I’ve been asked a lot about how to get more copper.

These are my favorite high copper foods:

+ Beef liver—also has vitamin A, which is important for using copper in the body.

+ Citrus fruit—whole food form of vitamin C, which also has copper.

+ Bee pollen/royal jelly—rich in copper and B vitamins.

+ Shellfish—rich in copper and other minerals such as zinc, selenium, and iodine.

+ Cacao—rich in copper and magnesium.

It’s important to include foods that boost copper, but it’s also important to reduce things that deplete it. Two common supplements that deplete copper are:

1. Zinc: Zinc and copper are antagonists. Supplementing with zinc increases metallothionein production, which binds to copper and makes it unavailable for use in the body.

2. Ascorbic acid: Most vitamin C supplements are mainly ascorbic acid, which has been shown to reduce plasma and liver concentrations of copper and make it less active in the body. We always want whole food vitamin C.

These foods and tips help to boost copper and prevent the body from depleting it. Another helpful way to improve how much copper is available for use in the body is red light therapy.

Red light helps to reduce inflammation and oxidative stress in our mitochondria. This reduction in inflammation allows for better copper balance in the body.

Research shows that the more oxidative stress we have, the more difficult it is to keep copper in balance.

Looking for more nutrient-dense recipes check out my free nourishing meal guide!

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