Overhead spread of wheat germ, soybeans, natto, mushrooms, green peas, broccoli, pear and mango on a teal cloth
October 09, 2026

Foods High in Spermidine: A Ranked Table (mg per 100 g)

By SciRouter Editorial Team · Last reviewed: 9 October 2026

The foods highest in spermidine are wheat germ, at about 22 to 35 mg per 100 g, and soybeans and natto, often 13 to 34 mg[1–5]. Mushrooms (about 9 to 13 mg), green peas (about 5 to 6.5 mg) and some aged cheddar (up to 20 mg) follow[3, 6]. Values vary widely between studies[3].

Spermidine belongs to the polyamines, a family of natural compounds found in all types of food, and the body also makes its own[2]. Plant foods carry more spermidine than any other polyamine, while animal foods tend to be richer in spermine, a close relative[2]. That makes spermidine-rich foods a naturally plant-forward topic.

For what the research shows about spermidine itself, see our evidence guide to spermidine.

How we researched this. On 8 October 2026 we searched PubMed through NCBI E-utilities for food-composition studies, intake surveys and human trials. We read open full text in Europe PMC and PubMed Central, plus an FDA allergen page. Human studies came first, and animal studies are labelled by species. We cite only sources we opened and checked against PubMed or Crossref: 23 on this page. We converted every unit ourselves and show the original figure. This page is not medical advice.

Foods high in spermidine, ranked (mg per 100 g)

Wheat germ, soybeans and natto lead the table[1, 3–5]. Aged cheddar, mushrooms, other legumes and green peas follow, while most fruit, milk, eggs and rice sit near the bottom[2, 3, 6].

How to read the table:

  • Rows are sorted by the highest value reported for each food. Where datasets disagree, we show the range and cite each source.
  • Most values are for fresh food. Dry foods hold more per 100 g than cooked ones. For example, 190 g of cooked soybeans held 9.7 mg, about 5 mg per 100 g[3].
  • Conversions: mg/kg ÷ 10 = mg per 100 g, and µg/g equals mg/kg. For nmol/g, we multiplied by 145.25, the weight of one mole of spermidine in grams, and divided by 10,000[7].
# Food (form) mg per 100 g Original value (where tested) Source
1 Wheat germ powder (dry) 22.1–35.4 220.65–337.2 µg/g (4 commercial powders); up to 2,437 nmol/g (review) [1, 2]
2 Soybeans, dried or raw 3.3–33.5 128–207 mg/kg (Germany, Japan); 33.2–62.1 mg/kg (UK); 1,055–2,306 nmol/g (Japan); 219–260 mg/kg (seed fractions) [3, 4, 8]
3 Natto (fermented soybeans) 20.3–27.3 1,400 nmol/g (commercial natto, estimate); 1,880 nmol/g (polyamine-rich research natto), Japan [5]
4 Cheddar, matured 1 year 20.0 199.5 mg/kg (UK) [3]
5 Mushrooms 8.9–12.9 88.6 mg/kg (Japan); 128.5 mg/kg (Spain) [3, 6]
6 Legumes and seeds: tempeh, soybeans, broad beans, natto, lentils, chickpeas, sesame and sunflower seeds 4.3–10.9 43.0–108.9 mg/kg across the whole group (Spain) [6]
7 Cheddar, fresh 8.1–10.9 80.8–109 mg/kg (UK) [3]
8 Pear 0.3–7.6 30.2–76.0 mg/kg (UK); 3.0 mg/kg (France) [3]
9 Green peas 4.7–6.5 46.6 mg/kg frozen (Czech Republic); 54.4 mg/kg (Spain); 65.2 mg/kg cooked (UK) [3, 6]
10 Rice bran 5.1 51.0 mg/kg (Japan) [3]
11 Chicken liver 4.9 48.7 mg/kg (Czech Republic) [3]
12 Corn (maize) 2.1–4.3 21.0–43.2 mg/kg (Japan) [3]
13 Broccoli, raw 3.3–4.1 33.2 mg/kg (Germany); 41.3 mg/kg (Norway); cooked 27.3 mg/kg (Norway) [3]
14 Black tea, dry leaves 1.1–3.8 38.1 mg/kg (UK); 11.4 mg/kg (Japan); brewed tea 0.2 mg/kg (UK) [3]
15 Cauliflower, raw 2.5–3.1 24.8–31.2 mg/kg (UK, Norway, Germany) [3]
16 Mango 3.0 30.0 mg/kg (Japan) [3]
17 Chickpeas 2.9 28.8 mg/kg (France); see row 6 for Spain [3]
18 Whole-grain bread 1.3–2.4 13.1–24.4 mg/kg (Norway, France, UK) [3]
19 Hazelnuts, dried 2.1 21.0 mg/kg (France) [3]
20 Red kidney beans 2.0 19.5 mg/kg (UK) [3]
21 Raw lean beef 0.3–1.9 2.6–5.5 mg/kg (Japan, Spain, Norway); 19.0 mg/kg (UK) [3]
22 Potato, fresh 1.1–1.4 11.2 mg/kg (UK); 11.3 mg/kg (Norway); 13.5 mg/kg (Japan) [3]
23 Orange 0.2–0.8 1.9–8.4 mg/kg (Japan, Norway, UK) [3]
24 Rice 0.04–0.39 0.4 mg/kg (rice, type not stated); 3.9 mg/kg (polished white rice), Japan [3]
25 Apple 0.1–0.25 1.0 mg/kg (Japan); 2.5 mg/kg (UK) [3]
26 Mature Danish hard cheese 0.12 1.2 mg/kg (measured in Sweden) [3]
27 Milk 0.02–0.1 0.17 mg/kg (Spain); 0.4 mg/kg full-cream (UK); 1.0 mg/kg low-fat (Sweden) [3]
28 Egg, boiled 0.02 0.2 mg/kg (UK) [3]

