Creatine-Rich Foods: Which Foods Contain Creatine?

Best Dietary Sources of Creatine

Creatine is found almost entirely in meat and fish, with herring, pork, beef and salmon among the richest sources at roughly 3 to 5 grams per kilogram. Getting a supplement-sized dose from food alone means eating over a kilogram of meat a day, which is why supplementing is more practical.

Where creatine comes from in the diet

Creatine reaches your body two ways. Your liver, kidneys and pancreas make roughly 1 gram a day, and the rest comes from food.¹ Dietary creatine is stored in the muscle of animals, so the foods that contain it are meat and fish. There is essentially no creatine in fruit, vegetables, grains or legumes.

This is why the question of creatine-rich foods is really a question about which meats and fish carry the most, and how much of it survives to your plate.

The richest food sources

Raw meat and fish contain roughly 3 to 5 grams of creatine per kilogram, though the figure varies by source.¹ Commonly cited values put herring at the top, followed by pork, beef, salmon and tuna, with white fish such as cod a little lower.

As a rough guide per kilogram of raw food:

Chicken contains creatine too, at a level broadly similar to other meats, so it counts toward your intake without being a standout source.

Why cooking matters

The numbers above are for raw food. Creatine is sensitive to heat, and prolonged or high temperature cooking converts some of it into creatinine, the inactive by-product.¹ A well done steak or a long braise therefore delivers less creatine than the raw weight suggests. You cannot avoid this in normal cooking, but it is worth knowing that food figures represent a best case.

Can you get enough from food alone?

In practice, no, not at the levels used in research. A typical mixed diet provides only about 1 to 2 grams of creatine a day, which together with your body's own production keeps muscle stores partly filled but not saturated.^1,2 To reach the 3 to 5 grams used to top up creatine stores, you would need to eat more than a kilogram of meat or fish daily, and cooking losses make that target even harder.

This is the practical case for supplementing. A single 5 gram dose of creatine monohydrate delivers as much as roughly a kilogram of raw beef, without the cost, calories or cooking. It is also the only realistic route for anyone eating little or no meat, as we cover in our guide to creatine for vegans and vegetarians.

The bottom line

Creatine in food means meat and fish, with herring, pork, beef and salmon leading the way at around 3 to 5 grams per kilogram, and none of note in plant foods. Because a normal diet supplies only 1 to 2 grams a day and cooking removes some of that, food alone rarely fills your stores. A daily 5 gram dose of pure monohydrate, such as our Pure Micronised Creatine Sachets, is the simple way to close the gap. For how it is produced, see how creatine is made.

Related reading

• Types of creatine explained: which form is best?
• Is creatine vegan? Sources and why plant-based diets benefit most
• How is creatine made?

Frequently asked questions

What foods are highest in creatine?

Herring is the richest, at around 6 to 10 grams per kilogram, followed by pork, beef, salmon and tuna at roughly 4 to 5 grams per kilogram. Plant foods contain virtually none.¹

How much creatine is in chicken?

Chicken contains creatine at a level broadly similar to other meats, a few grams per kilogram of raw meat, so it contributes to intake but is not a standout source.¹

Can I get enough creatine from food?

A normal diet provides only about 1 to 2 grams a day. Reaching the 3 to 5 grams used to fill creatine stores would take over a kilogram of meat daily, so supplementing is more practical.^1,2

This article is for general information and is not medical advice. If you have a health condition or take medication, speak to your doctor before starting any supplement.

References

1. Kreider, R. B. et al. International Society of Sports Nutrition position stand: safety and efficacy of creatine supplementation in exercise, sport, and medicine. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition 14, 18 (2017). JISSN
2. Antonio, J. et al. Common questions and misconceptions about creatine supplementation. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition 18, 13 (2021). JISSN