Boron Foods: 5 Nutritionally Rich Sources of the Trace Mineral
By Ali Kuoppala | Last reviewed Tue 25 September 2018
Medical Review by Dr. Vlad Belghiru, MD
Boron might not be one of the 24 essential micronutrients for human survival, but it still has some interesting benefits in terms of testosterone production.
More specifically, boron at 10mg for 7-days was able to;
- increase free testosterone levels by 28%
- decrease free estrogen levels by -39%
- boost DHT by 10%
Similar results were seen in a study that used 6mg’s of boron for a bit longer duration (29% increase in free testosterone levels).
Supplementation is without a doubt the easiest way to get 6-10mg’s of boron per day, but there are also a handful of foods loaded with the trace mineral.
1. Raisins
The densest known nutritional source of boron is raisins.
100 grams of them contain a whopping 3mg’s of boron, which is 100% of the RDA and about half of the recommended amount to impact testosterone production.
Fitting in a cup or two of raisins per day is a great way to make sure you’re getting enough boron on a daily basis.
Raisins can also further benefit testosterone production by being a good source of resveratrol, which may also stimulate testosterone synthesis.
2. Avocado
Avocados are pretty great for testosterone production. They’re very dense in nutrients, and the fatty acid profile is great for T levels.
When it comes to boron, 100 grams of avocados have 2mg’s of the trace mineral, which accounts to about 65% of the RDA.
Getting the boron requirements to impact testosterone levels (6-10mg) solely from avocado might not be wise, as this would mean eating at least 300 grams of the fruit, which is pretty dense in calories and can easily aid in putting you to a caloric surplus (sure this isn’t bad for skinny guys, but if you’re trying to lose weight, maybe just eat raisins or get a boron supplement).
When buying avocados, remove the small stem part on the top, if you find that the stem peels of easily and there’s green underneath it, you’ve got yourself a perfectly ripe specimen.
3. Brazil Nuts
Brazil nuts are awesome.
They’re mainly praised for their very high selenium content (2 of them is actually enough to fulfill the daily need), but Brazil nuts are also a good source of boron.
100 grams of them contain 1.7mg’s of boron, which is 55% of the RDA, making Brazil nuts a good testosterone boosting food to use for covering the daily needs of boron.
Maybe make a snack trail mix with Brazil nuts and raisins? Just remember to choose the kinds with plenty of skin, as that’s where most of the minerals are.
4. Prunes
Similarly to raisins, prunes (dried plums), are also loaded with boron.
100 grams of prunes provides you with 1.1mg’s of boron, which is about 35% of the RDA.
Combine them into a snack mix with raisins and Brazil nuts, and you got yourself a great boron-rich testosterone boosting snack.
Prunes are also loaded with antioxidants, which is as you might know, great for testosterone production.
5. Dried Apricots
Dried apricots are not only delicious, but also a nutritional powerhouse providing decent amounts of vitamins A, C and E…
…Along with plenty of important antioxidants.
What makes apricots awesome for testosterone production, is their relatively high amount of boron, as 100 grams of dried apricots provides 2mg’s of boron (66% RDA).
Add them to a trail mix of raisins, prunes, and Brazil nuts, and you got yourself boron to spare.
Conclusion
Boron is great for total and free testosterone levels, but sometimes getting it from foods can be tricky. Because of this we also recommend a boron supplement (affiliate link).
However, there are these five boron-rich foods that also happen to fit like a nose to the head of a testosterone boosting diet.
So stock up on raisins, avocados, prunes, Brazil nuts, and dried prunes.
Ali Kuoppala