Wheat germ is a byproduct of wheat milling[1], and wheat is a major food allergen under US law[9]. If you avoid wheat, soy foods, mushrooms, other legumes and peas are the next richest plant choices, though soy is also on the US major allergen list[3, 6, 9].

Spermidine by food group

By food group, cereals (because of wheat germ), legumes and soy products reach the highest values[2]. Fruit, fresh meat, eggs and milk stay low[2].

Food group Range of reported averages (mg per 100 g, converted from nmol/g)
Cereals, including wheat germ 0.04–35.4
Legumes and soy products 0.01–20.7
Vegetables 0.10–5.8
Nuts and oilseeds 0.60–5.6
Cheese up to 3.8
Fruit 0.10–1.4
Fresh meat 0.01–1.3
Milk and yogurt 0.006–0.07
Egg 0.015–0.06

Source: a 2019 review of published food data[2].

A 2026 Spanish analysis of category averages ranked legumes first, at 6.4 mg per 100 g, then nuts 2.5, vegetables 1.7, cereals 1.0, fresh meat 0.4 and eggs 0.36[10].

Per serving: which foods add the most spermidine?

Per typical portion, cooked soybeans, green peas and pears topped a Swedish food database[3]. In Spain, plant foods supplied most of the spermidine people actually ate[10].

Food Portion Spermidine per portion (mg)
Soybeans, cooked 190 g 9.7
Green peas 140 g 9.1
Pear 125 g 6.6
Lentil soup 250 g 5.5
Mushrooms 50 g 4.4
Red beans 190 g 3.7
Broccoli 100 g 3.6
Chicken steak 125 g 2.2
Cheese 20 g 2.0

Source: Swedish food database portion values[3].

Where people's spermidine actually came from:

  • In a US convenience sample of 165 adults aged 40 to 80 who had had bowel polyps removed, green peas were the largest single source[11].
  • In Spain, vegetables supplied about 35% of spermidine intake, with cereals and fruit next[10].
  • In Turkey, bread and other wheat products supplied about 33%[7].
  • Swedish teenagers got about one-third of their spermidine from fruit[12].

Why spermidine values vary between studies

The same food can test several times higher in one study than in another[3, 13]. Variety, processing, fermentation, storage and lab method may all play a part[1, 3, 4].

