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 2001–2050 of 6,739 foods

# Food Category Per 100 g % DV Source
2001 Dock (sorrel), raw Vegetables and Vegetable Products 2.40 mg 13% CNF
2002 Peas, edible-podded (snow peas), frozen, boiled, drained Vegetables and Vegetable Products 2.40 mg 13% CNF
2003 Cereal, ready to eat, Granola: Blueberry, light, Rogers Breakfast cereals 2.40 mg 13% CNF
2004 Lima beans, large, mature seeds, cooked, boiled, without salt Legumes and Legume Products 2.39 mg 13% USDA_SR
2005 Lima beans, large, mature seeds, cooked, boiled, with salt Legumes and Legume Products 2.39 mg 13% USDA_SR
2006 Nuts, chestnuts, european, dried, peeled Nut and Seed Products 2.39 mg 13% USDA_SR
2007 Beans, lima, dry, large, boiled, salted Legumes and Legume Products 2.39 mg 13% CNF
2008 Beans, lima, dry, large, boiled Legumes and Legume Products 2.39 mg 13% CNF
2009 Nuts, European chestnuts (sweet), dried, peeled Nuts and Seeds 2.39 mg 13% CNF
2010 Cookies, vanilla wafers, lower fat Baked Products 2.38 mg 13% USDA_SR
2011 Cookies, oatmeal, refrigerated dough, baked Baked Products 2.38 mg 13% USDA_SR
2012 Soy sauce made from soy (tamari) Legumes and Legume Products 2.38 mg 13% USDA_SR
2013 Potato soup, instant, dry mix Soups, Sauces, and Gravies 2.38 mg 13% USDA_SR
2014 Infant formula, NESTLE, GOOD START SOY, with DHA and ARA, liquid concentrate Baby Foods 2.38 mg 13% USDA_SR
2015 Nuts, chestnuts, european, dried, unpeeled Nut and Seed Products 2.38 mg 13% USDA_SR
2016 Corn flour, whole-grain, yellow Cereal Grains and Pasta 2.38 mg 13% USDA_SR
2017 Corn flour, whole-grain, white Cereal Grains and Pasta 2.38 mg 13% USDA_SR
2018 Cookie, oatmeal, refrigerated dough, prepared Baked Products 2.38 mg 13% CNF
2019 Soup, potato, instant, dehydrated, unprepared Soups, Sauces and Gravies 2.38 mg 13% CNF
2020 Grains, corn flour, yellow, whole-grain Cereals, Grains and Pasta 2.38 mg 13% CNF
2021 Cookie, vanilla wafer, 12 to 17% fat Baked Products 2.38 mg 13% CNF
2022 Soy sauce (made from soy), tamari Legumes and Legume Products 2.38 mg 13% CNF
2023 Nuts, European chestnuts (sweet), dried, unpeeled Nuts and Seeds 2.38 mg 13% CNF
2024 Nuts, pecans, halves, raw Nut and Seed Products 2.37 mg 13% USDA_FF
2025 TACO BELL, Bean Burrito Fast Foods 2.37 mg 13% USDA_SR
2026 Beans, navy, mature seeds, cooked, boiled, with salt Legumes and Legume Products 2.36 mg 13% USDA_SR
2027 Beans, navy, mature seeds, cooked, boiled, without salt Legumes and Legume Products 2.36 mg 13% USDA_SR
2028 Infant formula, PBM PRODUCTS, store brand, soy, liquid concentrate, not reconstituted Baby Foods 2.36 mg 13% USDA_SR
2029 Infant formula, PBM PRODUCTS, store brand, liquid concentrate, not reconstituted Baby Foods 2.36 mg 13% USDA_SR
2030 Fast foods, hot dog, plain Fast Foods 2.36 mg 13% CNF
2031 Beans, navy, boiled, salted Legumes and Legume Products 2.36 mg 13% CNF
2032 Beans, navy, boiled Legumes and Legume Products 2.36 mg 13% CNF
2033 Cowpeas (blackeyes), immature seeds, frozen, unprepared Vegetables and Vegetable Products 2.35 mg 13% USDA_SR
2034 Cowpeas (black-eyed peas), immature seeds, frozen, unprepared Vegetables and Vegetable Products 2.35 mg 13% CNF
2035 Granola bar, chewy, fruit and/or nut Baked Products 2.34 mg 13% CNF
2036 Infant Formula, MEAD JOHNSON, ENFAMIL, Premium LIPIL, Infant, Liquid concentrate, not reconstituted Baby Foods 2.33 mg 13% USDA_SR
2037 Cookie, sugar, homemade, made with margarine Baked Products 2.33 mg 13% CNF
2038 Cereal, ready to eat, Harvest Crunch: Raisins and almonds, Quaker Breakfast cereals 2.33 mg 13% CNF
2039 Archway Home Style Cookies, Strawberry Filled Baked Products 2.32 mg 13% USDA_SR
2040 Infant formula, ABBOTT NUTRITION, SIMILAC, SENSITIVE, (LACTOSE FREE), liquid concentrate, with ARA and DHA Baby Foods 2.32 mg 13% USDA_SR
2041 Archway Home Style Cookies, Raspberry Filled Baked Products 2.32 mg 13% USDA_SR
2042 DOMINO'S 14" EXTRAVAGANZZA FEAST Pizza, Classic Hand-Tossed Crust Fast Foods 2.32 mg 13% USDA_SR
2043 Infant Formula, MEAD JOHNSON, ENFAMIL, Premium, Infant, Liquid concentrate, not reconstituted Baby Foods 2.32 mg 13% USDA_SR
2044 Drumstick leaves, cooked, boiled, drained, with salt Vegetables and Vegetable Products 2.32 mg 13% USDA_SR
2045 Drumstick leaves, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt Vegetables and Vegetable Products 2.32 mg 13% USDA_SR
2046 Amaranth leaves, raw Vegetables and Vegetable Products 2.32 mg 13% USDA_SR
2047 Snacks, tortilla chips, unsalted, white corn Snacks 2.32 mg 13% USDA_SR
2048 Drumstick (horseradish-tree), leaves, boiled, drained, with salt Vegetables and Vegetable Products 2.32 mg 13% CNF
2049 Snacks, tortilla chips, unsalted Snacks 2.32 mg 13% CNF
2050 Drumstick (horseradish-tree), leaves, boiled, drained Vegetables and Vegetable Products 2.32 mg 13% CNF

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