Fruit Foods: Lysine & Arginine Content

Browse 60 foods in this category, sorted by lysine-to-arginine ratio.

Herpes simplex virus (HSV) requires arginine — an amino acid found in many common foods — to replicate. Maintaining a diet where lysine consistently outweighs arginine is one of the most evidence-backed nutritional strategies for reducing the frequency of herpes outbreaks. This database lets you check the exact lysine-to-arginine ratio for hundreds of common foods, so you can make smarter choices at every meal.

A ratio above 1.0 (more lysine than arginine) is generally considered favourable for people managing herpes. Foods with ratios below 0.5 — particularly nuts, seeds, and chocolate — are the most likely to tip the balance in the virus's favour. Use the search and category filters below to find the foods you eat most often, then check out our guide on how to build a herpes-friendly diet for practical meal planning advice.

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Showing all 60 foods

Lysine and arginine content per 100g. Select a column header to sort.
Name	Category	Lysine (mg)	Arginine (mg)	Ratio
Starfruit (Carambola)	Fruit	77	21	3.6
Papaya	Fruit	50.33	19.87	2.53
Sapodilla	Fruit	39	17	2.3
Mango	Fruit	28.33	13	2.18
Apricot	Fruit	90.35	42.11	2.15
Apple	Fruit	11.33	5.33	2.13
Pear, Dried	Fruit	66.29	31.86	2.08
Applesauce, Unsweetened	Fruit	9.84	4.92	2
Crabapple, Slices	Fruit	25.45	12.73	2
Nectarine	Fruit	60	30	2
Apple, Dried	Fruit	57.81	29.69	1.95
Pear	Fruit	12.78	6.67	1.92
Apricot, Dried	Fruit	254.29	140	1.82
Fig, dried	Fruit	120.63	69.31	1.74
Fig	Fruit	29.23	16.92	1.73
Avocado	Fruit	69.44	43.75	1.59
Apple Juice	Fruit	6.7	4.6	1.46
Pineapple	Fruit	25.2	18.1	1.39
Persimmon	Fruit	27.5	21	1.31
Lemon	Fruit	39	30	1.3
Peach, Dried	Fruit	116.15	92.31	1.26
Prunes Juice	Fruit	29.4	23.5	1.25
Peach	Fruit	17.39	13.91	1.25
Prunes	Fruit	50	40	1.25
Tamarind	Fruit	140	112	1.25
Pomegranate	Fruit	110	90	1.22
Plum	Fruit	163.64	134.55	1.22
Cherries	Fruit	110	90	1.2
Guava	Fruit	18.75	16.92	1.11
Lime	Fruit	39	36	1.08
Watermelon	Fruit	61.88	58.75	1.05
Banana	Fruit	31.43	30.86	1.02
Pineapple Juice	Fruit	14.9	15.5	0.96
Strawberries	Fruit	37	39	0.95
Dates	Fruit	50	55	0.91
Lemon Juice	Fruit	23	25.6	0.9
Acai Berry	Fruit	52	60	0.87
Pomegranate Juice	Fruit	64.8	77	0.84
Kiwi	Fruit	61	82	0.74
Tangerine	Fruit	27	37	0.73
Orange	Fruit	34.44	47.22	0.73
Plantain	Fruit	37	66	0.6
Elderberries	Fruit	26	47	0.6
Cantaloupe	Fruit	30	51	0.59
Orange Juice	Fruit	20.3	40.4	0.5
Olives	Fruit	35.71	71.43	0.5
Jackfruit	Fruit	70	140	0.5
Pitaya (Dragon Fruit)	Fruit	72.8	149	0.49
Cranberries Juice	Fruit	23	47.9	0.48
Cranberries	Fruit	15.5	32.3	0.48
Blueberries	Fruit	11.7	33.8	0.35
Goji Berries	Fruit	232.14	721.43	0.32
Grapes, Slip Skin	Fruit	8.5	27.4	0.31
Coconut Flour	Fruit	200.48	641.96	0.31
Coconut	Fruit	147	546	0.27
Coconut Meat	Fruit	147	546	0.27
Grapefruit	Fruit	16	70	0.23
Coconut Cream	Fruit	133.33	600	0.22
Grape Juice	Fruit	10	47	0.21
Tangerine Juice	Fruit	7	34	0.21

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How to Use the Lysine-Arginine Ratio

The ratio shown in the database is calculated as lysine ÷ arginine per 100g of food. Higher is better for people with herpes. Here is a quick guide to interpreting the numbers:

Ratio > 2.0: Excellent — strongly favours lysine. Examples: most fish, poultry, and dairy.
Ratio 1.0–2.0: Good — more lysine than arginine. Safe to eat freely.
Ratio 0.5–1.0: Moderate — roughly balanced. Eat in moderation alongside high-lysine foods.
Ratio < 0.5: Unfavourable — significantly more arginine than lysine. Limit these foods, especially during or before an outbreak.

All values in the database are per 100g of food unless stated otherwise. Portion size matters: a small amount of a high-arginine food may still be fine in the context of an otherwise lysine-rich meal. Focus on your overall daily ratio rather than avoiding individual foods entirely.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which foods have the highest lysine-to-arginine ratio?

Fish consistently top the database — particularly flounder, cod, halibut, and sole — with ratios of 3.0 or higher. Poultry (chicken and turkey breast) and most dairy products (cottage cheese, ricotta, Greek yogurt) also score very favourably. Among plant foods, mangoes and papayas have unusually high lysine-to-arginine ratios compared to most fruits.

Which common foods are highest in arginine and worst for herpes?

Nuts are the biggest concern — particularly peanuts, almonds, walnuts, and Brazil nuts, which have arginine-to-lysine ratios of 3:1 or higher. Seeds (sesame, sunflower, pumpkin) are similarly high in arginine. Chocolate and cocoa are notorious for their high arginine content. Among grains, oats and wheat germ have higher arginine relative to refined grains. These foods are not forbidden, but they are best eaten alongside high-lysine proteins to offset the arginine load.

How much lysine per day is recommended for herpes management?

Clinical studies on lysine for herpes have used doses ranging from 1,000mg to 3,000mg daily. For maintenance (outbreak prevention), 1,000–1,500mg per day is the most commonly studied dose. For acute outbreak treatment, 3,000mg per day for 5–7 days is sometimes used. These amounts are achievable through diet alone only if you are eating substantial portions of lysine-rich proteins at multiple meals — supplementation fills the gap for most people. Always discuss supplementation doses with your healthcare provider, as high-dose lysine can cause gastrointestinal side effects.

Can I use this database to plan a herpes-friendly meal plan?

Yes. Search for the protein sources you eat most regularly and confirm they have ratios above 1.0. Then check snack foods, nuts, and any protein supplements you use — these are the most likely sources of hidden arginine in a typical diet. Building meals around fish, poultry, eggs, and dairy as your primary proteins, with vegetables and fruits as sides, will naturally produce a lysine-favourable diet for most people. Our guide to the best foods for cold sores provides a practical meal planning framework using this data.