  • Variety. Across 16 raw soybean samples, spermidine ranged from 1,055 to 2,306 nmol/g, a more than twofold spread[4].
  • Country and lab method. Raw lean beef measured 19.0 mg/kg in a UK analysis but 2.6 to 5.5 mg/kg elsewhere, and the compiled studies used several lab methods[3].
  • Fermentation and ageing. Two aged cheeses differed more than 100-fold: 20.0 mg per 100 g in UK matured cheddar versus 0.12 mg in a mature Danish hard cheese, whose polyamines were mostly putrescine, a related compound[3]. In natto, spermidine closely tracked the soybeans it was made from (r = 0.95, where 1.0 is a perfect match)[4].
  • Sprouting and baking. Germ taken from one sprouted wheat sample held about 85% less spermidine than unsprouted wheat germ powders[1]. In a bread-roll study, baked rolls held about 3.4 times less spermidine than their ingredients[14].
  • Storage and ripeness. A 2014 review called the data on processing and storage "fragmentary and inconsistent"[13]. We found no verified figures on ripeness.

Does cooking destroy spermidine?

Cooking can lower spermidine, but it depends on the method. In a Spanish lab study, boiling and grilling lowered spermidine by up to about 37% in some foods, while microwaving caused smaller losses and sous-vide cooking none that were significant[6].

  • Overall: boiling and grilling cut total polyamines by up to 64%, but that largest loss was putrescine, not spermidine[6].
  • Mushrooms: boiling lowered spermidine by about 23%. A 10% dip with grilling was not statistically significant, and microwave and sous-vide cooking barely changed it[6].
  • Spinach: boiling and grilling each lowered it by about 28%, and microwaving by about 16%[6].
  • Broccoli: no cooking method changed it significantly[6].
  • Tea: brewed black tea held 0.02 mg per 100 g, against 3.8 mg in the dry leaves. This compares the drink with the leaves, not a cooking loss[3].

The mushroom, spinach and broccoli figures compare spermidine per gram of dry food, which removes the effect of water gained or lost in cooking[6].

A sample day of eating, built from the table

A plant-forward day built from the table adds up to roughly 26 to 35 mg of spermidine[1, 3, 6]. Read that total as an estimate, not a measured amount.

Meal Food and amount Table value (mg per 100 g) Arithmetic Spermidine (mg)
Breakfast Wheat germ, 10 g 22.1–33.7 (measured powders) 0.1 × 22.1 to 33.7 2.2–3.4
Breakfast Mango, 150 g 3.0 1.5 × 3.0 4.5
Lunch Mushrooms, 100 g 8.9–12.9 1.0 × 8.9 to 12.9 8.9–12.9
Lunch Whole-grain bread, 70 g 1.3–2.4 0.7 × 1.3 to 2.4 0.9–1.7
Snack Hazelnuts, 30 g 2.1 0.3 × 2.1 0.6
Dinner Green peas, 140 g 4.7–6.5 1.4 × 4.7 to 6.5 6.6–9.1
Dinner Broccoli, cooked, 100 g 2.7 1.0 × 2.7 2.7
Total 2.2 + 4.5 + 8.9 + 0.9 + 0.6 + 6.6 + 2.7 = 26.4 (low); 3.4 + 4.5 + 12.9 + 1.7 + 0.6 + 9.1 + 2.7 = 34.9 (high) 26.4–34.9

Caveats:

  • Food values range widely, so your real total could be lower or higher[13].
  • The mushroom value is for raw mushrooms. Boiling lowered it by about 23% in one study[6].
  • Without the wheat germ, the day still gives about 24 to 31.5 mg.
  • That is above most average intakes and close to modelled diets based on Mediterranean eating (about 28 mg) or Swedish nutrition advice (25 to 30 mg)[2, 10, 12].

How these foods compare with typical intake

Most published estimates put average intake from food at about 5 to 15 mg of spermidine a day[2]. There is no official recommended daily intake[2].

UK Biobank data from more than 168,000 adults gave an average of about 10.5 mg[15]. Older Danish adults with coronary artery disease had a median of 11.5 mg[16].

Supplement trials have tested doses below, within and above that range[17–19]. The 12-month SmartAge trial used about 0.9 mg a day and found no significant effect on its main memory measure[17]. A 40-person pilot used 6 mg for 13 weeks, and a trial in 37 men used 40 mg for 28 days[18, 19]. Our guide to spermidine dosage compares intake by country with each trial's dose.

