, solid 3.7 G -
29 Sesame butter, creamy 3.7 G -
30 Cheese, mozzarella, low moisture, part-skim 3.7 G -
31 Cheese, provolone, sliced 3.7 G -
32 Cheese, cheddar 3.6 G -
33 Pork, chop, center cut, raw 3.6 G -
34 Chicken, breast, boneless, skinless, raw 3.6 G -
35 Fish, salmon, sockeye, wild caught, raw 3.6 G -
36 Seeds, sunflower seed, kernel, raw 3.6 G -
37 Cheese, monterey jack, solid 3.5 G -
38 Beef, top sirloin steak, raw 3.5 G -
39 Cheese, oaxaca, solid 3.5 G -
40 Pork, loin, tenderloin, boneless, raw 3.5 G -
41 Beans, cannellini, dry 3.5 G -
42 Beef, round, top round, boneless, choice, raw 3.4 G -
43 Chicken, breast, meat and skin, raw 3.4 G -
44 Beef, short loin (NY strip steak), raw 3.4 G -
45 Chickpeas, (garbanzo beans, bengal gram), dry 3.4 G -
46 Flaxseed, ground 3.4 G -
47 Blackeye pea, dry 3.4 G -
48 Pork, loin, boneless, raw 3.4 G -
49 Beef, tenderloin steak, raw 3.4 G -
50 Snapper, frozen, wild caught 3.3 G -

Frequently Asked Questions

What food is highest in Nitrogen?

Egg, white, dried is the food highest in Nitrogen, with 12.8G per 100g.

How much Nitrogen do I need per day?

There is no established FDA Daily Value for Nitrogen. Consult a healthcare professional for guidance on appropriate intake levels.

What are good whole food sources of Nitrogen?

Top whole food sources of Nitrogen include Egg, white, dried, Flour, soy, defatted, Egg, whole, dried, and more. These rankings are based on USDA Standard Reference and Foundation food data, measured per 100g edible portion.

Source: USDA FoodData Central — Standard Reference Legacy and Foundation databases. Branded and processed products are excluded. All values per 100g edible portion.
Source: FDA Daily Value reference — Nitrogen (no established DV) based on a 2,000-calorie diet.
This information is for reference only and should not replace professional dietary advice.

Read our methodology , how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.