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My new interest in octopus got me thinking about other taurine food sources. So I started investigating the science of taurine content in foods.

I soon realized this is a growing area of research. Probably growing too fast for a single review. So take a look at some common taurine food sources. Also consider experimenting with taurine rich foods that are new to you. As you prepare yourself to read more of my reviews of taurine nutrition.

Taurine Food Sources Research Topics

Chinese Food Taurine Content

A chapter from Taurine 3: Cellular and Regulatory Mechanisms includes taurine food sources.
Zhao X, Jia J, Lin Y. Taurine content in Chinese food and daily intake of Chinese men. Adv Exp Med Biol. 1998;442:501-5. PMID: 9635067.

The highest concentration of taurine was found in crustaceans and mollusks (300-800 mg per 100 g edible portion). The amount of taurine in fish was variable. Beef, pork and lamb contained taurine in concentrations ranging from 30-160 mg per 100 g. No taurine was detected in hen eggs and plants.

Taurine Food and Heart Disease

Includes taurine amounts in 42 raw and cooked foods. In support of the heart disease objective, this study references investigations of cholesterol, high blood pressure, mortality rates, angina, and obesity.
Wójcik OP, Koenig KL, Zeleniuch-Jacquotte A, Costa M, Chen Y. The potential protective effects of taurine on coronary heart disease. Atherosclerosis. 2010 Jan;208(1):19-25. Epub 2009 Jun 11. PMID: 19592001; PMCID: PMC2813349.

Overall, low amounts of taurine are found in dairy, such as ice cream and cow’s milk. The highest amounts of taurine can be found in shellfish, especially scallops, mussels, and clams. High amounts of taurine can also be found in the dark meat of turkey and chicken, and turkey bologna. Cooking has been shown to have no adverse effect on taurine levels (7), and taurine values from the same food sources are fairly consistent across different studies. The mean daily taurine intake for adult human non-vegetarians has been estimated between 40 and 400 mg (8), typically falling closer to the lower end of the range.

Common Taurine Food Sources

Includes daily taurine intake for 6 different diets.
Laidlaw SA, Grosvenor M, Kopple JD. The taurine content of common foodstuffs. JPEN J Parenter Enteral Nutr. 1990 Mar-Apr;14(2):183-8. Erratum in: JPEN J Parenter Enteral Nutr 1990 Jul-Aug;14(4):380. PMID: 2352336.

We measured the taurine content of 29 meats, including both cooked and uncooked samples, nine dairy products, 17 infant or adult-feeding solutions and 48 plant foods (including vegetables, nuts or seeds, fruits and legumes). Taurine was detected in meats, dairy products, and infant feeding solutions but not in plant products or adult feeding solutions.

Taurine Food and Dementia

This study recommends elderly people should prevent dementia. By frequently consuming taurine foods and supplements.
Bae MA, Park SH, Han SH, Chang KJ, Kim SH. Taurine-Related Nutritional Knowledge Has a Positive Effect on Intake of Taurine and Cognitive Function in the Elderly. Adv Exp Med Biol. 2019;1155:323-333. PMID: 31468411.

Taurine low content foods included butterfish, eel, mudfish, sea cucumber, warty sea squirt, green laver, sea tangle, seaweed, cod, yellow corvine, hairtail, agar-agar, and dried squid. Taurine medium content foods included squid, cuttlefish, octopus, mackerel, Spanish mackerel, pacific saury, atka mackerel, anglerfish, skate, flatfish, pollack, cockle, short-necked clam, and shrimp. Taurine high content foods and supplements included webfoot octopus, long-arm octopus, oyster, abalone, manila clam, mussel, whelk, crab, dried anchovy, dried shrimp, energy drink, and taurine supplement tablet.

Taurine Food Sources Research Summary

After reviewing 4 studies, I realized this topic will soon become too large for a single research project. Because there are also several ongoing clinical trials that identify potential benefits. In addition to many more than the 4 studies I’ve checked so far. Therefore, I will leave this overview as it stands. Which gives useful pointers into the general range of taurine food sources.

Next, I will focus on publishing a comprehensive database of the taurine food sources I have found so far. Then I will summarize realized health benefits from more studies. Along with potential benefits from clinical trials.

Your Taurine Food Sources Research Topics

Which aspects of taurine foods are you interested in? Do you suffer any illnesses where you think taurine consumption might have effects?

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