Does eating more spermidine make a difference?

Nobody has shown that eating more spermidine improves health in people. The human evidence on health outcomes is observational, and it is mixed[20, 21].

In the Bruneck study of 829 adults followed for 20 years, higher dietary spermidine was associated with lower all-cause mortality[20]. The Takayama study of about 29,000 Japanese adults found no significant link[21]. Eating more may not raise blood levels much. In a non-randomised 12-month study of 57 Japanese men, blood spermidine did not rise in the 30 who ate polyamine-rich natto daily[5]. In older Danish adults, each doubling of intake was associated with only 18% higher plasma spermidine[16]. A high intake also tends to come with a plant-rich diet, and observational studies cannot fully separate the two[10, 16]. Male mice fed polyamine-rich chow had higher survival up to 88 weeks than mice fed less[22]. Mouse results do not show what would happen in people.

Our article on what centenarians eat, take and avoid describes the plant-heavy, bean-rich eating patterns reported in long-lived communities. It also notes that research has not shown supplements explain their long lives. For what lab studies show about spermidine and the cell's recycling system, see our page on spermidine and autophagy.

The bottom line on spermidine foods

If you want more spermidine from food, legumes, soy foods, mushrooms, green peas and wheat germ are the richest everyday choices[1, 3, 6]. Whether eating more changes health in people is not established[20, 21].

For the full picture, see our spermidine evidence ladder, from yeast and mice to human trials. If you are weighing a supplement, first read what trials found on spermidine safety. An early trial of a wheat-germ spermidine extract excluded people with a known allergy to wheat germ or gluten[23].

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Frequently asked questions

What food is highest in spermidine?

Wheat germ has the highest values we found, at about 22 to 35 mg of spermidine per 100 g[1, 2]. Soybeans and natto come close, often 13 to 34 mg[3–5]. Mushrooms, aged cheddar and green peas follow[3, 6]. Wheat and soy are both major food allergens under US law, so people who avoid them can choose mushrooms, peas or lentils[3, 6, 9].

How can I increase spermidine naturally?

To get more spermidine from food, eat more legumes, soy foods such as natto, mushrooms and green peas[3, 6]. Cooking method matters: in one study, boiling and grilling lowered spermidine by up to about 37% in some foods, while microwaving caused smaller losses and sous-vide cooking none that were significant[6]. Eating more did not raise blood spermidine in a 12-month natto study, so a higher intake may not mean higher blood levels[5].

Where do you get spermidine from?

You get spermidine from food and from your own body, which makes polyamines too[2]. Among the polyamines in plant foods, spermidine is the most plentiful[2]. In real diets, the largest sources were vegetables, cereals and fruit in Spain[10], bread and other wheat products in Turkey[7], and green peas in one US sample[11].

Is cheese high in spermidine?

Some cheese is, but values vary widely. A UK analysis found 20 mg of spermidine per 100 g in one-year-matured cheddar, yet a mature Danish hard cheese had only 0.12 mg[3]. A 2019 review put cheese at up to about 3.8 mg[2]. In a Spanish survey, hard and blue cheeses were rich in polyamines, but mostly putrescine, a related compound[6].

