Chicken vs pork: which has more zinc?
Full comparison · Protein · Calories · Cholesterol · Zinc
More zinc in pork: 2.5 mg per 3.5 oz (100 g) vs 1 mg in chicken (2.5× as much). Per typical serving: 1.1 mg in 4 oz (113 g) of chicken and 2.9 mg in 4 oz (113 g) of pork.
USDA FoodData Central.
| Chicken | Pork | |
|---|---|---|
| Per 3.5 oz (100 g) | 1 mg | 2.5 mg |
| Per serving | 1.1 mg in 4 oz (113 g) | 2.9 mg in 4 oz (113 g) |
| % Daily Value per serving | 10% | 26% |
| Per 100 calories | 0.6 mg | 1.2 mg |
Daily Value: 11 mg a day (FDA, for adults and children 4 years and older).
What the numbers don't tell you
Per 4 oz (113 g) roasted, chicken breast gives about 35 g of protein and 186 calories, lean pork loin about 32 g and 236 calories. The pork carries more fat, 11 g against 4 g, and more potassium, 480 mg against 289 mg. Raw pork loin also holds more zinc, about 1.6 mg against 0.65 mg per 3.5 oz (100 g).
In 49 overweight adults eating up to 2.2 lb (1 kg) a week of pork, chicken or beef for three months each, BMI and body fat did not differ. In healthy adults, 5.5 oz (156 g) a day of lean pork raised blood TMAO no more than the same amount of chicken. No trial we found compares them on heart disease, diabetes or death.
The WHO cancer agency classifies processed meat as carcinogenic (Group 1) and estimates each daily 1.8 oz (50 g) portion raises colorectal cancer risk by 18%.
Cook pork chops and roasts to 145 °F (63 °C) with a 3-minute rest, chicken to 165 °F (74 °C). Uncooked pork sausage needs 160 °F (71 °C), chicken sausage 165 °F. Undercooked chicken is a main risk factor for Campylobacter, and rinsing raw chicken spreads bacteria. In alpha-gal syndrome, an allergy to a sugar found mainly in mammalian meat, testing shows IgE to pork but not to chicken.
Evidence behind this note
- Level B In a 9-month crossover of 49 overweight adults eating up to 2.2 lb (1 kg) a week of pork, chicken or beef for 3 months each, body fat and BMI did not differ between the meats. Nutrients, 2014
- Level B In a controlled feeding trial, 156 g a day of lean pork raised the heart-risk metabolite TMAO no more than the same amount of chicken. Mol Nutr Food Res, 2022
- Level E No trial in our search compares pork and chicken on heart disease, diabetes or death. Bioma corpus and dataset search (PubMed corpus, FNDDS, 21 CFR 101, EU register snapshot 2026-09-21) and web search, 2026-10-02
- Level E Raw pork loin carries more zinc than skinless chicken breast, about 1.6 versus 0.65 mg per 3.5 oz (100 g), with similar iron, but its fat varies widely. USDA FoodData Central, Foundation Foods, release 2026-04-30 (6 to 8 samples per food)
- Level E The cancer agency of the World Health Organization puts processed meat in its top certainty group and red meat one step below. IARC press release 240, IARC Monographs evaluate consumption of red meat and processed meat, 26 October 2015
- Level E USDA FSIS advises cooking raw pork steaks, chops and roasts to at least 145 °F (63 °C) and letting the meat rest for at least three minutes before carving or eating. USDA FSIS, Doneness Versus Safety
- Level E USDA FSIS advises cooking whole chicken to 165 °F (74 °C) and checking the temperature in the innermost part of the thigh and wing and the thickest part of the breast. USDA FSIS, Doneness Versus Safety
- Level E USDA FSIS says uncooked sausages made with ground beef, pork, lamb or veal should be cooked to 160 °F (71 °C), and those made with ground turkey or chicken to 165 °F (74 °C). USDA FSIS, Sausages and Food Safety
- Level C A meta-analysis of 38 case-control studies identified eating undercooked chicken as one of the main risk factors for sporadic Campylobacter infection. Epidemiol Infect, 2012
- Level E The agency responsible for US poultry safety tells people not to wash raw chicken, because rinsing spreads the bacteria instead of removing them. Chicken from Farm to Table, USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service
- Level C Alpha-gal, the sugar behind red meat allergy after tick bites, is found mainly in mammalian meats such as beef, pork and venison, and in gelatin. Int Arch Allergy Immunol, 2021
- Level D In tick-bite alpha-gal allergy the delayed anaphylaxis is to mammalian meat, and the diagnosis rests on IgE to beef, pork, lamb and milk together with no IgE to chicken, turkey and fish. J Allergy Clin Immunol Pract, 2014
Written from the studies and agency guidance we hold for both foods, reviewed by the Bioma editorial system. How we verify.
Keep exploring
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- Chicken or pork: the trials find little to choose
- Chicken: the iron it blocks, and the washing you skip
- Pork: processed or not, and how hot the pan was
Rankings and guides
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- How much zinc do you need per day?
- Zinc: what it does and how much you need
- Zinc: top food sources and Daily Value
- Chicken: full nutrition facts
More comparisons
Where the numbers come from
- Chicken: USDA FoodData Central, Chicken, broilers or fryers, breast, meat only, cooked, roasted, FDC ID 171477 · full profile · all forms of chicken
- Pork: USDA FoodData Central, Pork, fresh, loin, whole, separable lean only, cooked, roasted, FDC ID 168233 · all forms of pork
Each food is one USDA entry, chosen as it is usually eaten. Other cuts, brands and preparations differ, and the links show them. % DV uses FDA Daily Values for adults. How we verify.