Vegan foods high in Iron

Red meat and poultry dominate this ranking because their iron binds easily to the proteins that carry oxygen through your blood. Animal tissues contain haem iron, the form your body absorbs with the fewest obstacles. Plant foods hold non-haem iron, which your gut takes up less readily and only when other compounds in the meal do not block it.

Iron concentrates in organ meats, then muscle meats, then leafy greens and legumes. A single ranking cannot show you absorption rates. Two foods with the same iron count per 100 g deliver different amounts to your bloodstream depending on what else you eat alongside them.

Without animal foods, you lose access to haem iron. Plant sources and fortified foods supply non-haem iron instead, which your body absorbs at a lower rate and loses to interference from phytates, tannins and polyphenols in the same meal. Eating vitamin C alongside iron-rich plants improves uptake substantially. Many fortified cereals and plant milks contain added iron in amounts comparable to meat, but absorption remains the limiting factor on a vegetarian or vegan diet.

FDA daily value: 18 mg

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Showing 1501–1550 of 6,739 foods

# Food Category Per 100 g % DV Source
1501 Cracker, whole wheat, low sodium Baked Products 3.08 mg 17% CNF
1502 Bagel, oat bran Baked Products 3.08 mg 17% CNF
1503 Bread, pita, whole-wheat Baked Products 3.06 mg 17% USDA_SR
1504 Beverages, coffee and cocoa, instant, decaffeinated, with whitener and low calorie sweetener Beverages 3.06 mg 17% USDA_SR
1505 Archway Home Style Cookies, Old Fashioned Windmill Cookies Baked Products 3.06 mg 17% USDA_SR
1506 Nuts, pine nuts, pinyon, dried Nut and Seed Products 3.06 mg 17% USDA_SR
1507 Coffee and cocoa (mocha) powder, with whitener and low calorie sweetener Beverages 3.06 mg 17% CNF
1508 Coffee, instant, mocha, powder, with whitener and artificial sweetener, decaffeinated Beverages 3.06 mg 17% CNF
1509 Bread, pita, whole-wheat Baked Products 3.06 mg 17% CNF
1510 Nuts, pine nuts, pinyon, dried Nuts and Seeds 3.06 mg 17% CNF
1511 Cowpeas, catjang, mature seeds, cooked, boiled, with salt Legumes and Legume Products 3.05 mg 17% USDA_SR
1512 Cowpeas, catjang, mature seeds, cooked, boiled, without salt Legumes and Legume Products 3.05 mg 17% USDA_SR
1513 Pancakes, special dietary, dry mix Baked Products 3.05 mg 17% USDA_SR
1514 Cereals, corn grits, white, regular and quick, enriched, dry Breakfast Cereals 3.05 mg 17% USDA_SR
1515 Snacks, trail mix, regular, unsalted Snacks 3.05 mg 17% USDA_SR
1516 Snacks, granola bars, hard, chocolate chip Snacks 3.05 mg 17% USDA_SR
1517 Garlic bread, frozen Baked Products 3.05 mg 17% USDA_SR
1518 Snacks, trail mix, regular Snacks 3.05 mg 17% USDA_SR
1519 Bread, garlic Baked Products 3.05 mg 17% CNF
1520 Snacks, trail mix, regular, unsalted Snacks 3.05 mg 17% CNF
1521 Snacks, trail mix, regular Snacks 3.05 mg 17% CNF
1522 Bread, white with raisins, commercial Baked Products 3.05 mg 17% CNF
1523 Black-eyed peas (cowpeas), catjang, boiled, salted Legumes and Legume Products 3.05 mg 17% CNF
1524 Black-eyed peas (cowpeas), catjang, boiled Legumes and Legume Products 3.05 mg 17% CNF
1525 Cereal, hot, oats, instant: apple & cinnamon, prepared, Quaker Breakfast cereals 3.05 mg 17% CNF
1526 Hush puppies, prepared from recipe Baked Products 3.04 mg 17% USDA_SR
1527 Cake, chocolate, commercially prepared with chocolate frosting, in-store bakery Baked Products 3.04 mg 17% USDA_SR
1528 Crackers, rye, wafers, seasoned Baked Products 3.04 mg 17% USDA_SR
1529 Spices, nutmeg, ground Spices and Herbs 3.04 mg 17% USDA_SR
1530 Cereal, hot, oats, instant: reduced sugar, brown sugar cinnamon, prepared, Quaker Breakfast cereals 3.04 mg 17% CNF
1531 Snacks, popcorn, unpopped kernels Snacks 3.04 mg 17% CNF
1532 Hush puppy, homemade Baked Products 3.04 mg 17% CNF
1533 Cracker, rye, wafers, seasoned Baked Products 3.04 mg 17% CNF
1534 Cake, chocolate, commercial, with chocolate icing (frosting), in-store bakery Baked Products 3.04 mg 17% CNF
1535 Spices, nutmeg, ground Spices and Herbs 3.04 mg 17% CNF
1536 Bread, white, commercially prepared, low sodium, no salt Baked Products 3.03 mg 17% USDA_SR
1537 Bread, multigrain, commercial, reduced sodium Baked Products 3.03 mg 17% CNF
1538 Bread, multigrain, commercial Baked Products 3.03 mg 17% CNF
1539 Muffins, English, mixed-grain (includes granola) Baked Products 3.02 mg 17% USDA_SR
1540 Bread, 60% whole wheat, commercial, toasted Baked Products 3.02 mg 17% CNF
1541 English muffin, multigrain (also granola) Baked Products 3.02 mg 17% CNF
1542 Bread, chapati or roti, plain, commercially prepared Baked Products 3.01 mg 17% USDA_SR
1543 Millet, raw Cereal Grains and Pasta 3.01 mg 17% USDA_SR
1544 Indian, bread, chapati or roti, plain Baked Products 3.01 mg 17% CNF
1545 Grains, millet, dry Cereals, Grains and Pasta 3.01 mg 17% CNF
1546 Cake mix, german chocolate, pudding-type mix, dry, unprepared Baked Products 3.01 mg 17% CNF
1547 Cookie, chocolate, with icing or coating Baked Products 3.00 mg 17% USDA_SR
1548 Babyfood, cookies, arrowroot Baby Foods 3.00 mg 17% USDA_SR
1549 Beans, pinto, immature seeds, frozen, unprepared Vegetables and Vegetable Products 3.00 mg 17% USDA_SR
1550 Cereals ready-to-eat, ALPEN Breakfast Cereals 3.00 mg 17% USDA_SR

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