References

  1. Mohajeri M, Ayatollahi SA, Kobarfard F, et al. Wheat germ, a byproduct of the wheat milling industry, as a beneficial source of anti-aging polyamines: A quantitative comparison of various forms. Food Sci Nutr. 2023. PMID: 37970387
  2. Muñoz-Esparza NC, Latorre-Moratalla ML, Comas-Basté O, et al. Polyamines in Food. Front Nutr. 2019. PMID: 31355206
  3. Atiya Ali M, Poortvliet E, Strömberg R, et al. Polyamines in foods: development of a food database. Food Nutr Res. 2011. PMID: 21249159
  4. Kobayashi K, Horii Y, Watanabe S, et al. Comparison of soybean cultivars for enhancement of the polyamine contents in the fermented soybean natto using Bacillus subtilis (natto). Biosci Biotechnol Biochem. 2017. PMID: 28052719
  5. Soda K, Uemura T, Sanayama H, et al. Polyamine-Rich Diet Elevates Blood Spermine Levels and Inhibits Pro-Inflammatory Status: An Interventional Study. Med Sci (Basel). 2021. PMID: 33805535
  6. Muñoz-Esparza NC, Costa-Catala J, Comas-Basté O, et al. Occurrence of Polyamines in Foods and the Influence of Cooking Processes. Foods. 2021. PMID: 34441529
  7. Buyukuslu N, Hizli H, Esin K, et al. A Cross-Sectional Study: Nutritional Polyamines in Frequently Consumed Foods of the Turkish Population. Foods. 2014. PMID: 28234336
  8. Sagara T, Bhandari DR, Spengler B, et al. Spermidine and other functional phytochemicals in soybean seeds: Spatial distribution as visualized by mass spectrometry imaging. Food Sci Nutr. 2020. PMID: 31993191
  9. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Food Allergies. Accessed 8 October 2026.
  10. Toro-Funes N, Comas-Basté O, Latorre-Moratalla M, et al. Dietary Polyamine Intake Across Age Groups in Spain: A Comprehensive Assessment. Nutrients. 2026. PMID: 42197044
  11. Zoumas-Morse C, Rock CL, Quintana EL, et al. Development of a polyamine database for assessing dietary intake. J Am Diet Assoc. 2007. PMID: 17524725
  12. Ali MA, Poortvliet E, Strömberg R, et al. Polyamines: total daily intake in adolescents compared to the intake estimated from the Swedish Nutrition Recommendations Objectified (SNO). Food Nutr Res. 2011. PMID: 21249160
  13. Kalač P. Health effects and occurrence of dietary polyamines: a review for the period 2005-mid 2013. Food Chem. 2014. PMID: 24837918
  14. Pekar T, Bruckner K, Pauschenwein-Frantsich S, et al. The positive effect of spermidine in older adults suffering from dementia : First results of a 3-month trial. Wien Klin Wochenschr. 2021. PMID: 33211152
  15. Zhang X, Qian M, Liu M, et al. The Associations of Dietary Polyamines with Incident Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A Large Prospective Cohort Study. Nutrients. 2025. PMID: 39796620
  16. Thorup C, Jensen TH, Jeppesen CNA, et al. Spermidine and spermine in elderly patients with coronary artery disease: a cross-sectional study of dietary intake and plasma and skeletal muscle concentrations. Clin Nutr. 2026. PMID: 42000692
  17. Schwarz C, Benson GS, Horn N, et al. Effects of Spermidine Supplementation on Cognition and Biomarkers in Older Adults With Subjective Cognitive Decline: A Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA Netw Open. 2022. PMID: 35616942
  18. Alsaleh G, Ali M, Kayvanjoo AH, et al. Spermidine Mitigates Immune Cell Senescence and Boosts Vaccine Responses in Healthy Older Adults-A Pilot Study. Aging Cell. 2026. PMID: 42169618
  19. Keohane P, Everett JR, Pereira R, et al. Supplementation of spermidine at 40 mg/day has minimal effects on circulating polyamines: An exploratory double-blind randomized controlled trial in older men. Nutr Res. 2024. PMID: 39405978
  20. Kiechl S, Pechlaner R, Willeit P, et al. Higher spermidine intake is linked to lower mortality: a prospective population-based study. Am J Clin Nutr. 2018. PMID: 29955838
  21. Nagata C, Wada K, Yamakawa M, et al. Dietary polyamine intake and all-cause and cause-specific mortality in Japanese adults in the Takayama study. Br J Nutr. 2024. PMID: 37964604
  22. Soda K, Dobashi Y, Kano Y, et al. Polyamine-rich food decreases age-associated pathology and mortality in aged mice. Exp Gerontol. 2009. PMID: 19735716
  23. Schwarz C, Stekovic S, Wirth M, et al. Safety and tolerability of spermidine supplementation in mice and older adults with subjective cognitive decline. Aging (Albany NY). 2018. PMID: 29315079

This content is for education only and is not medical advice. Talk to your healthcare provider before starting any supplement, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, take medication, or have a medical condition.

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