Total mineral residue after combustion — a laboratory measure, not a dietary target.
Every figure here is per 100 g of the food, not per serving. That makes foods comparable to each other, but it is not how anyone eats: 100 g of a dried spice and 100 g of a leafy green are very different portions, so a high position in this list does not tell you what a meal contributes.
Nutrient values are per 100 g of the USDA reference entry named on this page and vary with variety, growing conditions, storage and preparation.
No FDA Daily Value is established for ash, so no % DV is shown.
24 entries with a measured ash value, highest first.
Soybeans fermented with Aspergillus oryzae koji, salt and usually a grain, for anywhere from weeks to years. Longer ferments…
Engraulis encrasicolus
Tiny oily fish usually sold salt-cured and packed in oil, where months of curing dissolves the flesh into an intensely savoury…
Salvia officinalis
The grey-green leaf of Salvia officinalis, used fresh or dried and traditionally paired with fatty meats. The USDA entry is per…
Origanum vulgare
The dried leaf of Origanum vulgare, dominated by the phenols carvacrol and thymol. The USDA entry is per 100 g of dried leaf,…
Capsicum annuum
Ground dried Capsicum annuum peppers, ranging from sweet to hot and sometimes smoked over oak. The USDA entry is per 100 g of the…
Cuminum cyminum
The dried seed of Cuminum cyminum, used whole or ground across South Asian, Middle Eastern and Latin American cooking. The USDA…
Curcuma longa
The dried, ground rhizome of Curcuma longa, and the yellow base of most curry powders. The USDA entry is per 100 g of the dried…
Cannabis sativa
The hulled seed of industrial hemp, a cannabis variety bred to contain negligible THC. The USDA reference entry is for the hulled…
A hard cheese aged a year or more, during which enzymes break down protein into free amino acids and the crystalline tyrosine…
Capsicum annuum
Dried ground fruit of hot Capsicum annuum varieties. The USDA entry is per 100 g of the dried spice; a shake over a dish is well…
Coriandrum sativum
The dried fruit of Coriandrum sativum, the same plant whose leaves are sold as cilantro, though the seed tastes citrusy and warm…
Elettaria cardamomum
The dried seed pods of Elettaria cardamomum, used whole or as ground seed in baking, curries and coffee. The USDA entry is per…
Syzygium aromaticum
The dried flower buds of Syzygium aromaticum, one of the most aromatic spices in common use. The USDA entry is per 100 g of…
Crocus sativus
The dried stigmas of the Crocus sativus flower, harvested by hand and the most expensive spice by weight. The USDA entry is per…
Glycine max
The legume behind tofu, soy milk, tempeh and miso, eaten either as mature dry beans or as edamame, the immature green pod…
Salvia hispanica
Tiny seeds from a Mexican member of the mint family that form a thick gel when hydrated, because of soluble mucilage in the seed…
Cucurbita pepo
The hulled green kernels of certain pumpkin and squash varieties, eaten raw or roasted. The USDA reference entry is for the dried…
Piper nigrum
The dried unripe fruit of the Piper nigrum vine, used whole or ground. The USDA entry is per 100 g of ground pepper, whereas a…
Sesamum indicum
Small oil-rich seeds used whole, toasted, or ground into tahini across the Middle East, Africa and East Asia. The USDA reference…
Linum usitatissimum
The seed of the flax plant, sold whole, ground or pressed for oil, and the densest common dietary source of plant lignans. The…
Phaseolus vulgaris
A common bean variety whose dark seed coat carries anthocyanin pigments, staple across Latin America and the Caribbean. The USDA…
Cinnamomum cassia / Cinnamomum verum
Dried inner bark from several Cinnamomum species. Almost all supermarket cinnamon is cassia, which contains far more coumarin…
Bertholletia excelsa
Large seeds harvested from wild Amazonian trees, notable for concentrating selenium from the soil to a degree no other common…
Trigonella foenum-graecum
The hard, bitter seed of a legume-family plant, used whole, ground or sprouted, and responsible for the smell most people…