Nutrient glossary
What is threonine?
Threonine is the backbone of gut mucus and collagen, quietly consumed in large amounts by your intestinal lining.
Reviewed 20 July 2026. General information, not medical advice.
The short version
The mucin proteins that line and protect your gut are unusually rich in threonine, and the gut takes its share of dietary threonine before the rest of the body sees any. It also feeds into collagen, elastin and immune antibodies.
Meat, fish, dairy, eggs, soy and lentils supply it; normal protein intake covers the requirement with room to spare.
Daily reference
1.1 g a day
The adult requirement is about 15 mg per kg of body weight a day.
This is the fixed adult reference used across these pages. In the app, your amount adjusts to your body and way of eating.
Best food sources of threonine
| Food | Per serving | Per 100g |
|---|---|---|
| Chicken Breast | 2.27 g | 1.33 g |
| Ribeye Steak | 2.01 g | 1.34 g |
| Sirloin Steak | 1.77 g | 1.18 g |
| Roast Chicken | 1.71 g | 1.22 g |
| Duck Breast | 1.64 g | 1.17 g |
| Tuna Steak | 1.59 g | 1.22 g |
| Whey Protein | 1.58 g | 5.1 g |
| Halibut | 1.55 g | 1.11 g |
Common questions
- What is threonine needed for?
- Gut lining mucus, collagen and antibody production are its main destinations; the gut itself uses a surprising share.
- Where do vegans get threonine?
- Soy, lentils, beans and seeds carry plenty; any diet meeting protein needs meets threonine needs.