Foods with creatine include red meat, fish, and poultry. Your body produces creatine, an organic compound that helps produce energy and keeps muscles healthy and strong.\n<\/p>\n
Many athletes take creatine supplements<\/a> to boost muscle growth, improve exercise performance, and support recovery. Creatine may also benefit brain function, improve blood sugar control, and slow down muscle loss as you age.\n<\/p>\n Creatine is naturally found in seafood, meat, and poultry, but not in plant foods.\n<\/p>\n Fish, cows, pigs, and chickens store over 90% of their creatine in muscle tissue. Some fish and beef contain similar amounts of creatine per pound (raw). Some fish, such as herring, have more creatine.\n<\/p>\n Total creatine is 45% more abundant in white, fast-twitch (type I) muscle fibers than in red, slow-twitch (type II) muscle fibers. Fish typically have more white muscle to meet the high-energy demands of swimming. Ultimately, the amount of creatine varies by species.\n<\/p>\n Keep in mind that cooking can cause some creatine losses in both seafood and meat.\n<\/p>\n VICUSCHKA \/ Getty Images<\/p>\n Creatine: 1.25 grams per 4-ounce serving\n<\/p>\n Kippered herring is usually served with crackers or scrambled or poached eggs. Herring contains up to 5 grams of creatine per pound, or 1.25 grams per 4 ounces raw, which makes it one of the richest sources of creatine.\n<\/p>\n Just 100 grams (a little over 3 ounces) of kippered herring has nearly 25 grams of protein and contains 11% and 9.5% of the Daily Value (DV) for magnesium<\/a> and potassium.\n<\/p>\n SimpleImages \/ Getty Images<\/p>\n Creatine: 0.5 grams per 4-ounce serving\n<\/p>\n Salmon contains up to 0.5 grams of creatine per 4-ounce serving (2.0 grams per 1 pound raw). Due to its higher fat content, salmon is a rich source of omega-3s<\/a>, polyunsaturated fatty acids that support brain and heart health.\n<\/p>\n Salmon is a source of protein. It also contains nutrients like calcium, potassium, and vitamins A and B12.\n<\/p>\n annick vanderschelden photography \/ Getty Images<\/p>\n Creatine: 0.23 grams per 4-ounce serving\n<\/p>\n American plaice is a type of flounder. Plaice is in the same family as flounder, sole, and halibut. It is a flat fish with two right eyes found in the deep waters of the New England and mid-Atlantic regions.\n<\/p>\n Plaice contains 0.9 grams per pound (0.23 grams per 4-ounce serving). It is considered a lean fish because it has less than 4 grams of fat per 100 grams.\n<\/p>\n Lew Robertson \/ Getty Images<\/p>\n Creatine: 0.45 grams per 4-ounce serving\n<\/p>\n Like salmon<\/a>, bluefin tuna is a cold-water fish with higher fat and omega-3 content than leaner fish. It contains 1.8 grams of creatine per pound, or nearly 0.45 grams per 4-ounce serving.\n<\/p>\n Bluefin tuna is one of the few food sources of vitamin D<\/a>, with 5.7 micrograms per 3.5 ounces (100 grams), or 28% of the DV. The same serving contains 36.5 micrograms of selenium, or 66% of the DV. It is also a source of heart-healthy B vitamins.\n<\/p>\n Bluefin tuna is commonly used in sushi and is sometimes available canned.\n<\/p>\n Roberto Machado Noa \/ Getty Images<\/p>\n Creatine: 0.35 grams per 4-ounce serving\n<\/p>\n Cod contains 1.4 grams per pound of creatine, or 0.35 grams per 4-ounce serving. The same serving also delivers 20 grams of filling protein and nutrients like calcium, magnesium, and vitamin D that strengthen your bones<\/a>.<\/p>\n Krit of Studio OMG \/ Getty Images<\/p>\n Creatine: 0.57 grams per 4-ounce serving\n<\/p>\n Pork contains 2.3 grams of creatine per pound raw, providing 0.57 grams per 4-ounce serving. Pork also provides high-quality protein, B-complex vitamins<\/a>, and essential minerals like iron and zinc.\n<\/p>\n Pork loin, the leanest cut of pork, contains moderate levels of saturated fat compared to beef. It also has a balanced fatty acid profile, with nearly equal amounts of monounsaturated and saturated fatty acids.\n<\/p>\n Jupiterimages \/ Getty Images<\/p>\n Creatine: 0.41 grams per 3-ounce serving\n<\/p>\n Lean cuts of beef contain 2 grams of creatine per pound (about 0.41 per 3-ounce serving). Lean beef is a high-quality protein offering essential nutrients like iron<\/a>, zinc, and B vitamins, which support energy and overall health.\n<\/p>\n istetiana \/ Getty Images<\/p>\n Creatine: 0.41 grams per 3.5-ounce (100-gram) serving\n<\/p>\n Chicken is a relatively affordable and easily accessible high-quality protein. Skinless, boneless chicken contains 0.36\u20130.39 grams of creatine per 100 grams (about 3.5 ounces). The same serving also provides 22.5 grams of protein.\n<\/p>\n Choosing skinless chicken will reduce the saturated fat<\/a> you eat.\n<\/p>\n