EXPLORE A NUTRIENT

Lysine

Discover how amounts vary across foods, on a shared basis for comparison.

An individually reported amino acid. The reference depicts L-lysine. [1] [2]

L-lysine — 2D chemical diagram — **Depicted form: L-lysine**
This reference form does not represent every form included in the USDA quantity.
Description, source and attribution
Reference depiction: L-lysine. Formula C6H14N2O2; PubChem CID 5962; charge 0. This specified form does not represent every form or molecule included in the USDA quantity.
PubChem Compound 5962, 2D Structure. NCBI / National Library of Medicine. Source · Reuse terms
Source check: 2026-09-13 · No scientific editorial review.

A COMMON BASIS

Foods, per 100 g

100 g

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76 foods with data 30 not reported, excluded from ranking

Turkey breast
Roasted turkey breast from retail parts, meat only; seasoning not specified.
3.042 g
Chicken breast
Roasted chicken breast, meat only, without skin; seasoning not specified.
2.635 g
Lamb leg
Roasted lamb whole leg, shank and sirloin, separable lean only, choice, trimmed to 1/4 inch fat.
2.499 g
Pork tenderloin
Roasted pork tenderloin, separable lean only; seasoning not specified.
2.427 g
Tilapia
Tilapia cooked with dry heat; added salt/fat not specified.
2.315 g
Rainbow trout
Farmed rainbow trout, cooked with dry heat.
2.287 g
Canned sardines
Atlantic sardines canned in oil, drained solids with bone.
2.26 g
Shrimp
Mixed-species shrimp, cooked with moist heat; may contain moisture-retention additives.
2.172 g
Atlantic cod
Atlantic cod, cooked with dry heat.
2.097 g
Beef ground 90% lean
Ground beef, 90% lean / 10% fat, cooked as a pan-broiled patty.
2.089 g
Atlantic salmon
Farmed Atlantic salmon, cooked with dry heat.
2.03 g
Goat meat
Goat meat, roasted, as classified by USDA under game meat.
2.016 g

All results are sorted before pagination. Bars compare amounts within this search; they do not indicate health benefits. Not reported does not mean zero.

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UNDERSTAND THE DATA

The nutrient, in context

How to read this ranking

This page compares Lysine (Lysine), in g per 100 g of food.

Chemical forms and measurement methods remain separate. “Not reported” means a value is unavailable, not that the food contains zero. A food’s rank does not determine your individual needs or diagnose a deficiency.

Intake guidance

There is no validated NIH ODS fact sheet for this identity in Bitameans’ published version. We do not assign another nutrient’s recommendations to this form. An absent fact sheet does not mean that no upper intake limit exists.

Browse the NIH ODS fact-sheet directory

Identity and structure sources

PubChem Compound 5962: L-Lysine · Accessed 2026-09-13
USDA FoodData Central: Foundation Foods Documentation · Accessed 2026-09-13

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